diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index 7a69814820..3ff54e93e0 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -669,7 +669,7 @@ type Local struct {
 	// the max size the sync server would return
 	TxSyncServeResponseSize int
 
-	// IsIndexerActive indicates wheather to activate the indexer for fast retrieval of transactions
+	// IsIndexerActive indicates whether to activate the indexer for fast retrieval of transactions
 	// Note -- Indexer cannot operate on non Archival nodes
 	IsIndexerActive bool
 
@@ -678,6 +678,9 @@ type Local struct {
 	// proxy vendor provides another header field.  In the case of CloudFlare proxy, the "CF-Connecting-IP" header
 	// field can be used.
 	UseXForwardedForAddressField string
+
+	// ForceRelayMessages indicates whether the network library relay messages even in the case that no NetAddress was specified.
+	ForceRelayMessages bool
 }
 
 // Filenames of config files within the configdir (e.g. ~/.algorand)
diff --git a/installer/config.json.example b/installer/config.json.example
index c1124aa248..c32703f3f9 100644
--- a/installer/config.json.example
+++ b/installer/config.json.example
@@ -36,5 +36,6 @@
     "TxPoolSize": 50000,
     "TxSyncIntervalSeconds": 60,
     "TxSyncServeResponseSize": 1000000,
-    "TxSyncTimeoutSeconds": 30
+    "TxSyncTimeoutSeconds": 30,
+    "ForceRelayMessages": false
 }
diff --git a/network/wsNetwork.go b/network/wsNetwork.go
index 05c9ee159a..1cf56587cc 100644
--- a/network/wsNetwork.go
+++ b/network/wsNetwork.go
@@ -521,6 +521,7 @@ func (wn *WebsocketNetwork) setup() {
 	wn.server.IdleTimeout = httpServerIdleTimeout
 	wn.server.MaxHeaderBytes = httpServerMaxHeaderBytes
 	wn.ctx, wn.ctxCancel = context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	wn.relayMessages = wn.config.NetAddress != "" || wn.config.ForceRelayMessages
 	// roughly estimate the number of messages that could be sent over the lifespan of a single round.
 	wn.outgoingMessagesBufferSize = int(config.Consensus[protocol.ConsensusCurrentVersion].NumProposers*2 +
 		config.Consensus[protocol.ConsensusCurrentVersion].SoftCommitteeSize +
@@ -1528,8 +1529,6 @@ func NewWebsocketNetwork(log logging.Logger, config config.Local, phonebook Phon
 	outerPhonebook := &MultiPhonebook{phonebooks: []Phonebook{phonebook}}
 	wn = &WebsocketNetwork{log: log, config: config, phonebook: outerPhonebook, GenesisID: genesisID, NetworkID: networkID}
 
-	// TODO - add config parameter to allow non-relays to enable relaying.
-	wn.relayMessages = config.NetAddress != ""
 	wn.setup()
 	return wn, nil
 }
diff --git a/network/wsNetwork_test.go b/network/wsNetwork_test.go
index b9dd648fd1..3544171399 100644
--- a/network/wsNetwork_test.go
+++ b/network/wsNetwork_test.go
@@ -1464,3 +1464,86 @@ func TestSlowPeerDisconnection(t *testing.T) {
 		time.Sleep(time.Millisecond * 5)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestForceMessageRelaying(t *testing.T) {
+	log := logging.TestingLog(t)
+	log.SetLevel(logging.Level(defaultConfig.BaseLoggerDebugLevel))
+	wn := &WebsocketNetwork{
+		log:       log,
+		config:    defaultConfig,
+		phonebook: emptyPhonebookSingleton,
+		GenesisID: "go-test-network-genesis",
+		NetworkID: config.Devtestnet,
+	}
+	wn.setup()
+	wn.eventualReadyDelay = time.Second
+
+	netA := wn
+	netA.config.GossipFanout = 1
+
+	defer func() { t.Log("stopping A"); netA.Stop(); t.Log("A done") }()
+
+	counter := newMessageCounter(t, 5)
+	counterDone := counter.done
+	netA.RegisterHandlers([]TaggedMessageHandler{TaggedMessageHandler{Tag: debugTag, MessageHandler: counter}})
+	netA.Start()
+	addrA, postListen := netA.Address()
+	require.Truef(t, postListen, "Listening network failed to start")
+
+	noAddressConfig := defaultConfig
+	noAddressConfig.NetAddress = ""
+	netB := makeTestWebsocketNodeWithConfig(t, noAddressConfig)
+	netB.config.GossipFanout = 1
+	netB.phonebook = &oneEntryPhonebook{addrA}
+	netB.Start()
+	defer func() { t.Log("stopping B"); netB.Stop(); t.Log("B done") }()
+
+	noAddressConfig.ForceRelayMessages = true
+	netC := makeTestWebsocketNodeWithConfig(t, noAddressConfig)
+	netC.config.GossipFanout = 1
+	netC.phonebook = &oneEntryPhonebook{addrA}
+	netC.Start()
+	defer func() { t.Log("stopping C"); netB.Stop(); t.Log("C done") }()
+
+	readyTimeout := time.NewTimer(2 * time.Second)
+	waitReady(t, netA, readyTimeout.C)
+	waitReady(t, netB, readyTimeout.C)
+	waitReady(t, netC, readyTimeout.C)
+
+	// send 5 messages from both netB and netC to netA
+	for i := 0; i < 5; i++ {
+		err := netB.Relay(context.Background(), debugTag, []byte{1, 2, 3}, true, nil)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		err = netC.Relay(context.Background(), debugTag, []byte{1, 2, 3}, true, nil)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+	}
+
+	select {
+	case <-counterDone:
+	case <-time.After(2 * time.Second):
+		if counter.count < 5 {
+			require.Failf(t, "One or more messages failed to reach destination network", "%d > %d", 5, counter.count)
+		} else if counter.count > 5 {
+			require.Failf(t, "One or more messages that were expected to be dropped, reached destination network", "%d < %d", 5, counter.count)
+		}
+	}
+	netA.ClearHandlers()
+	counter = newMessageCounter(t, 10)
+	counterDone = counter.done
+	netA.RegisterHandlers([]TaggedMessageHandler{TaggedMessageHandler{Tag: debugTag, MessageHandler: counter}})
+
+	// hack the relayMessages on the netB so that it would start sending messages.
+	netB.relayMessages = true
+	// send additional 10 messages from netB
+	for i := 0; i < 10; i++ {
+		err := netB.Relay(context.Background(), debugTag, []byte{1, 2, 3}, true, nil)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+	}
+
+	select {
+	case <-counterDone:
+	case <-time.After(2 * time.Second):
+		require.Failf(t, "One or more messages failed to reach destination network", "%d > %d", 10, counter.count)
+	}
+
+}