diff --git a/app/client/cli/setup.go b/app/client/cli/setup.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4e947a8a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/client/cli/setup.go
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+package cli
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+
+	"github.com/pokt-network/pocket/logger"
+	"github.com/pokt-network/pocket/p2p"
+	rpc2 "github.com/pokt-network/pocket/p2p/providers/current_height_provider/rpc"
+	"github.com/pokt-network/pocket/p2p/providers/peerstore_provider/rpc"
+	"github.com/pokt-network/pocket/runtime"
+	"github.com/pokt-network/pocket/runtime/defaults"
+	"github.com/pokt-network/pocket/shared/modules"
+)
+
+// P2PDependenciesPreRunE initializes peerstore & current height providers, and a
+// p2p module with consumes them. Everything is registered to the bus.
+func P2PDependenciesPreRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
+	// TECHDEBT: this is to keep backwards compatibility with localnet
+	configPath = runtime.GetEnv("CONFIG_PATH", "build/config/config1.json")
+	rpcURL := fmt.Sprintf("http://%s:%s", rpcHost, defaults.DefaultRPCPort)
+
+	runtimeMgr := runtime.NewManagerFromFiles(
+		configPath, genesisPath,
+		runtime.WithClientDebugMode(),
+		runtime.WithRandomPK(),
+	)
+
+	bus := runtimeMgr.GetBus()
+	SetValueInCLIContext(cmd, BusCLICtxKey, bus)
+
+	setupPeerstoreProvider(*runtimeMgr, rpcURL)
+	setupCurrentHeightProvider(*runtimeMgr, rpcURL)
+	setupAndStartP2PModule(*runtimeMgr)
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func setupPeerstoreProvider(rm runtime.Manager, rpcURL string) {
+	bus := rm.GetBus()
+	modulesRegistry := bus.GetModulesRegistry()
+	pstoreProvider := rpc.NewRPCPeerstoreProvider(
+		rpc.WithP2PConfig(rm.GetConfig().P2P),
+		rpc.WithCustomRPCURL(rpcURL),
+	)
+	modulesRegistry.RegisterModule(pstoreProvider)
+}
+
+func setupCurrentHeightProvider(rm runtime.Manager, rpcURL string) {
+	bus := rm.GetBus()
+	modulesRegistry := bus.GetModulesRegistry()
+	currentHeightProvider := rpc2.NewRPCCurrentHeightProvider(
+		rpc2.WithCustomRPCURL(rpcURL),
+	)
+	modulesRegistry.RegisterModule(currentHeightProvider)
+}
+
+func setupAndStartP2PModule(rm runtime.Manager) {
+	bus := rm.GetBus()
+	mod, err := p2p.Create(bus)
+	if err != nil {
+		logger.Global.Fatal().Err(err).Msg("Failed to create p2p module")
+	}
+
+	var ok bool
+	p2pMod, ok = mod.(modules.P2PModule)
+	if !ok {
+		logger.Global.Fatal().Msgf("unexpected P2P module type: %T", mod)
+	}
+
+	if err := p2pMod.Start(); err != nil {
+		logger.Global.Fatal().Err(err).Msg("Failed to start p2p module")
+	}
+}
+
+const BusCLICtxKey = "bus"