diff --git a/pkg/cli/demo.go b/pkg/cli/demo.go
index b6c2ea7e483b..0783b7f34452 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/demo.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/demo.go
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/base"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/cli/cliflags"
-	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/config"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/roachpb"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/security"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/server"
@@ -28,7 +27,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/util/log/logflags"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/workload"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/workload/workloadsql"
-	"github.com/gogo/protobuf/proto"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"github.com/spf13/pflag"
@@ -123,27 +121,11 @@ func setupTransientServers(
 	}
 	cleanup = func() { stopper.Stop(ctx) }
 
-	// Set up the default zone configuration. We are using an in-memory store
-	// so we really want to disable replication.
-	cfg := config.DefaultZoneConfig()
-	sysCfg := config.DefaultSystemZoneConfig()
-
-	if demoCtx.nodes < 3 {
-		cfg.NumReplicas = proto.Int32(1)
-		sysCfg.NumReplicas = proto.Int32(1)
-	}
-
 	// Create the first transient server. The others will join this one.
 	args := base.TestServerArgs{
 		PartOfCluster: true,
 		Insecure:      true,
-		Knobs: base.TestingKnobs{
-			Server: &server.TestingKnobs{
-				DefaultZoneConfigOverride:       &cfg,
-				DefaultSystemZoneConfigOverride: &sysCfg,
-			},
-		},
-		Stopper: stopper,
+		Stopper:       stopper,
 	}
 
 	serverFactory := server.TestServerFactory
@@ -166,6 +148,14 @@ func setupTransientServers(
 		}
 	}
 
+	if demoCtx.nodes < 3 {
+		// Set up the default zone configuration. We are using an in-memory store
+		// so we really want to disable replication.
+		if err := cliDisableReplication(ctx, s.Server); err != nil {
+			return ``, ``, cleanup, err
+		}
+	}
+
 	// Prepare the URL for use by the SQL shell.
 	options := url.Values{}
 	options.Add("sslmode", "disable")
diff --git a/pkg/cli/disable_replication.go b/pkg/cli/disable_replication.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..3fa70539f798
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/cli/disable_replication.go
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+// Copyright 2019 The Cockroach Authors.
+//
+// Use of this software is governed by the Business Source License
+// included in the file licenses/BSL.txt.
+//
+// As of the Change Date specified in that file, in accordance with
+// the Business Source License, use of this software will be governed
+// by the Apache License, Version 2.0, included in the file
+// licenses/APL.txt.
+
+package cli
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/server"
+	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/sql"
+	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/sql/sem/tree"
+)
+
+// cliDisableReplication changes the replication factor on
+// all defined zones to become 1. This is used by start-single-node
+// and demo to define single-node clusters, so as to avoid
+// churn in the log files.
+//
+// The change is effected using the internal SQL interface of the
+// given server object.
+func cliDisableReplication(ctx context.Context, s *server.Server) error {
+	return s.RunLocalSQL(ctx,
+		func(ctx context.Context, ie *sql.InternalExecutor) error {
+			rows, err := ie.Query(ctx, "get-zones", nil,
+				"SELECT target FROM crdb_internal.zones")
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+
+			for _, row := range rows {
+				zone := string(*row[0].(*tree.DString))
+				if _, err := ie.Exec(ctx, "set-zone", nil,
+					fmt.Sprintf("ALTER %s CONFIGURE ZONE USING num_replicas = 1", zone)); err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+			}
+
+			return nil
+		})
+}
diff --git a/pkg/cli/flags.go b/pkg/cli/flags.go
index 90191b7d64cf..66cdae9fcadc 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/flags.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/flags.go
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/util/log/logflags"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/util/netutil"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/errors"
-	"github.com/gogo/protobuf/proto"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"github.com/spf13/pflag"
 )
@@ -250,13 +249,6 @@ func init() {
 		})
 	}
 
