diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
index c2e634b670f..8fbdb880bc9 100644
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -1279,6 +1279,9 @@ bool AppInitMain(NodeContext& node, interfaces::BlockAndHeaderTipInfo* tip_info)
     RegisterZMQRPCCommands(tableRPC);
 #endif
 
+    // Check port numbers
+    if (!CheckHostPortOptions(args)) return false;
+
     /* Start the RPC server already.  It will be started in "warmup" mode
      * and not really process calls already (but it will signify connections
      * that the server is there and will be ready later).  Warmup mode will
@@ -1369,9 +1372,6 @@ bool AppInitMain(NodeContext& node, interfaces::BlockAndHeaderTipInfo* tip_info)
         validation_signals.RegisterValidationInterface(fee_estimator);
     }
 
-    // Check port numbers
-    if (!CheckHostPortOptions(args)) return false;
-
     for (const std::string& socket_addr : args.GetArgs("-bind")) {
         std::string host_out;
         uint16_t port_out{0};
diff --git a/test/functional/rpc_bind.py b/test/functional/rpc_bind.py
index 0aabba2c462..69afd45b9af 100755
--- a/test/functional/rpc_bind.py
+++ b/test/functional/rpc_bind.py
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 
 from test_framework.netutil import all_interfaces, addr_to_hex, get_bind_addrs, test_ipv6_local
 from test_framework.test_framework import BitcoinTestFramework, SkipTest
-from test_framework.test_node import ErrorMatch
 from test_framework.util import assert_equal, assert_raises_rpc_error, get_rpc_proxy, rpc_port, rpc_url
 
 class RPCBindTest(BitcoinTestFramework):
@@ -55,9 +54,9 @@ class RPCBindTest(BitcoinTestFramework):
         base_args = ['-disablewallet', '-nolisten']
         if allow_ips:
             base_args += ['-rpcallowip=' + x for x in allow_ips]
-        init_error = 'Error' # generic error will be adjusted in next commit
+        init_error = 'Error: Invalid port specified in -rpcbind: '
         for addr in addresses:
-            self.nodes[0].assert_start_raises_init_error(base_args + [f'-rpcbind={addr}'], init_error, ErrorMatch.PARTIAL_REGEX)
+            self.nodes[0].assert_start_raises_init_error(base_args + [f'-rpcbind={addr}'], init_error + f"'{addr}'")
 
     def run_allowip_test(self, allow_ips, rpchost, rpcport):
         '''