diff --git a/cmd/geth/chaincmd.go b/cmd/geth/chaincmd.go
index ff9581fd88..1834dab6a9 100644
--- a/cmd/geth/chaincmd.go
+++ b/cmd/geth/chaincmd.go
@@ -62,7 +62,11 @@ It expects the genesis file as argument.`,
 		Usage:     "Dumps genesis block JSON configuration to stdout",
 		ArgsUsage: "",
 		Flags: []cli.Flag{
-			utils.DataDirFlag,
+			utils.MainnetFlag,
+			utils.RopstenFlag,
+			utils.RinkebyFlag,
+			utils.GoerliFlag,
+			utils.YoloV3Flag,
 		},
 		Category: "BLOCKCHAIN COMMANDS",
 		Description: `
@@ -227,6 +231,7 @@ func initGenesis(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 }
 
 func dumpGenesis(ctx *cli.Context) error {
+	// TODO(rjl493456442) support loading from the custom datadir
 	genesis := utils.MakeGenesis(ctx)
 	if genesis == nil {
 		genesis = core.DefaultGenesisBlock()
diff --git a/cmd/utils/flags.go b/cmd/utils/flags.go
index fc479f3987..5c800a7fe9 100644
--- a/cmd/utils/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/utils/flags.go
@@ -1773,6 +1773,8 @@ func MakeChainDatabase(ctx *cli.Context, stack *node.Node) ethdb.Database {
 func MakeGenesis(ctx *cli.Context) *core.Genesis {
 	var genesis *core.Genesis
 	switch {
+	case ctx.GlobalBool(MainnetFlag.Name):
+		genesis = core.DefaultGenesisBlock()
 	case ctx.GlobalBool(RopstenFlag.Name):
 		genesis = core.DefaultRopstenGenesisBlock()
 	case ctx.GlobalBool(RinkebyFlag.Name):