diff --git a/aea/cli/init.py b/aea/cli/init.py
index fcbaf8eeba..0f52d26639 100644
--- a/aea/cli/init.py
+++ b/aea/cli/init.py
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 from aea.cli.login import do_login
 from aea.cli.register import do_register
 from aea.cli.registry.settings import (
+    DEFAULT_IPFS_URL,
     DEFAULT_REGISTRY_CONFIG,
     REGISTRY_CONFIG_KEY,
     REGISTRY_LOCAL,
@@ -54,7 +55,9 @@
 @click.option("--no-subscribe", is_flag=True, help="For developers subscription.")
 @registry_flag(mark_default=False)
 @remote_registry_flag(mark_default=False)
-@click.option("--ipfs-node", type=str, default=None, help="Multiaddr for IPFS node.")
+@click.option(
+    "--ipfs-node", type=str, default=DEFAULT_IPFS_URL, help="Multiaddr for IPFS node."
+)
 @pass_ctx
 def init(  # pylint: disable=unused-argument
     ctx: Context,
diff --git a/aea/cli/registry/settings.py b/aea/cli/registry/settings.py
index 2cd5e1d1da..16b463377e 100644
--- a/aea/cli/registry/settings.py
+++ b/aea/cli/registry/settings.py
@@ -39,7 +39,9 @@
 # but the name of the field in the configuration file.
 AUTH_TOKEN_KEY = "auth_token"  # nosec
 
-DEFAULT_IPFS_URL = "/ip4/127.0.0.1/tcp/5001"
+DEFAULT_IPFS_URL = "/dns/registry.autonolas.tech/tcp/443/https"
+DEFAULT_IPFS_URL_LOCAL = "/ip4/127.0.0.1/tcp/5001"
+
 DEFAULT_REGISTRY_CONFIG: Dict = {
     "default": None,
     "settings": {
diff --git a/plugins/aea-cli-ipfs/aea_cli_ipfs/core.py b/plugins/aea-cli-ipfs/aea_cli_ipfs/core.py
index 80e10a89be..716cb305d4 100644
--- a/plugins/aea-cli-ipfs/aea_cli_ipfs/core.py
+++ b/plugins/aea-cli-ipfs/aea_cli_ipfs/core.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 )
 from aea_cli_ipfs.registry import register_item_to_local_registry
 
-from aea.cli.utils.config import load_item_config
+from aea.cli.utils.config import get_ipfs_node_multiaddr, load_item_config
 from aea.configurations.constants import CONFIG_FILE_TO_PACKAGE_TYPE
 
 
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
 @click.pass_context
 def ipfs(click_context: click.Context) -> None:
     """IPFS Commands"""
-    ipfs_tool = IPFSTool()
+    ipfs_tool = IPFSTool(get_ipfs_node_multiaddr())
     click_context.obj = ipfs_tool
     try:
         ipfs_tool.check_ipfs_node_running()
diff --git a/plugins/aea-cli-ipfs/aea_cli_ipfs/registry.py b/plugins/aea-cli-ipfs/aea_cli_ipfs/registry.py
index 87beae9c10..1c51e70bbf 100644
--- a/plugins/aea-cli-ipfs/aea_cli_ipfs/registry.py
+++ b/plugins/aea-cli-ipfs/aea_cli_ipfs/registry.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 from aea_cli_ipfs.exceptions import HashNotProvided
 from aea_cli_ipfs.ipfs_utils import DownloadError, IPFSTool, NodeError
 
-from aea.cli.registry.settings import DEFAULT_IPFS_URL
+from aea.cli.registry.settings import DEFAULT_IPFS_URL_LOCAL
 from aea.cli.utils.config import get_ipfs_node_multiaddr
 from aea.configurations.base import PublicId
 
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ def fetch_ipfs(
     if remote:
         ipfs_tool = IPFSTool(get_ipfs_node_multiaddr())
     else:
-        ipfs_tool = IPFSTool(addr=DEFAULT_IPFS_URL)
+        ipfs_tool = IPFSTool(addr=DEFAULT_IPFS_URL_LOCAL)
 
     try:
         package_hash = public_id.hash
diff --git a/scripts/whitelist.py b/scripts/whitelist.py
index 822b22239d..b6795a04c5 100644
--- a/scripts/whitelist.py
+++ b/scripts/whitelist.py
@@ -301,3 +301,4 @@
 SERVICES  # unused variable (aea/configurations/constants.py:57)
 DEFAULT_SERVICE_CONFIG_FILE  # unused variable (aea/configurations/constants.py:65)
 _.get_method_data  # unused method (aea/contracts/base.py:283)
+DEFAULT_IPFS_URL_LOCAL  # unused variable (aea/cli/registry/settings.py:43)