diff --git a/client/cli/src/commands/mod.rs b/client/cli/src/commands/mod.rs
index 68c22c4868565..ae2fe55467598 100644
--- a/client/cli/src/commands/mod.rs
+++ b/client/cli/src/commands/mod.rs
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ macro_rules! substrate_cli_subcommands {
 				&self,
 				chain_spec: &::std::boxed::Box<dyn ::sc_service::ChainSpec>,
 				is_dev: bool,
-				net_config_dir: &::std::path::PathBuf,
+				net_config_dir: ::std::path::PathBuf,
 				client_id: &str,
 				node_name: &str,
 				node_key: ::sc_service::config::NodeKeyConfig,
diff --git a/client/cli/src/config.rs b/client/cli/src/config.rs
index 8c8490ff1a2b2..04a664740284e 100644
--- a/client/cli/src/config.rs
+++ b/client/cli/src/config.rs
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ pub trait CliConfiguration: Sized {
 		&self,
 		chain_spec: &Box<dyn ChainSpec>,
 		is_dev: bool,
-		net_config_dir: &PathBuf,
+		net_config_dir: PathBuf,
 		client_id: &str,
 		node_name: &str,
 		node_key: NodeKeyConfig,
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ pub trait CliConfiguration: Sized {
 			network_params.network_config(
 				chain_spec,
 				is_dev,
-				net_config_dir,
+				Some(net_config_dir),
 				client_id,
 				node_name,
 				node_key,
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ pub trait CliConfiguration: Sized {
 				node_name,
 				client_id,
 				node_key,
-				net_config_dir,
+				Some(net_config_dir),
 			)
 		})
 	}
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ pub trait CliConfiguration: Sized {
 			network: self.network_config(
 				&chain_spec,
 				is_dev,
-				&net_config_dir,
+				net_config_dir,
 				client_id.as_str(),
 				self.node_name()?.as_str(),
 				node_key,
diff --git a/client/cli/src/params/network_params.rs b/client/cli/src/params/network_params.rs
index 21e44f9782286..bd7b6a4af3d93 100644
--- a/client/cli/src/params/network_params.rs
+++ b/client/cli/src/params/network_params.rs
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ impl NetworkParams {
 		&self,
 		chain_spec: &Box<dyn ChainSpec>,
 		is_dev: bool,
-		net_config_path: &PathBuf,
+		net_config_path: Option<PathBuf>,
 		client_id: &str,
 		node_name: &str,
 		node_key: NodeKeyConfig,
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ impl NetworkParams {
 
 		NetworkConfiguration {
 			boot_nodes,
-			net_config_path: net_config_path.clone(),
+			net_config_path,
 			reserved_nodes: self.reserved_nodes.clone(),
 			non_reserved_mode: if self.reserved_only {
 				NonReservedPeerMode::Deny
diff --git a/client/network/src/config.rs b/client/network/src/config.rs
index 01acbe68755be..4914ad680a45f 100644
--- a/client/network/src/config.rs
+++ b/client/network/src/config.rs
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ impl From<multiaddr::Error> for ParseErr {
 #[derive(Clone, Debug)]
 pub struct NetworkConfiguration {
 	/// Directory path to store network-specific configuration. None means nothing will be saved.
-	pub net_config_path: PathBuf,
+	pub net_config_path: Option<PathBuf>,
 	/// Multiaddresses to listen for incoming connections.
 	pub listen_addresses: Vec<Multiaddr>,
 	/// Multiaddresses to advertise. Detected automatically if empty.
@@ -351,10 +351,10 @@ impl NetworkConfiguration {
 		node_name: SN,
 		client_version: SV,
 		node_key: NodeKeyConfig,
-		net_config_path: &PathBuf,
+		net_config_path: Option<PathBuf>,
 	) -> Self {
 		NetworkConfiguration {
-			net_config_path: net_config_path.clone(),
+			net_config_path,
 			listen_addresses: Vec::new(),
 			public_addresses: Vec::new(),
 			boot_nodes: Vec::new(),
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ impl NetworkConfiguration {
 			"test-node",
 			"test-client",
 			Default::default(),
-			&std::env::current_dir().expect("current directory must exist"),
+			None,
 		);
 
 		config.listen_addresses = vec![
@@ -402,7 +402,7 @@ impl NetworkConfiguration {
 			"test-node",
 			"test-client",
 			Default::default(),
-			&std::env::current_dir().expect("current directory must exist"),
+			None,
 		);
 
 		config.listen_addresses = vec![
diff --git a/client/network/src/service.rs b/client/network/src/service.rs
index 642f67d14aa89..2d967dcd361b0 100644
--- a/client/network/src/service.rs
+++ b/client/network/src/service.rs
@@ -184,7 +184,9 @@ impl<B: BlockT + 'static, H: ExHashT> NetworkWorker<B, H> {
 	pub fn new(params: Params<B, H>) -> Result<NetworkWorker<B, H>, Error> {
 		let (to_worker, from_worker) = tracing_unbounded("mpsc_network_worker");
 
-		fs::create_dir_all(&params.network_config.net_config_path)?;
+		if let Some(path) = params.network_config.net_config_path {
+			fs::create_dir_all(&path)?;
+		}
 
 		// List of multiaddresses that we know in the network.
 		let mut known_addresses = Vec::new();
diff --git a/client/network/test/src/lib.rs b/client/network/test/src/lib.rs
index ae129871db95e..7b070f8041220 100644
--- a/client/network/test/src/lib.rs
+++ b/client/network/test/src/lib.rs
@@ -607,7 +607,7 @@ pub trait TestNetFactory: Sized {
 			"test-node",
 			"test-client",
 			Default::default(),
-			&std::env::current_dir().expect("current directory must exist"),
+			None,
 		);
 		network_config.transport = TransportConfig::MemoryOnly;
 		network_config.listen_addresses = vec![listen_addr.clone()];
@@ -683,7 +683,7 @@ pub trait TestNetFactory: Sized {
 			"test-node",
 			"test-client",
 			Default::default(),
-			&std::env::current_dir().expect("current directory must exist"),
+			None,
 		);
 		network_config.transport = TransportConfig::MemoryOnly;
 		network_config.listen_addresses = vec![listen_addr.clone()];
diff --git a/client/service/test/src/lib.rs b/client/service/test/src/lib.rs
index a53201465880c..1e824cb2734db 100644
--- a/client/service/test/src/lib.rs
+++ b/client/service/test/src/lib.rs
@@ -143,12 +143,11 @@ fn node_config<G: RuntimeGenesis + 'static, E: ChainSpecExtension + Clone + 'sta
 {
 	let root = root.path().join(format!("node-{}", index));
 
-	let net_config_path = root.join("network");
-
 	let mut network_config = NetworkConfiguration::new(
 		format!("Node {}", index),
 		"network/test/0.1",
-		Default::default(), &net_config_path,
+		Default::default(),
+		None,
 	);
 
 	network_config.listen_addresses.push(
diff --git a/utils/browser/src/lib.rs b/utils/browser/src/lib.rs
index 35b1bc99c4501..0c5f0f320f1f3 100644
--- a/utils/browser/src/lib.rs
+++ b/utils/browser/src/lib.rs
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ where
 		format!("{} (Browser)", name),
 		"unknown",
 		Default::default(),
-		&std::path::PathBuf::new(),
+		None,
 	);
 	network.boot_nodes = chain_spec.boot_nodes().to_vec();
 	network.transport = TransportConfig::Normal {