diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index c5e6e8b56..2305ca038 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -411,7 +411,7 @@ void setup()
 #endif
 
 #ifdef ARCH_PORTDUINO
-    initApiServer();
+    initApiServer(TCPPort);
 #endif
 
     // Start airtime logger thread.
diff --git a/src/main.h b/src/main.h
index e1142d36c..c92379274 100644
--- a/src/main.h
+++ b/src/main.h
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ extern bool isUSBPowered;
 
 extern uint8_t nodeTelemetrySensorsMap[TelemetrySensorType_LPS22+1];
 
+extern int TCPPort; // set by Portduino
+
 // Global Screen singleton.
 extern graphics::Screen *screen;
 // extern Observable<meshtastic::PowerStatus> newPowerStatus; //TODO: move this to main-esp32.cpp somehow or a helper class
diff --git a/src/platform/portduino/PortduinoGlue.cpp b/src/platform/portduino/PortduinoGlue.cpp
index 893b92bbd..b041391f8 100644
--- a/src/platform/portduino/PortduinoGlue.cpp
+++ b/src/platform/portduino/PortduinoGlue.cpp
@@ -51,6 +51,35 @@ class PolledIrqPin : public GPIOPin
 
 static GPIOPin *loraIrq;
 
+int TCPPort = 4403; 
+
+static error_t parse_opt(int key, char *arg, struct argp_state *state) {
+  switch (key) {
+  case 'p':
+    if (sscanf(arg, "%d", &TCPPort) < 1)
+        return ARGP_ERR_UNKNOWN; 
+    else
+        printf("Using TCP port %d\n", TCPPort);
+    break;
+  case ARGP_KEY_ARG:
+    return 0;
+  default:
+    return ARGP_ERR_UNKNOWN;
+  }
+  return 0;
+}
+
+void portduinoCustomInit() {
+    static struct argp_option options[] = {{"port", 'p', "PORT", 0, "The TCP port to use."}, {0}};
+    static void *childArguments; 
+    static char doc[] = "Meshtastic native build.";
+    static char args_doc[] = "...";
+    static struct argp argp = {options, parse_opt, args_doc, doc, 0, 0, 0};
+    const struct argp_child child = {&argp, OPTION_ARG_OPTIONAL, 0, 0};
+    portduinoAddArguments(child, childArguments);
+}
+
+
 /** apps run under portduino can optionally define a portduinoSetup() to
  * use portduino specific init code (such as gpioBind) to setup portduino on their host machine,
  * before running 'arduino' code.
@@ -86,6 +115,9 @@ void portduinoSetup()
 #endif
 
     {
+        // Set the random seed equal to TCPPort to have a different seed per instance
+        randomSeed(TCPPort);
+
         auto fakeBusy = new SimGPIOPin(SX126X_BUSY, "fakeBusy");
         fakeBusy->writePin(LOW);
         fakeBusy->setSilent(true);