diff --git a/nearcore/src/lib.rs b/nearcore/src/lib.rs
index c178e6957ab..a3cca2d6390 100644
--- a/nearcore/src/lib.rs
+++ b/nearcore/src/lib.rs
@@ -42,7 +42,17 @@ pub fn get_default_home() -> PathBuf {
 }
 
 /// Opens node’s storage performing migrations and checks when necessary.
-fn open_storage(home_dir: &Path, near_config: &NearConfig) -> anyhow::Result<NodeStorage> {
+///
+/// If opened storage is an RPC store and `near_config.config.archive` is true,
+/// converts the storage to archival node.  Otherwise, if opening archival node
+/// with that field being false, prints a warning and sets the field to `true`.
+/// In other words, once store is archival, the node will act as archival nod
+/// regardless of settings in `config.json`.
+///
+/// The end goal is to get rid of `archive` option in `config.json` file and
+/// have the type of the node be determined purely based on kind of database
+/// being opened.
+fn open_storage(home_dir: &Path, near_config: &mut NearConfig) -> anyhow::Result<NodeStorage> {
     let migrator = migrations::Migrator::new(near_config);
     let opener = NodeStorage::opener(home_dir, &near_config.config.store).with_migrator(&migrator);
     let res = match opener.open() {
@@ -110,20 +120,22 @@ fn open_storage(home_dir: &Path, near_config: &NearConfig) -> anyhow::Result<Nod
         res.with_context(|| format!("unable to open database at {}", opener.path().display()))?;
 
     // Check if the storage is an archive and if it is make sure we are too.
-    // If the store is not marked as archive but we are an archival node that is
-    // fine and we just need to mark the store as archival.
     let hot = storage.get_store(Temperature::Hot);
     let store_is_archive: bool =
         hot.get_ser(DBCol::BlockMisc, near_store::db::IS_ARCHIVE_KEY)?.unwrap_or_default();
-    let client_is_archive = near_config.client_config.archive;
-    anyhow::ensure!(
-        !store_is_archive || client_is_archive,
-        "The node is configured as non-archival but is using database of an archival node."
-    );
-    if !store_is_archive && client_is_archive {
-        let mut update = hot.store_update();
-        update.set_ser(DBCol::BlockMisc, near_store::db::IS_ARCHIVE_KEY, &true)?;
-        update.commit()?;
+    if store_is_archive != near_config.client_config.archive {
+        if store_is_archive {
+            tracing::info!(target: "neard", "Opening an archival database.");
+            tracing::warn!(target: "neard", "Ignoring `archive` client configuration and forcing the node to run in archive mode.");
+            near_config.client_config.archive = true;
+        } else {
+            tracing::info!(target: "neard", "Running node in archival mode (as per `archive` client configuration).");
+            tracing::info!(target: "neard", "Marking database as archival.");
+            tracing::warn!(target: "neard", "Starting node in non-archival mode will no longer be possible with this database.");
+            let mut update = hot.store_update();
+            update.set_ser(DBCol::BlockMisc, near_store::db::IS_ARCHIVE_KEY, &true)?;
+            update.commit()?;
+        }
     }
 
     Ok(storage)
@@ -142,12 +154,12 @@ pub fn start_with_config(home_dir: &Path, config: NearConfig) -> anyhow::Result<
 
 pub fn start_with_config_and_synchronization(
     home_dir: &Path,
-    config: NearConfig,
+    mut config: NearConfig,
     // 'shutdown_signal' will notify the corresponding `oneshot::Receiver` when an instance of
     // `ClientActor` gets dropped.
     shutdown_signal: Option<oneshot::Sender<()>>,
 ) -> anyhow::Result<NearNode> {
-    let store = open_storage(home_dir, &config)?;
+    let store = open_storage(home_dir, &mut config)?;
 
     let runtime = Arc::new(NightshadeRuntime::from_config(
         home_dir,
diff --git a/neard/src/cli.rs b/neard/src/cli.rs
index 88253291504..e16b476129d 100644
--- a/neard/src/cli.rs
+++ b/neard/src/cli.rs
@@ -287,7 +287,9 @@ impl InitCmd {
 
 #[derive(Parser)]
 pub(super) struct RunCmd {
-    /// Keep old blocks in the storage (default false).
+    /// Configure node to run as archival node which prevents deletion of old
+    /// blocks.  This is a persistent setting; once client is started as
+    /// archival node, it cannot be run in non-archival mode.
     #[clap(long)]
     archive: bool,
     /// Set the boot nodes to bootstrap network from.