diff --git a/programs/eosio-launcher/main.cpp b/programs/eosio-launcher/main.cpp
index ffac6afce10..18df7049759 100644
--- a/programs/eosio-launcher/main.cpp
+++ b/programs/eosio-launcher/main.cpp
@@ -322,6 +322,11 @@ struct last_run_def {
 };
 
 
+enum class p2p_plugin {
+   NET,
+   BNET
+};
+
 enum launch_modes {
   LM_NONE,
   LM_LOCAL,
@@ -345,6 +350,7 @@ struct launcher_def {
   size_t producers;
   size_t next_node;
   string shape;
+  p2p_plugin p2p;
   allowed_connection allowed_connections = PC_NONE;
   bfs::path genesis;
   bfs::path output;
@@ -429,6 +435,7 @@ launcher_def::set_options (bpo::options_description &cfg) {
     ("producers",bpo::value<size_t>(&producers)->default_value(21),"total number of non-bios producer instances in this network")
     ("mode,m",bpo::value<vector<string>>()->multitoken()->default_value({"any"}, "any"),"connection mode, combination of \"any\", \"producers\", \"specified\", \"none\"")
     ("shape,s",bpo::value<string>(&shape)->default_value("star"),"network topology, use \"star\" \"mesh\" or give a filename for custom")
+    ("p2p-plugin", bpo::value<string>()->default_value("net"),"select a p2p plugin to use (either net or bnet). Defaults to net.")
     ("genesis,g",bpo::value<bfs::path>(&genesis)->default_value("./genesis.json"),"set the path to genesis.json")
     ("skip-signature", bpo::bool_switch(&skip_transaction_signatures)->default_value(false), "nodeos does not require transaction signatures.")
     ("nodeos", bpo::value<string>(&eosd_extra_args), "forward nodeos command line argument(s) to each instance of nodeos, enclose arg in quotes")
@@ -490,6 +497,20 @@ launcher_def::initialize (const variables_map &vmap) {
     host_map_file = src.stem().string() + "_hosts.json";
   }
 
+  string nc = vmap["p2p-plugin"].as<string>();
+  if ( !nc.empty() ) {
+     if (boost::iequals(nc,"net"))
+        p2p = p2p_plugin::NET;
+     else if (boost::iequals(nc,"bnet"))
+        p2p = p2p_plugin::BNET;
+     else {
+        p2p = p2p_plugin::NET;
+     }
+  }
+  else {
+     p2p = p2p_plugin::NET;
+  }
+
   if( !host_map_file.empty() ) {
     try {
       fc::json::from_file(host_map_file).as<vector<host_def>>(bindings);
@@ -962,8 +983,14 @@ launcher_def::write_config_file (tn_node_def &node) {
    cfg << "readonly = 0\n";
    cfg << "send-whole-blocks = true\n";
    cfg << "http-server-address = " << host->host_name << ":" << instance.http_port << "\n";
-   cfg << "p2p-listen-endpoint = " << host->listen_addr << ":" << instance.p2p_port << "\n";
-   cfg << "p2p-server-address = " << host->public_name << ":" << instance.p2p_port << "\n";
+   if (p2p == p2p_plugin::NET) {
+      cfg << "p2p-listen-endpoint = " << host->listen_addr << ":" << instance.p2p_port << "\n";
+      cfg << "p2p-server-address = " << host->public_name << ":" << instance.p2p_port << "\n";
+   } else {
+      cfg << "bnet-endpoint = " << host->listen_addr << ":" << instance.p2p_port << "\n";
+      // Include the net_plugin endpoint, because the plugin is always loaded (even if not used).
+      cfg << "p2p-listen-endpoint = " << host->listen_addr << ":" << instance.p2p_port + 1000 << "\n";
+   }
 
    if (is_bios) {
     cfg << "enable-stale-production = true\n";
@@ -989,10 +1016,18 @@ launcher_def::write_config_file (tn_node_def &node) {
 
   if(!is_bios) {
      auto &bios_node = network.nodes["bios"];
-     cfg << "p2p-peer-address = " << bios_node.instance->p2p_endpoint<< "\n";
+     if (p2p == p2p_plugin::NET) {
+        cfg << "p2p-peer-address = " << bios_node.instance->p2p_endpoint<< "\n";
+     } else {
+        cfg << "bnet-connect = " << bios_node.instance->p2p_endpoint<< "\n";
+     }
   }
   for (const auto &p : node.peers) {
-    cfg << "p2p-peer-address = " << network.nodes.find(p)->second.instance->p2p_endpoint << "\n";
+     if (p2p == p2p_plugin::NET) {
+        cfg << "p2p-peer-address = " << network.nodes.find(p)->second.instance->p2p_endpoint << "\n";
+     } else {
+        cfg << "bnet-connect = " << network.nodes.find(p)->second.instance->p2p_endpoint << "\n";
+     }
   }
   if (instance.has_db || node.producers.size()) {
     cfg << "required-participation = 33\n";
@@ -1008,6 +1043,11 @@ launcher_def::write_config_file (tn_node_def &node) {
   if( instance.has_db ) {
     cfg << "plugin = eosio::mongo_db_plugin\n";
   }
+  if ( p2p == p2p_plugin::NET ) {
+    cfg << "plugin = eosio::net_plugin\n";
+  } else {
+    cfg << "plugin = eosio::bnet_plugin\n";
+  }
   cfg << "plugin = eosio::chain_api_plugin\n"
       << "plugin = eosio::history_api_plugin\n";
   cfg.close();
@@ -1813,6 +1853,7 @@ int main (int argc, char *argv[]) {
                                            cfg, true), vmap);
 
 
+
     if (vmap.count("launch")) {
       string l = vmap["launch"].as<string>();
       if (boost::iequals(l,"all"))