-	// start-single-node starts with default replication of 1.
-	AddPersistentPreRunE(startSingleNodeCmd, func(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
-		serverCfg.DefaultSystemZoneConfig.NumReplicas = proto.Int32(1)
-		serverCfg.DefaultZoneConfig.NumReplicas = proto.Int32(1)
-		return nil
-	})
-
 	// Map any flags registered in the standard "flag" package into the
 	// top-level cockroach command.
 	pf := cockroachCmd.PersistentFlags()
diff --git a/pkg/cli/interactive_tests/test_disable_replication.tcl b/pkg/cli/interactive_tests/test_disable_replication.tcl
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..f2c73f3f4e8e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/cli/interactive_tests/test_disable_replication.tcl
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+#! /usr/bin/env expect -f
+
+source [file join [file dirname $argv0] common.tcl]
+
+spawn /bin/bash
+send "PS1=':''/# '\r"
+eexpect ":/# "
+
+start_test "Check that demo disables replication properly"
+send "$argv demo -e 'show zone configuration for range default'\r"
+eexpect "num_replicas = 1"
+eexpect ":/# "
+end_test
+
+start_test "Check that start-single-node disables replication properly"
+system "rm -rf logs/db"
+start_server $argv
+send "$argv sql -e 'show zone configuration for range default'\r"
+eexpect "num_replicas = 1"
+eexpect ":/# "
+end_test
+
+start_test "Check that it remains possible to reset the replication factor"
+send "$argv sql -e 'alter range default configure zone using num_replicas = 3'\r"
+eexpect "CONFIGURE ZONE"
+eexpect ":/# "
+stop_server $argv
+start_server $argv
+send "$argv sql -e 'show zone configuration for range default'\r"
+eexpect "num_replicas = 3"
+eexpect ":/# "
+end_test
+
+stop_server $argv
+
+start_test "Check that start-single-node on a regular cluster does not reset the replication factor"
+# make a fresh server but using the regular 'start'
+system "rm -rf logs/db"
+system "$argv start --insecure --pid-file=server_pid --background -s=path=logs/db >>logs/expect-cmd.log 2>&1;
+        $argv sql -e 'select 1'"
+# restart with start-single-node
+stop_server $argv
+start_server $argv
+# check that the replication factor was unchanged
+send "$argv sql -e 'show zone configuration for range default'\r"
+eexpect "num_replicas = 3"
+eexpect ":/# "
+end_test
+
+send "exit 0\r"
+eexpect eof
diff --git a/pkg/cli/interactive_tests/test_flags.tcl b/pkg/cli/interactive_tests/test_flags.tcl
index 6b5b2ea04bc1..188c1602138a 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/interactive_tests/test_flags.tcl
+++ b/pkg/cli/interactive_tests/test_flags.tcl
@@ -80,14 +80,5 @@ interrupt
 eexpect ":/# "
 end_test
 
-start_test "Check that start-single-node disables replication properly"
-system "rm -rf logs/db"
-start_server $argv
-send "$argv sql -e 'show zone configuration for range default'\r"
-eexpect "num_replicas = 1"
-eexpect ":/# "
-stop_server $argv
-end_test
-
 send "exit 0\r"
 eexpect eof
diff --git a/pkg/cli/interactive_tests/test_multiple_nodes.tcl b/pkg/cli/interactive_tests/test_multiple_nodes.tcl
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..bd5ecb411c9d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/cli/interactive_tests/test_multiple_nodes.tcl
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+#! /usr/bin/env expect -f
+
+source [file join [file dirname $argv0] common.tcl]
+
+start_server $argv
+
+start_test "Check that it is possible to add nodes to a server started with start-single-node"
+
+system "$argv start --insecure --port=26258 --http-port=8083 --pid-file=server_pid2 --background -s=path=logs/db2 --join=:26257 >>logs/expect-cmd.log 2>&1;
+        $argv sql -e 'select 1' --port=26258"
+
+system "$argv start --insecure --port=26259 --http-port=8084 --pid-file=server_pid3 --background -s=path=logs/db3 --join=:26257 >>logs/expect-cmd.log 2>&1;
+        $argv sql -e 'select 1' --port=26259"
+
+# Check the number of nodes
+spawn $argv node ls
+eexpect id
+eexpect "3 rows"
+eexpect eof
+
+# Remove the additional nodes.
+system "$argv quit --port=26258"
+system "$argv quit --port=26259"
+
+end_test
+
+stop_server $argv
diff --git a/pkg/cli/start.go b/pkg/cli/start.go
index 667a84bf8101..0d072fffd597 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/start.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/start.go
@@ -416,18 +416,22 @@ func runStartSingleNode(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	// Now actually set the flag as changed so that the start code
 	// doesn't warn that it was not set.
 	joinFlag.Changed = true
-	return runStart(cmd, args)
+	return runStart(cmd, args, true /*disableReplication*/)
 }
 
 func runStartJoin(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-	return runStart(cmd, args)
+	return runStart(cmd, args, false /*disableReplication*/)
 }
 
 // runStart starts the cockroach node using --store as the list of
 // storage devices ("stores") on this machine and --join as the list
 // of other active nodes used to join this node to the cockroach
 // cluster, if this is its first time connecting.
-func runStart(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+//
+// If the argument disableReplication is true and we are starting
+// a fresh cluster, the replication factor will be disabled in
+// all zone configs.
+func runStart(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string, disableReplication bool) error {
 	tBegin := timeutil.Now()
 
 	// First things first: if the user wants background processing,
@@ -710,6 +714,21 @@ If problems persist, please see ` + base.DocsURL("cluster-setup-troubleshooting.
 				s.PeriodicallyCheckForUpdates(ctx)
 			}
 
+			initialBoot := s.InitialBoot()
+
+			if disableReplication && initialBoot {
+				// For start-single-node, set the default replication factor to
+				// 1 so as to avoid warning message and unnecessary rebalance
+				// churn.
+				if err := cliDisableReplication(ctx, s); err != nil {
+					log.Errorf(ctx, "could not disable replication: %v", err)
+					return err
+				}
+				log.Shout(ctx, log.Severity_INFO,
+					"Replication was disabled for this cluster.\n"+
+						"When/if adding nodes in the future, update zone configurations to increase the replication factor.")
+			}
+
 			// Now inform the user that the server is running and tell the
 			// user about its run-time derived parameters.
 			var buf bytes.Buffer
@@ -725,9 +744,9 @@ If problems persist, please see ` + base.DocsURL("cluster-setup-troubleshooting.
 			pgURL, err := serverCfg.PGURL(url.User(security.RootUser))
 			if err != nil {
 				log.Errorf(ctx, "failed computing the URL: %v", err)
-			} else {
-				fmt.Fprintf(tw, "sql:\t%s\n", pgURL)
+				return err
 			}
+			fmt.Fprintf(tw, "sql:\t%s\n", pgURL)
 
 			fmt.Fprintf(tw, "RPC client flags:\t%s\n", clientFlagsRPC())
 			if len(serverCfg.SocketFile) != 0 {
@@ -754,7 +773,6 @@ If problems persist, please see ` + base.DocsURL("cluster-setup-troubleshooting.
 			for i, spec := range serverCfg.Stores.Specs {
 				fmt.Fprintf(tw, "store[%d]:\t%s\n", i, spec)
 			}
-			initialBoot := s.InitialBoot()
 			nodeID := s.NodeID()
 			if initialBoot {
 				if nodeID == server.FirstNodeID {
diff --git a/pkg/server/server.go b/pkg/server/server.go
index f4528b9c88ca..e810f44f1ae1 100644
--- a/pkg/server/server.go
+++ b/pkg/server/server.go
@@ -2227,3 +2227,19 @@ func listen(
 	}
 	return ln, nil
 }
+
+// RunLocalSQL calls fn on a SQL internal executor on this server.
+// This is meant for use for SQL initialization during bootstrapping.
+//
+// The internal SQL interface should be used instead of a regular SQL
+// network connection for SQL initializations when setting up a new
+// server, because it is possible for the server to listen on a
+// network interface that is not reachable from loopback. It is also
+// possible for the TLS certificates to be invalid when used locally
+// (e.g. if the hostname in the cert is an advertised address that's
+// only reachable externally).
+func (s *Server) RunLocalSQL(
+	ctx context.Context, fn func(ctx context.Context, sqlExec *sql.InternalExecutor) error,
+) error {
+	return fn(ctx, s.internalExecutor)
+}