diff --git a/common/protocol/src/index.ts b/common/protocol/src/index.ts
index 354541ca..d77ec859 100644
--- a/common/protocol/src/index.ts
+++ b/common/protocol/src/index.ts
@@ -286,8 +286,8 @@ export class Validator {
       )
       .option(
         "--dry-run-bundles <number>",
-        "Specify the number of bundles that should be tested before the node properly exits [default = 10]",
-        "10"
+        "Specify the number of bundles that should be tested before the node properly exits. If zero the node will run indefinitely [default = 0]",
+        "0"
       )
       .action((options) => {
         this.start(options);
diff --git a/common/protocol/src/methods/main/runNode.ts b/common/protocol/src/methods/main/runNode.ts
index 8d5d8d17..99335c16 100644
--- a/common/protocol/src/methods/main/runNode.ts
+++ b/common/protocol/src/methods/main/runNode.ts
@@ -96,7 +96,8 @@ export async function runNode(this: Validator): Promise<void> {
       }
     }
 
-    if (this.dryRun) {
+    // exit the node properly if the provided bundle rounds have been reached
+    if (this.dryRun && this.dryRunBundles > 0) {
       const rounds = await this.m.bundles_amount.get();
 
       if (rounds.values[0].value === this.dryRunBundles) {