diff --git a/nano/core_test/node.cpp b/nano/core_test/node.cpp
index 11721ee7..71592d5b 100644
--- a/nano/core_test/node.cpp
+++ b/nano/core_test/node.cpp
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #include <boost/make_shared.hpp>
 #include <boost/variant.hpp>
 
+#include <fstream>
 #include <numeric>
 
 using namespace std::chrono_literals;
@@ -4472,3 +4473,30 @@ TEST (node, pruning_depth)
 	ASSERT_TRUE (node1.ledger.block_or_pruned_exists (send1->hash ()));
 	ASSERT_TRUE (node1.ledger.block_or_pruned_exists (send2->hash ()));
 }
+
+TEST (node_config, node_id_private_key_persistence)
+{
+	nano::logger_mt logger;
+
+	// create the directory and the file
+	auto path = nano::unique_path ();
+	ASSERT_TRUE (boost::filesystem::create_directories (path));
+	auto priv_key_filename = path / "node_id_private.key";
+
+	// check that the key generated is random when the key does not exist
+	nano::keypair kp1 = nano::load_or_create_node_id (path, logger);
+	boost::filesystem::remove (priv_key_filename);
+	nano::keypair kp2 = nano::load_or_create_node_id (path, logger);
+	ASSERT_NE (kp1.prv, kp2.prv);
+
+	// check that the key persists
+	nano::keypair kp3 = nano::load_or_create_node_id (path, logger);
+	ASSERT_EQ (kp2.prv, kp3.prv);
+
+	// write the key file manually and check that right key is loaded
+	std::ofstream ofs (priv_key_filename.string (), std::ofstream::out | std::ofstream::trunc);
+	ofs << "3F28D035B8AA75EA53DF753BFD065CF6138E742971B2C99B84FD8FE328FED2D9" << std::flush;
+	ofs.close ();
+	nano::keypair kp4 = nano::load_or_create_node_id (path, logger);
+	ASSERT_EQ (kp4.prv, nano::keypair ("3F28D035B8AA75EA53DF753BFD065CF6138E742971B2C99B84FD8FE328FED2D9").prv);
+}
diff --git a/nano/node/node.cpp b/nano/node/node.cpp
index edefe8e5..7a11e2fd 100644
--- a/nano/node/node.cpp
+++ b/nano/node/node.cpp
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <cstdlib>
+#include <fstream>
 #include <future>
 #include <sstream>
 
@@ -74,6 +75,33 @@ std::unique_ptr<nano::container_info_component> nano::collect_container_info (re
 	return composite;
 }
 
+nano::keypair nano::load_or_create_node_id (boost::filesystem::path const & application_path, nano::logger_mt & logger)
+{
+	auto node_private_key_path = application_path / "node_id_private.key";
+	std::ifstream ifs (node_private_key_path.c_str ());
+	if (ifs.good ())
+	{
+		logger.always_log (boost::str (boost::format ("%1% exists, reading node id from it") % node_private_key_path.string ()));
+		std::string node_private_key;
+		ifs >> node_private_key;
+		release_assert (node_private_key.size () == 64);
+		nano::keypair kp = nano::keypair (node_private_key);
+		return kp;
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		// no node_id found, generate new one
+		logger.always_log (boost::str (boost::format ("%1% does not exist, creating a new node_id") % node_private_key_path.string ()));
+		nano::keypair kp;
+		std::ofstream ofs (node_private_key_path.c_str (), std::ofstream::out | std::ofstream::trunc);
+		ofs << kp.prv.to_string () << std::endl
+			<< std::flush;
+		ofs.close ();
+		release_assert (!ofs.fail ());
+		return kp;
+	}
+}
+
 nano::node::node (boost::asio::io_context & io_ctx_a, uint16_t peering_port_a, boost::filesystem::path const & application_path_a, nano::logging const & logging_a, nano::work_pool & work_a, nano::node_flags flags_a, unsigned seq) :
 	node (io_ctx_a, application_path_a, nano::node_config (peering_port_a, logging_a), work_a, flags_a, seq)
 {
@@ -395,7 +423,7 @@ nano::node::node (boost::asio::io_context & io_ctx_a, boost::filesystem::path co
 			logger.always_log (stream.str ());
 		}
 
-		node_id = nano::keypair ();
+		node_id = nano::load_or_create_node_id (application_path, logger);
 		logger.always_log ("Node ID: ", node_id.pub.to_node_id ());
 
 		if ((network_params.network.is_live_network () || network_params.network.is_beta_network ()) && !flags.inactive_node)
diff --git a/nano/node/node.hpp b/nano/node/node.hpp
index bf1c46dc..7e7dd66d 100644
--- a/nano/node/node.hpp
+++ b/nano/node/node.hpp
@@ -219,6 +219,7 @@ private:
 	nano::locked<std::future<void>> epoch_upgrading;
 };
 
+nano::keypair load_or_create_node_id (boost::filesystem::path const & application_path, nano::logger_mt & logger);
 std::unique_ptr<container_info_component> collect_container_info (node & node, std::string const & name);
 
 nano::node_flags const & inactive_node_flag_defaults ();