diff --git a/nodes/core/io/31-tcpin.html b/nodes/core/io/31-tcpin.html
index c8cec5991..4b6d3a370 100644
--- a/nodes/core/io/31-tcpin.html
+++ b/nodes/core/io/31-tcpin.html
@@ -213,7 +213,6 @@
                 else {
                     $("#fin-tip2").hide();
                 }
-
             };
             updateOptions();
             $("#node-input-beserver").change(updateOptions);
@@ -226,7 +225,7 @@
     <div class="form-row">
         <label for="node-input-server"><i class="fa fa-globe"></i> Server</label>
         <input type="text" id="node-input-server" placeholder="ip.address" style="width:50%">
-        &nbsp;port <input type="text" id="node-input-port" style="width:50px">
+        &nbsp;port <input type="text" id="node-input-port" placeholder="port" style="width:50px">
     </div>
     <div class="form-row">
         <label for="node-input-out"><i class="fa fa-sign-out"></i> Return</label>
@@ -243,7 +242,8 @@
         <label for="node-input-name"><i class="fa fa-tag"></i> Name</label>
         <input type="text" id="node-input-name" placeholder="Name">
     </div>
-    <div class="form-tips"><b>Tip:</b> outputs a binary <b>Buffer</b>, so you may want to .toString() it.</div>
+    <div class="form-tips"><b>Tip:</b> Outputs a binary <b>Buffer</b>, so you may want to .toString() it.</br/>
+    <b>Tip:</b> Leave host and port blank if you want to overide with msg.host and msg.port properties.</div>
     <script>
         var previous = null;
         $("#node-input-out").on('focus', function () { previous = this.value; }).change(function() {
@@ -273,6 +273,7 @@
     returned characters into a fixed buffer, match a specified character before returning,
     wait a fixed timeout from first reply and then return, or just sit and wait for data.</p>
     <p>The response will be output in <b>msg.payload</b> as a buffer, so you may want to .toString() it.</p>
+    <p>If you leave tcp host and port blank you must set them by using the <b>msg.host</b> and <b>msg.port</b> properties.</p>
 </script>
 
 <script type="text/javascript">
@@ -280,8 +281,8 @@
         category: 'function',
         color:"Silver",
         defaults: {
-            server: {value:"",required:true},
-            port: {value:"",required:true,validate:RED.validators.number()},
+            server: {value:""},
+            port: {value:"",validate:RED.validators.regex(/^(\d*|)$/)},
             out: {value:"time",required:true},
             splitc: {value:"0",required:true},
             name: {value:""}
diff --git a/nodes/core/io/31-tcpin.js b/nodes/core/io/31-tcpin.js
index 4747868e2..d1f567b18 100644
--- a/nodes/core/io/31-tcpin.js
+++ b/nodes/core/io/31-tcpin.js
@@ -377,12 +377,19 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
                 client = net.Socket();
                 client.setTimeout(socketTimeout);
                 node.status({});
-                client.connect(node.port, node.server, function() {
-                    //node.log('client connected');
-                    node.status({fill:"green",shape:"dot",text:"connected"});
-                    node.connected = true;
-                    client.write(msg.payload);
-                });
+                var host = node.server || msg.host;
+                var port = node.port || msg.port;
+                if (host && port) {
+                    client.connect(port, host, function() {
+                        //node.log('client connected');
+                        node.status({fill:"green",shape:"dot",text:"connected"});
+                        node.connected = true;
+                        client.write(msg.payload);
+                    });
+                }
+                else {
+                    node.warn("Host and/or port not set");
+                }
 
                 client.on('data', function(data) {
                     //node.log("data:"+ data.length+":"+ data);
@@ -458,7 +465,7 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
                     if (client) {
                         client.end();
                         setTimeout(function() {
-                            client.connect(node.port, node.server, function() {
+                            client.connect(port, host, function() {
                                 //node.log('client connected');
                                 node.connected = true;
                                 client.write(msg.payload);