diff --git a/meshtastic/__main__.py b/meshtastic/__main__.py
index 6a2f31c4..40128e8b 100644
--- a/meshtastic/__main__.py
+++ b/meshtastic/__main__.py
@@ -981,6 +981,16 @@ def common():
                     message += "  After running that command, log out and re-login for it to take effect.\n"
                     message += f"Error was:{ex}"
                     meshtastic.util.our_exit(message)
+                if client.devPath is None:
+                    try:
+                        client = meshtastic.tcp_interface.TCPInterface(
+                            "localhost", debugOut=logfile, noProto=args.noproto
+                        )
+                    except Exception as ex:
+                        meshtastic.util.our_exit(
+                            f"Error connecting to localhost:{ex}", 1
+                        )
+
 
             # We assume client is fully connected now
             onConnected(client)
@@ -1016,7 +1026,7 @@ def initParser():
 
     parser.add_argument(
         "--port",
-        help="The port the Meshtastic device is connected to, i.e. /dev/ttyUSB0. If unspecified, we'll try to find it.",
+        help="The port the Meshtastic device is connected to, i.e. /dev/ttyUSB0.",
         default=None,
     )
 
@@ -1368,7 +1378,9 @@ def initParser():
 def main():
     """Perform command line meshtastic operations"""
     our_globals = Globals.getInstance()
-    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+        epilog="If neither --port nor --host are specified, we search for a compatible serial device, "
+               "and if none is found, then attempt a TCP connection to localhost.")
     our_globals.set_parser(parser)
     initParser()
     common()
diff --git a/meshtastic/serial_interface.py b/meshtastic/serial_interface.py
index afa8dd17..d4f82c8a 100644
--- a/meshtastic/serial_interface.py
+++ b/meshtastic/serial_interface.py
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@ def __init__(self, devPath=None, debugOut=None, noProto=False, connectNow=True):
             ports = meshtastic.util.findPorts(True)
             logging.debug(f"ports:{ports}")
             if len(ports) == 0:
-                meshtastic.util.our_exit("Warning: No Meshtastic devices detected.")
+                print("No Serial Meshtastic device detected, attempting TCP connection on localhost.")
+                return
             elif len(ports) > 1:
                 message = "Warning: Multiple serial ports were detected so one serial port must be specified with the '--port'.\n"
                 message += f"  Ports detected:{ports}"