diff --git a/red/api/index.js b/red/api/index.js
index e4f01fcbd..3b96ba513 100644
--- a/red/api/index.js
+++ b/red/api/index.js
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ var needsPermission = auth.needsPermission;
 var i18n;
 var log;
 var adminApp;
-var nodeApp;
 var server;
 var runtime;
 
@@ -68,9 +67,6 @@ function init(_server,_runtime) {
     var settings = runtime.settings;
     i18n = runtime.i18n;
     log = runtime.log;
-    if (settings.httpNodeRoot !== false) {
-        nodeApp = express();
-    }
     if (settings.httpAdminRoot !== false) {
         comms.init(server,runtime);
         adminApp = express();
@@ -192,6 +188,5 @@ module.exports = {
         publish: comms.publish
     },
     get adminApp() { return adminApp; },
-    get nodeApp() { return nodeApp; },
     get server() { return server; }
 };
diff --git a/red/red.js b/red/red.js
index aea6bbbf9..f0480375d 100644
--- a/red/red.js
+++ b/red/red.js
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ module.exports = {
             userSettings.coreNodesDir = path.resolve(path.join(__dirname,"..","nodes"));
         }
 
-        if (userSettings.httpAdminRoot !== false || userSettings.httpNodeRoot !== false) {
+        if (userSettings.httpAdminRoot !== false) {
             runtime.init(userSettings,api);
             api.init(httpServer,runtime);
             apiEnabled = true;
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ module.exports = {
             apiEnabled = false;
         }
         adminApp = runtime.adminApi.adminApp;
-        nodeApp = runtime.adminApi.nodeApp;
+        nodeApp = runtime.nodeApp;
         server = runtime.adminApi.server;
         return;
     },
diff --git a/red/runtime/index.js b/red/runtime/index.js
index 838cafaff..80443a311 100644
--- a/red/runtime/index.js
+++ b/red/runtime/index.js
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ var log = require("./log");
 var i18n = require("./i18n");
 var events = require("./events");
 var settings = require("./settings");
+
+var express = require("express");
 var path = require('path');
 var fs = require("fs");
 var os = require("os");
@@ -47,19 +49,22 @@ var adminApi = {
         publish: function() {}
     },
     adminApp: stubbedExpressApp,
-    nodeApp: stubbedExpressApp,
     server: {}
 }
 
+var nodeApp;
+
 function init(userSettings,_adminApi) {
     userSettings.version = getVersion();
     log.init(userSettings);
     settings.init(userSettings);
+
+    nodeApp = express();
+
     if (_adminApi) {
         adminApi = _adminApi;
     }
     redNodes.init(runtime);
-
 }
 
 var version;
@@ -189,6 +194,7 @@ var runtime = module.exports = {
     nodes: redNodes,
     util: require("./util"),
     get adminApi() { return adminApi },
+    get nodeApp() { return nodeApp },
     isStarted: function() {
         return started;
     }
diff --git a/red/runtime/nodes/registry/loader.js b/red/runtime/nodes/registry/loader.js
index 7a9f38ea5..1c9bc4357 100644
--- a/red/runtime/nodes/registry/loader.js
+++ b/red/runtime/nodes/registry/loader.js
@@ -83,9 +83,11 @@ function createNodeApi(node) {
         red.library = runtime.adminApi.library;
         red.auth = runtime.adminApi.auth;
         red.httpAdmin = runtime.adminApi.adminApp;
-        red.httpNode = runtime.adminApi.nodeApp;
+        red.httpNode = runtime.nodeApp;
         red.server = runtime.adminApi.server;
     } else {
+        //TODO: runtime.adminApi is always stubbed if not enabled, so this block
+        // is unused - but may be needed for the unit tests
         red.comms = {
             publish: function() {}
         };