diff --git a/cmd/waku/server/rest/store.go b/cmd/waku/server/rest/store.go
index 8e8ac87b2..723acabfd 100644
--- a/cmd/waku/server/rest/store.go
+++ b/cmd/waku/server/rest/store.go
@@ -67,7 +67,13 @@ func getStoreParams(r *http.Request) (*store.Query, []store.HistoryRequestOption
 			return nil, nil, err
 		}
 		options = append(options, store.WithPeerAddr(m))
+	} else {
+		// The user didn't specify a peer address and self-node is configured as a store node.
+		// In this case we assume that the user is willing to retrieve the messages stored by
+		// the local/self store node.
+		options = append(options, store.WithLocalQuery())
 	}
+
 	query.PubsubTopic = r.URL.Query().Get("pubsubTopic")
 
 	contentTopics := r.URL.Query().Get("contentTopics")
diff --git a/waku/v2/protocol/lightpush/waku_lightpush.go b/waku/v2/protocol/lightpush/waku_lightpush.go
index 00a2ca8ab..fe65ed047 100644
--- a/waku/v2/protocol/lightpush/waku_lightpush.go
+++ b/waku/v2/protocol/lightpush/waku_lightpush.go
@@ -63,10 +63,6 @@ func NewWakuLightPush(relay *relay.WakuRelay, pm *peermanager.PeerManager, reg p
 
 	wakuLP.limiter = params.limiter
 
-	if pm != nil {
-		wakuLP.pm.RegisterWakuProtocol(LightPushID_v20beta1, LightPushENRField)
-	}
-
 	return wakuLP
 }
 
@@ -81,6 +77,10 @@ func (wakuLP *WakuLightPush) Start(ctx context.Context) error {
 		return errors.New("relay is required, without it, it is only a client and cannot be started")
 	}
 
+	if wakuLP.pm != nil {
+		wakuLP.pm.RegisterWakuProtocol(LightPushID_v20beta1, LightPushENRField)
+	}
+
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
 
 	wakuLP.cancel = cancel
diff --git a/waku/v2/protocol/store/waku_store_client.go b/waku/v2/protocol/store/waku_store_client.go
index d66defbd3..f1612a1c6 100644
--- a/waku/v2/protocol/store/waku_store_client.go
+++ b/waku/v2/protocol/store/waku_store_client.go
@@ -275,6 +275,10 @@ func (store *WakuStore) localQuery(historyQuery *pb.HistoryRPC) (*pb.HistoryResp
 	return historyResponseRPC.Response, nil
 }
 
+func (store *WakuStore) isLocalQuery(p *HistoryRequestParameters) bool {
+	return p.localQuery && store.started
+}
+
 func (store *WakuStore) Query(ctx context.Context, query Query, opts ...HistoryRequestOption) (*Result, error) {
 	params := new(HistoryRequestParameters)
 	params.s = store
@@ -288,7 +292,7 @@ func (store *WakuStore) Query(ctx context.Context, query Query, opts ...HistoryR
 		}
 	}
 
-	if !params.localQuery {
+	if !store.isLocalQuery(params) {
 		pubsubTopics := []string{}
 		if query.PubsubTopic == "" {
 			for _, cTopic := range query.ContentTopics {
@@ -343,7 +347,7 @@ func (store *WakuStore) Query(ctx context.Context, query Query, opts ...HistoryR
 		historyRequest.Query.ContentFilters = append(historyRequest.Query.ContentFilters, &pb.ContentFilter{ContentTopic: cf})
 	}
 
-	if !params.localQuery && params.selectedPeer == "" {
+	if !store.isLocalQuery(params) && params.selectedPeer == "" {
 		store.metrics.RecordError(peerNotFoundFailure)
 		return nil, ErrNoPeersAvailable
 	}
@@ -373,7 +377,7 @@ func (store *WakuStore) Query(ctx context.Context, query Query, opts ...HistoryR
 
 	var response *pb.HistoryResponse
 
-	if params.localQuery {
+	if store.isLocalQuery(params) {
 		response, err = store.localQuery(historyRequest)
 	} else {
 		response, err = store.queryFrom(ctx, historyRequest, params.selectedPeer)
diff --git a/waku/v2/protocol/store/waku_store_common.go b/waku/v2/protocol/store/waku_store_common.go
index 82e369cfd..929e58e1f 100644
--- a/waku/v2/protocol/store/waku_store_common.go
+++ b/waku/v2/protocol/store/waku_store_common.go
@@ -67,8 +67,5 @@ func NewWakuStore(p MessageProvider, pm *peermanager.PeerManager, timesource tim
 	wakuStore.pm = pm
 	wakuStore.metrics = newMetrics(reg)
 
-	if pm != nil {
-		pm.RegisterWakuProtocol(StoreID_v20beta4, StoreENRField)
-	}
 	return wakuStore
 }
diff --git a/waku/v2/protocol/store/waku_store_protocol.go b/waku/v2/protocol/store/waku_store_protocol.go
index 76e3983fe..e40abe7ef 100644
--- a/waku/v2/protocol/store/waku_store_protocol.go
+++ b/waku/v2/protocol/store/waku_store_protocol.go
@@ -119,6 +119,10 @@ func (store *WakuStore) Start(ctx context.Context, sub *relay.Subscription) erro
 		return err
 	}
 
+	if store.pm != nil {
+		store.pm.RegisterWakuProtocol(StoreID_v20beta4, StoreENRField)
+	}
+
 	store.started = true
 	store.ctx, store.cancel = context.WithCancel(ctx)
 	store.MsgC = sub