diff --git a/scripts/node.sh b/scripts/node.sh
index 1777886bd..ba0331b3d 100755
--- a/scripts/node.sh
+++ b/scripts/node.sh
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ options:
    -V             print out the version of the Harmony binary
    -z             run in staking mode
    -y             run in legacy, foundational-node mode (default)
+   -M             support multi-key mode (default: off)
 
 examples:
 
@@ -157,7 +158,7 @@ BUCKET=pub.harmony.one
 OS=$(uname -s)
 
 unset start_clean loop run_as_root blspass do_not_download download_only metrics network node_type shard_id download_harmony_db db_file_to_dl
-unset upgrade_rel public_rpc staking_mode pub_port
+unset upgrade_rel public_rpc staking_mode pub_port multi_key
 start_clean=false
 loop=true
 run_as_root=true
@@ -170,11 +171,12 @@ shard_id=1
 download_harmony_db=false
 public_rpc=false
 staking_mode=false
+multi_key=false
 ${BLSKEYFILE=}
 
 unset OPTIND OPTARG opt
 OPTIND=1
-while getopts :1chk:sSp:dDmN:tT:i:ba:U:PvVyzn: opt
+while getopts :1chk:sSp:dDmN:tT:i:ba:U:PvVyzn:M opt
 do
    case "${opt}" in
    '?') usage "unrecognized option -${OPTARG}";;
@@ -189,6 +191,7 @@ do
    p) blspass="${OPTARG}";;
    d) download_only=true;;
    D) do_not_download=true;;
+   M) multi_key=true;;
    m) metrics=true;;
    N) network="${OPTARG}";;
    n) pub_port="${OPTARG}";;
@@ -438,35 +441,38 @@ if ${run_as_root}; then
    check_root
 fi
 
-case "${BLSKEYFILE}" in
-"")
-   unset -v f
-   for f in \
-      ~/*--????-??-??T??-??-??.*Z--bls_???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? \
-      ~/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????.key \
-      *--????-??-??T??-??-??.*Z--bls_???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? \
-      ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????.key
-   do
-      [ -f "${f}" ] || continue
+# multi_key mode will use specified keys in .hmy/multikeys directory
+if ! ${multi_key}; then
+   case "${BLSKEYFILE}" in
+   "")
+      unset -v f
+      for f in \
+         ~/*--????-??-??T??-??-??.*Z--bls_???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? \
+         ~/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????.key \
+         *--????-??-??T??-??-??.*Z--bls_???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? \
+         ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????.key
+      do
+         [ -f "${f}" ] || continue
+         case "${BLSKEYFILE}" in
+         "")
+            BLSKEYFILE="${f}"
+            ;;
+         *)
+            [ "${f}" -ef "${BLSKEYFILE}" ] || \
+               err 69 "multiple key files found (${f}, ${BLSKEYFILE}); please use -k to specify"
+            ;;
+         esac
+      done
       case "${BLSKEYFILE}" in
-      "")
-         BLSKEYFILE="${f}"
-         ;;
-      *)
-         [ "${f}" -ef "${BLSKEYFILE}" ] || \
-            err 69 "multiple key files found (${f}, ${BLSKEYFILE}); please use -k to specify"
-         ;;
+      "") err 69 "could not autodetect BLS key file; please use -k to specify";;
       esac
-   done
-   case "${BLSKEYFILE}" in
-   "") err 69 "could not autodetect BLS key file; please use -k to specify";;
+      msg "autodetected BLS key file: ${BLSKEYFILE}"
+      ;;
+   *)
+      msg "using manually specified BLS key file: ${BLSKEYFILE}"
+      ;;
    esac
-   msg "autodetected BLS key file: ${BLSKEYFILE}"
-   ;;
-*)
-   msg "using manually specified BLS key file: ${BLSKEYFILE}"
-   ;;
-esac
+fi
 
 any_new_binaries() {
    local outdir
@@ -649,10 +655,14 @@ do
       -ip "${PUB_IP}"
       -port "${NODE_PORT}"
       -is_genesis
-      -blskey_file "${BLSKEYFILE}"
       -network_type="${network_type}"
       -dns_zone="${dns_zone}"
    )
+   if ! ${multi_key}; then
+      args+=(
+      -blskey_file "${BLSKEYFILE}"
+      )
+   fi
    if ${public_rpc}; then
       args+=(
       -public_rpc