diff --git a/daemon/core/future/coreemu.py b/daemon/core/future/coreemu.py
index 9e9133bc..98e6ec4d 100644
--- a/daemon/core/future/coreemu.py
+++ b/daemon/core/future/coreemu.py
@@ -5,10 +5,15 @@ import sys
 
 import core.services
 from core import logger
-from core.coreobj import PyCoreNode, PyCoreNet
+from core.coreobj import PyCoreNet
+from core.coreobj import PyCoreNode
 from core.data import NodeData
-from core.enumerations import NodeTypes, EventTypes, LinkTypes
-from core.future.futuredata import LinkOptions, NodeOptions
+from core.enumerations import EventTypes
+from core.enumerations import LinkTypes
+from core.enumerations import NodeTypes
+from core.future.futuredata import LinkOptions
+from core.future.futuredata import NodeOptions
+from core.misc import nodemaps
 from core.misc import nodeutils
 from core.session import Session
 from core.xml.xmlparser import core_document_parser
@@ -842,12 +847,26 @@ class CoreEmu(object):
         self.session_id_gen = IdGen(_id=59999)
         self.sessions = {}
 
+        # set default nodes
+        # set default node map
+        node_map = nodemaps.NODES
+        nodeutils.set_node_map(node_map)
+
         # load default services
         core.services.load()
 
         # catch exit event
         atexit.register(self.shutdown)
 
+    def update_nodes(self, node_map):
+        """
+        Updates node map used by core.
+
+        :param dict node_map: node map to update existing node map with
+        :return: nothing
+        """
+        nodeutils.update_node_map(node_map)
+
     def shutdown(self):
         """
         Shutdown all CORE session.
diff --git a/daemon/core/session.py b/daemon/core/session.py
index 69a6c1a7..1540e1f6 100644
--- a/daemon/core/session.py
+++ b/daemon/core/session.py
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ from core.enumerations import MessageFlags
 from core.enumerations import NodeTypes
 from core.enumerations import RegisterTlvs
 from core.location import CoreLocation
-from core.misc import nodemaps
 from core.misc import nodeutils
 from core.misc import utils
 from core.misc.event import EventLoop
@@ -46,10 +45,6 @@ from core.sdt import Sdt
 from core.service import CoreServices
 from core.xml.xmlsession import save_session_xml
 
-# set default node map
-node_map = nodemaps.NODES
-nodeutils.set_node_map(node_map)
-
 
 class Session(object):
     """
diff --git a/daemon/scripts/core-daemon b/daemon/scripts/core-daemon
index ee4cbf6b..016120d0 100644
--- a/daemon/scripts/core-daemon
+++ b/daemon/scripts/core-daemon
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ from core import enumerations
 from core import logger
 from core.legacy.corehandler import CoreHandler
 from core.legacy.coreserver import CoreServer
-from core.misc import nodeutils
 from core.misc.utils import close_onexec
 from core.service import ServiceManager
 
@@ -29,11 +28,12 @@ def banner():
     logger.info("CORE daemon v.%s started %s", constants.COREDPY_VERSION, time.ctime())
 
 
-def cored(cfg=None):
+def cored(cfg, use_ovs):
     """
     Start the CoreServer object and enter the server loop.
 
     :param dict cfg: core configuration
+    :param bool use_ovs: flag to determine if ovs nodes should be used
     :return: nothing
     """
     host = cfg["listenaddr"]
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@ def cored(cfg=None):
 
     try:
         server = CoreServer((host, port), CoreHandler, cfg)
+        if use_ovs:
+            from core.netns.openvswitch import OVS_NODES
+            server.coreemu.update_nodes(OVS_NODES)
     except:
         logger.exception("error starting main server on:  %s:%s", host, port)
         sys.exit(1)
@@ -123,8 +126,11 @@ def main():
 
     banner()
 
+    # check if ovs flag was provided
+    use_ovs = len(sys.argv) == 2 and sys.argv[1] == "ovs"
+
     try:
-        cored(cfg)
+        cored(cfg, use_ovs)
     except KeyboardInterrupt:
         logger.info("keyboard interrupt, stopping core daemon")
 
@@ -132,10 +138,4 @@ def main():
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
-    # configure nodes to use
-    if len(sys.argv) == 2 and sys.argv[1] == "ovs":
-        from core.netns.openvswitch import OVS_NODES
-
-        nodeutils.update_node_map(OVS_NODES)
-
     main()