diff --git a/clients/native/src/commands/init.rs b/clients/native/src/commands/init.rs
index a8b6f45822c..797082041ec 100644
--- a/clients/native/src/commands/init.rs
+++ b/clients/native/src/commands/init.rs
@@ -24,11 +24,17 @@ use directory_client::DirectoryClient;
 use gateway_client::GatewayClient;
 use gateway_requests::registration::handshake::SharedKeys;
 use rand::rngs::OsRng;
+use rand::seq::SliceRandom;
 use std::convert::TryInto;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 use std::time::Duration;
 use topology::{gateway, NymTopology};
 
+const GOOD_GATEWAYS: [&str; 2] = [
+    "D6YaMzLSY7mANtSQRKXsmMZpqgqiVkeiagKM4V4oFPFr",
+    "5nrYxPR8gt2Gzo2BbHtsGf66KAEQY91WmM1eW78EphNy",
+];
+
 pub fn command_args<'a, 'b>() -> clap::App<'a, 'b> {
     App::new("init")
         .about("Initialise a Nym client. Do this first!")
@@ -40,9 +46,8 @@ pub fn command_args<'a, 'b>() -> clap::App<'a, 'b> {
         )
         .arg(Arg::with_name("gateway")
             .long("gateway")
-            .help("Id of the gateway we are going to connect to. If unsure what to put here - 'D6YaMzLSY7mANtSQRKXsmMZpqgqiVkeiagKM4V4oFPFr' is a safe choice for the testnet")
+            .help("Id of the gateway we are going to connect to.")
             .takes_value(true)
-            .required(true)
         )
         .arg(Arg::with_name("directory")
             .long("directory")
@@ -102,6 +107,16 @@ async fn gateway_details(directory_server: &str, gateway_id: &str) -> gateway::N
         .clone()
 }
 
+fn select_gateway(arg: Option<&str>) -> &str {
+    if let Some(gateway_id) = arg {
+        gateway_id
+    } else {
+        // TODO1: this should only be done on testnet
+        // TODO2: it should probably check if chosen gateway is actually online
+        GOOD_GATEWAYS.choose(&mut rand::thread_rng()).unwrap()
+    }
+}
+
 pub fn execute(matches: &ArgMatches) {
     println!("Initialising client...");
 
@@ -109,6 +124,8 @@ pub fn execute(matches: &ArgMatches) {
     let mut config = Config::new(id);
     let mut rng = OsRng;
 
+    // TODO: ideally that should be the last thing that's being done to config.
+    // However, we are later further overriding it with gateway id
     config = override_config(config, matches);
     if matches.is_present("fastmode") {
         config.get_base_mut().set_high_default_traffic_volume();
@@ -117,7 +134,8 @@ pub fn execute(matches: &ArgMatches) {
     // create identity, encryption and ack keys.
     let mut key_manager = KeyManager::new(&mut rng);
 
-    let gateway_id = matches.value_of("gateway").unwrap();
+    let gateway_id = select_gateway(matches.value_of("gateway"));
+    config.get_base_mut().with_gateway_id(gateway_id);
 
     let registration_fut = async {
         let gate_details =
@@ -146,11 +164,6 @@ pub fn execute(matches: &ArgMatches) {
         .save_to_file(None)
         .expect("Failed to save the config file");
     println!("Saved configuration file to {:?}", config_save_location);
-
-    println!(
-        "Unless overridden in all `nym-client run` we will be talking to the following gateway: {}...",
-        config.get_base().get_gateway_id(),
-    );
-
+    println!("Using gateway: {}", config.get_base().get_gateway_id(),);
     println!("Client configuration completed.\n\n\n")
 }
diff --git a/clients/native/src/main.rs b/clients/native/src/main.rs
index b62bdfd4850..04e74a88c3d 100644
--- a/clients/native/src/main.rs
+++ b/clients/native/src/main.rs
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ fn main() {
     dotenv::dotenv().ok();
     setup_logging();
     println!("{}", banner());
-    println!("\n\nIf unsure which gateway to choose - 'D6YaMzLSY7mANtSQRKXsmMZpqgqiVkeiagKM4V4oFPFr' is a safe choice for the testnet\n\n");
 
     let arg_matches = App::new("Nym Client")
         .version(built_info::PKG_VERSION)
diff --git a/clients/socks5/src/commands/init.rs b/clients/socks5/src/commands/init.rs
index c239c1b0f75..1627deb5ce5 100644
--- a/clients/socks5/src/commands/init.rs
+++ b/clients/socks5/src/commands/init.rs
@@ -23,12 +23,17 @@ use crypto::asymmetric::identity;
 use directory_client::DirectoryClient;
 use gateway_client::GatewayClient;
 use gateway_requests::registration::handshake::SharedKeys;
-use rand::rngs::OsRng;
+use rand::{prelude::SliceRandom, rngs::OsRng};
 use std::convert::TryInto;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 use std::time::Duration;
 use topology::{gateway, NymTopology};
 
