diff --git a/doc/rippled-example.cfg b/doc/rippled-example.cfg
index 6def31d53b..14f87e3ca6 100644
--- a/doc/rippled-example.cfg
+++ b/doc/rippled-example.cfg
@@ -120,8 +120,8 @@
 #
 #   0 or 1.
 #
-#   0: request peers to broadcast your address. [default]
-#   1: request peers not broadcast your address.
+#   0: Request peers to broadcast your address. Normal outbound peer connections [default]
+#   1: Request peers not broadcast your address. Only connect to configured peers.
 #
 #
 #
diff --git a/src/ripple_app/main/Application.cpp b/src/ripple_app/main/Application.cpp
index 88d3c12a75..947d10c0c0 100644
--- a/src/ripple_app/main/Application.cpp
+++ b/src/ripple_app/main/Application.cpp
@@ -614,20 +614,21 @@ public:
         // Begin connecting to network.
         //
         if (!getConfig ().RUN_STANDALONE)
+        {
             m_peers->start ();
+            if (getConfig ().PEER_PRIVATE && getConfig ().IPS.empty ())
+                m_journal.warning << "No outbound peer connections will be made";
 
-        if (getConfig ().RUN_STANDALONE)
+            // VFALCO NOTE the state timer resets the deadlock detector.
+            //
+            m_networkOPs->setStateTimer ();
+        }
+        else
         {
             m_journal.warning << "Running in standalone mode";
 
             m_networkOPs->setStandAlone ();
         }
-        else
-        {
-            // VFALCO NOTE the state timer resets the deadlock detector.
-            //
-            m_networkOPs->setStateTimer ();
-        }
     }
 
     //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/ripple_app/peers/Peers.cpp b/src/ripple_app/peers/Peers.cpp
index c97f48593c..abddf5df9c 100644
--- a/src/ripple_app/peers/Peers.cpp
+++ b/src/ripple_app/peers/Peers.cpp
@@ -352,7 +352,8 @@ void PeersImp::policyEnforce ()
     (void) mPolicyTimer.cancel ();
 
     // Enforce policies.
-    policyLowWater ();
+    if (!getConfig ().PEER_PRIVATE)
+        policyLowWater ();
 
     if (((++mPhase) % 12) == 0)
     {