diff --git a/client/asset/firo/firo.go b/client/asset/firo/firo.go
index 0a1eac740d..107272ac08 100644
--- a/client/asset/firo/firo.go
+++ b/client/asset/firo/firo.go
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ func NewWallet(cfg *asset.WalletConfig, logger dex.Logger, network dex.Network)
 		Segwit:                   false,
 		InitTxSize:               dexbtc.InitTxSize,
 		InitTxSizeBase:           dexbtc.InitTxSizeBase,
-		LegacyBalance:            true,
+		LegacyBalance:            false, // set true only for walletTypeRPC below
 		LegacyRawFeeLimit:        true,  // sendrawtransaction Has single arg allowhighfees
 		ArglessChangeAddrRPC:     true,  // getrawchangeaddress has No address-type arg
 		OmitAddressType:          true,  // getnewaddress has No address-type arg
@@ -171,6 +171,7 @@ func NewWallet(cfg *asset.WalletConfig, logger dex.Logger, network dex.Network)
 
 	switch cfg.Type {
 	case walletTypeRPC, walletTypeLegacy:
+		cloneCFG.LegacyBalance = true
 		var exw *btc.ExchangeWalletFullNode
 		// override PrivKeyFunc - we Do need our own Firo dumpprivkey fn
 		cloneCFG.PrivKeyFunc = func(addr string) (*btcec.PrivateKey, error) {
diff --git a/dex/testing/firo/README_ELECTRUM_HARNESSES.md b/dex/testing/firo/README_ELECTRUM_HARNESSES.md
index 130ff4116a..e01183f21c 100644
--- a/dex/testing/firo/README_ELECTRUM_HARNESSES.md
+++ b/dex/testing/firo/README_ELECTRUM_HARNESSES.md
@@ -104,6 +104,9 @@ this point.
 A prepared, empty but encrypted electrum wallet is copied to the electrum data
 directory at **~/dextest/electrum/firo/client/wallet/regtest/wallets** directory.
 
+By default the electrum client is started as a daemon and the default wallet is loaded.
+Use **stop-daemon** script to stop the daemon.
+
 The electrum client wallet will connect to the firo electrumX daemon.
 
 ### Simnet Trade Testing
diff --git a/dex/testing/firo/electrum.sh b/dex/testing/firo/electrum.sh
index 9596b8feea..aaa4f03a71 100755
--- a/dex/testing/firo/electrum.sh
+++ b/dex/testing/firo/electrum.sh
@@ -34,6 +34,12 @@ REPO_DIR=${ELECTRUM_DIR}/electrum-repo
 WALLET_DIR=${ELECTRUM_DIR}/wallet
 NET_DIR=${WALLET_DIR}/regtest
 
+# startup options (Default start as a daemon)
+# Uncomment this line to start with gui
+#START_WITH_GUI="1"
+ELECTRUM_REGTEST_ARGS="--regtest --dir=${WALLET_DIR}"
+WALLET_PASSWORD="abc"
+
 rm -rf ${NET_DIR}/blockchain_headers ${NET_DIR}/forks ${NET_DIR}/certs ${NET_DIR}/wallets/default_wallet
 mkdir -p ${NET_DIR}/regtest
 mkdir -p ${NET_DIR}/wallets
@@ -59,7 +65,11 @@ source ${ELECTRUM_DIR}/venv/bin/activate
 python --version
 python -m pip install --upgrade pip # can support more versions than ensurepip
 pip install -e .
-pip install requests cryptography pycryptodomex pyqt5
+pip install requests cryptography pycryptodomex
+if [ -n "$START_WITH_GUI" ];
+then
+    pip install pyqt5
+fi
 
 cp "${SCRIPT_DIR}/electrum_regtest_wallet" "${NET_DIR}/wallets/default_wallet"
 
@@ -100,4 +110,13 @@ rpcpassword=pass
 rpcbind=127.0.0.1:${RPCPORT}
 EOF
 
-./electrum-firo --regtest --dir=${WALLET_DIR}
\ No newline at end of file
+if [ -n "$START_WITH_GUI" ];
+then
+    ./electrum-firo ${ELECTRUM_REGTEST_ARGS}
+else
+    ./electrum-firo ${ELECTRUM_REGTEST_ARGS} daemon --detach
+    ./electrum-firo ${ELECTRUM_REGTEST_ARGS} load_wallet --password=${WALLET_PASSWORD}
+    ./electrum-firo ${ELECTRUM_REGTEST_ARGS} list_wallets
+    ./electrum-firo ${ELECTRUM_REGTEST_ARGS} getinfo
+    echo "use 'stop_daemon.sh' to stop the daemon"
+fi
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/dex/testing/firo/stop-daemon b/dex/testing/firo/stop-daemon
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..5857f944d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dex/testing/firo/stop-daemon
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+curl --data-binary \
+        '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":"curltext","method":"stop","params":[]}' \
+        http://user:pass@127.0.0.1:8001