+const GOOD_GATEWAYS: [&str; 2] = [
+    "D6YaMzLSY7mANtSQRKXsmMZpqgqiVkeiagKM4V4oFPFr",
+    "5nrYxPR8gt2Gzo2BbHtsGf66KAEQY91WmM1eW78EphNy",
+];
+
 pub fn command_args<'a, 'b>() -> clap::App<'a, 'b> {
     App::new("init")
         .about("Initialise a Nym client. Do this first!")
@@ -46,9 +51,8 @@ pub fn command_args<'a, 'b>() -> clap::App<'a, 'b> {
         )
         .arg(Arg::with_name("gateway")
             .long("gateway")
-            .help("Id of the gateway we are going to connect to. If unsure what to put here - 'D6YaMzLSY7mANtSQRKXsmMZpqgqiVkeiagKM4V4oFPFr' is a safe choice for the testnet")
+            .help("Id of the gateway we are going to connect to.")
             .takes_value(true)
-            .required(true)
         )
         .arg(Arg::with_name("directory")
             .long("directory")
@@ -104,6 +108,16 @@ async fn gateway_details(directory_server: &str, gateway_id: &str) -> gateway::N
         .clone()
 }
 
+fn select_gateway(arg: Option<&str>) -> &str {
+    if let Some(gateway_id) = arg {
+        gateway_id
+    } else {
+        // TODO1: this should only be done on testnet
+        // TODO2: it should probably check if chosen gateway is actually online
+        GOOD_GATEWAYS.choose(&mut rand::thread_rng()).unwrap()
+    }
+}
+
 pub fn execute(matches: &ArgMatches) {
     println!("Initialising client...");
 
@@ -113,6 +127,8 @@ pub fn execute(matches: &ArgMatches) {
     let mut config = Config::new(id, provider_address);
     let mut rng = OsRng;
 
+    // TODO: ideally that should be the last thing that's being done to config.
+    // However, we are later further overriding it with gateway id
     config = override_config(config, matches);
     if matches.is_present("fastmode") {
         config.get_base_mut().set_high_default_traffic_volume();
@@ -121,7 +137,8 @@ pub fn execute(matches: &ArgMatches) {
     // create identity, encryption and ack keys.
     let mut key_manager = KeyManager::new(&mut rng);
 
-    let gateway_id = matches.value_of("gateway").unwrap();
+    let gateway_id = select_gateway(matches.value_of("gateway"));
+    config.get_base_mut().with_gateway_id(gateway_id);
 
     let registration_fut = async {
         let gate_details =
@@ -150,11 +167,6 @@ pub fn execute(matches: &ArgMatches) {
         .save_to_file(None)
         .expect("Failed to save the config file");
     println!("Saved configuration file to {:?}", config_save_location);
-
-    println!(
-        "Unless overridden in all `nym-socks5-client run` we will be talking to the following gateway: {}...",
-        config.get_base().get_gateway_id(),
-    );
-
+    println!("Using gateway: {}", config.get_base().get_gateway_id(),);
     println!("Client configuration completed.\n\n\n")
 }
diff --git a/clients/socks5/src/main.rs b/clients/socks5/src/main.rs
index bfdc522000b..dfcbc72f156 100644
--- a/clients/socks5/src/main.rs
+++ b/clients/socks5/src/main.rs
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ fn main() {
     dotenv::dotenv().ok();
     setup_logging();
     println!("{}", banner());
-    println!("\n\nIf unsure which gateway to choose - 'D6YaMzLSY7mANtSQRKXsmMZpqgqiVkeiagKM4V4oFPFr' is a safe choice for the testnet\n\n");
 
     let arg_matches = App::new("Nym Socks5 Proxy")
         .version(built_info::PKG_VERSION)