diff --git a/src/core/router/context.cc b/src/core/router/context.cc
index 7b1481df..c478d996 100644
--- a/src/core/router/context.cc
+++ b/src/core/router/context.cc
@@ -46,8 +46,6 @@
 #include "core/util/mtu.h"
 #include "core/util/timestamp.h"
 
-#include "version.h"
-
 namespace kovri
 {
 namespace core
@@ -145,8 +143,7 @@ void RouterContext::Initialize(const boost::program_options::variables_map& map)
         }
 
       // Update RI options (in case RI was older than these version)
-      router.SetOption(GetTrait(Trait::CoreVersion), I2P_VERSION);
-      router.SetOption(GetTrait(Trait::RouterVersion), I2P_VERSION);
+      router.SetDefaultOptions();
 
       // Update context RI
       m_RouterInfo.Update(router.GetBuffer(), router.GetBufferLen());
diff --git a/src/core/router/info.cc b/src/core/router/info.cc
index c50cf95a..095936d3 100644
--- a/src/core/router/info.cc
+++ b/src/core/router/info.cc
@@ -89,8 +89,7 @@ RouterInfo::RouterInfo(
     }
 
   // Set default options
-  SetOption(GetTrait(Trait::NetID), std::to_string(I2P_NETWORK_ID));
-  SetOption(GetTrait(Trait::RouterVersion), I2P_VERSION);
+  SetDefaultOptions();
 
   // Set RI buffer + create RI
   CreateBuffer(keys);
@@ -434,6 +433,15 @@ void RouterInfo::ParseRouterInfo(const std::string& router_info)
     }
 }
 
+void RouterInfo::SetDefaultOptions()
+{
+  SetOption(GetTrait(Trait::NetID), std::to_string(I2P_NETWORK_ID));
+  SetOption(GetTrait(Trait::RouterVersion), I2P_VERSION);
+  // TODO(anonimal): implement known lease-sets and known routers.
+  //   We current only set default options when starting/creating RI *before*
+  //   netdb starts. We'll need to ensure the 'known' opts are set *after* netdb starts.
+}
+
 void RouterInfo::SetCaps(const std::string& caps)
 {
   LOG(debug) << "RouterInfo: " << __func__ << ": setting caps " << caps;
@@ -871,7 +879,10 @@ void RouterInfo::CreateRouterInfo(
 
   // Write remaining options
   for (const auto& opt : GetOptions())
-    options.WriteKeyPair(opt.first, opt.second);
+    {
+      LOG(debug) << "RouterInfo: writing: " << opt.first << "=" << opt.second;
+      options.WriteKeyPair(opt.first, opt.second);
+    }
 
   // Write size of remaining options
   std::uint16_t size = htobe16(options.Str().size());
diff --git a/src/core/router/info.h b/src/core/router/info.h
index b6058847..29c2b206 100644
--- a/src/core/router/info.h
+++ b/src/core/router/info.h
@@ -144,7 +144,6 @@ struct RouterInfoTraits
 
     // Option-specific
     RouterVersion,
-    CoreVersion,
     LeaseSets,
     Routers,
     NetID,
@@ -191,9 +190,6 @@ struct RouterInfoTraits
         case Trait::RouterVersion:
           return "router.version";
 
-        case Trait::CoreVersion:
-          return "coreVersion";
-
         case Trait::LeaseSets:
           return "netdb.knownLeaseSets";
 
@@ -625,6 +621,9 @@ class RouterInfo : public RouterInfoTraits, public RoutingDestination
     m_Options[key] = value;
   }
 
+  /// @brief Set essential (non-caps) default options for new RIs and when updating RIs
+  void SetDefaultOptions();
+
   /// @return Mutable RI options
   std::map<std::string, std::string>& GetOptions() noexcept
   {