diff --git a/src/knownnodes.py b/src/knownnodes.py
index 5d14c8dc..5755efc0 100644
--- a/src/knownnodes.py
+++ b/src/knownnodes.py
@@ -17,6 +17,18 @@ knownNodesTrimAmount = 2000
 # forget a node after rating is this low
 knownNodesForgetRating = -0.5
 
+DEFAULT_NODES = (
+    state.Peer('5.45.99.75', 8444),
+    state.Peer('75.167.159.54', 8444),
+    state.Peer('95.165.168.168', 8444),
+    state.Peer('85.180.139.241', 8444),
+    state.Peer('158.222.217.190', 8080),
+    state.Peer('178.62.12.187', 8448),
+    state.Peer('24.188.198.204', 8111),
+    state.Peer('109.147.204.113', 1195),
+    state.Peer('178.11.46.221', 8444)
+)
+
 
 def json_serialize_knownnodes(output):
     """
@@ -70,6 +82,12 @@ def addKnownNode(stream, peer, lastseen=None, is_self=False):
     }
 
 
+def createDefaultKnownNodes():
+    for peer in DEFAULT_NODES:
+        addKnownNode(1, peer)
+    saveKnownNodes()
+
+
 def readKnownNodes():
     try:
         with open(state.appdata + 'knownnodes.dat', 'rb') as source:
@@ -82,6 +100,7 @@ def readKnownNodes():
     except (IOError, OSError, KeyError):
         logger.debug(
             'Failed to read nodes from knownnodes.dat', exc_info=True)
+        createDefaultKnownNodes()
 
     config = BMConfigParser()
     # if config.safeGetInt('bitmessagesettings', 'settingsversion') > 10: