diff --git a/examples/src/main/java/org/bitcoinj/examples/FetchBlock.java b/examples/src/main/java/org/bitcoinj/examples/FetchBlock.java
index 8f0203fb..acadd12c 100644
--- a/examples/src/main/java/org/bitcoinj/examples/FetchBlock.java
+++ b/examples/src/main/java/org/bitcoinj/examples/FetchBlock.java
@@ -17,34 +17,71 @@
 
 package org.bitcoinj.examples;
 
+import joptsimple.OptionException;
+import joptsimple.OptionParser;
+import joptsimple.OptionSet;
 import org.bitcoinj.core.*;
+import org.bitcoinj.net.discovery.DnsDiscovery;
 import org.bitcoinj.params.TestNet3Params;
 import org.bitcoinj.store.BlockStore;
 import org.bitcoinj.store.MemoryBlockStore;
 import org.bitcoinj.utils.BriefLogFormatter;
 
 import java.net.InetAddress;
+import java.util.List;
 import java.util.concurrent.Future;
 
 /**
- * Downloads the block given a block hash from the localhost node and prints it out.
+ * <p>Downloads the block given a block hash from the remote or localhost node and prints it out.</p>
+ * <p>When downloading from localhost, run bitcoind locally: bitcoind -testnet -daemon.
+ * After bitcoind is up and running, use command: org.bitcoinj.examples.FetchBlock --localhost &lt;blockHash&gt; </p>
+ * <p>Otherwise, use command: org.bitcoinj.examples.FetchBlock &lt;blockHash&gt;, this command will download blocks from a peer generated by DNS seeds.</p>
  */
 public class FetchBlock {
     public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
         BriefLogFormatter.init();
+        // Parse command line arguments
+        OptionParser parser = new OptionParser();
+        OptionSet opts = null;
+        List<String> nonOpts = null;
+        try {
+            parser.accepts("localhost", "Connect to the localhost node");
+            parser.accepts("help", "Displays program options");
+            opts = parser.parse(args);
+            if (opts.has("help")) {
+                System.out.println("usage: org.bitcoinj.examples.FetchBlock [--localhost] <blockHash>");
+                parser.printHelpOn(System.out);
+                return;
+            }
+            nonOpts = opts.nonOptionArguments();
+            if (nonOpts.size() != 1) {
+                throw new IllegalArgumentException("Incorrect number of block hash, please provide only one block hash.");
+            }
+        } catch (OptionException | IllegalArgumentException e) {
+            System.err.println(e.getMessage());
+            System.err.println("usage: org.bitcoinj.examples.FetchBlock [--localhost] <blockHash>");
+            parser.printHelpOn(System.err);
+            return;
+        }
+
+        // Connect to testnet and find a peer
         System.out.println("Connecting to node");
         final NetworkParameters params = TestNet3Params.get();
-
         BlockStore blockStore = new MemoryBlockStore(params);
         BlockChain chain = new BlockChain(params, blockStore);
         PeerGroup peerGroup = new PeerGroup(params, chain);
+        if (!opts.has("localhost")) {
+            peerGroup.addPeerDiscovery(new DnsDiscovery(params));
+        } else {
+            PeerAddress addr = new PeerAddress(params, InetAddress.getLocalHost());
+            peerGroup.addAddress(addr);
+        }
         peerGroup.start();
-        PeerAddress addr = new PeerAddress(params, InetAddress.getLocalHost());
-        peerGroup.addAddress(addr);
         peerGroup.waitForPeers(1).get();
         Peer peer = peerGroup.getConnectedPeers().get(0);
 
-        Sha256Hash blockHash = Sha256Hash.wrap(args[0]);
+        // Retrieve a block through a peer
+        Sha256Hash blockHash = Sha256Hash.wrap(nonOpts.get(0));
         Future<Block> future = peer.getBlock(blockHash);
         System.out.println("Waiting for node to send us the requested block: " + blockHash);
         Block block = future.get();