diff --git a/jmclient/jmclient/taker.py b/jmclient/jmclient/taker.py
index 3ebe421..f811672 100644
--- a/jmclient/jmclient/taker.py
+++ b/jmclient/jmclient/taker.py
@@ -203,7 +203,6 @@ class Taker(object):
             self.outputs = []
             self.cjfee_total = 0
             self.maker_txfee_contributions = 0
-            self.txfee_default = 5000
             self.latest_tx = None
             self.txid = None
 
@@ -293,7 +292,8 @@ class Taker(object):
             #to make failures unlikely while keeping the occurence of failure to
             #find sufficient utxos extremely rare. Indeed, a doubling of 'normal'
             #txfee indicates undesirable behaviour on maker side anyway.
-            self.total_txfee = 2 * self.txfee_default * self.n_counterparties
+            self.total_txfee = estimate_tx_fee(3, 2,
+                txtype=self.wallet_service.get_txtype()) * self.n_counterparties
             total_amount = self.cjamount + self.total_cj_fee + self.total_txfee
             jlog.info('total estimated amount spent = ' + str(total_amount))
             try:
@@ -315,13 +315,9 @@ class Taker(object):
             jlog.debug("Estimated ins: "+str(est_ins))
             est_outs = 2*self.n_counterparties + 1
             jlog.debug("Estimated outs: "+str(est_outs))
-            estimated_fee = estimate_tx_fee(est_ins, est_outs,
+            self.total_txfee = estimate_tx_fee(est_ins, est_outs,
                                             txtype=self.wallet_service.get_txtype())
-            jlog.debug("We have a fee estimate: "+str(estimated_fee))
-            jlog.debug("And a requested fee of: "+str(
-                self.txfee_default * self.n_counterparties))
-            self.total_txfee = max([estimated_fee,
-                                    self.n_counterparties * self.txfee_default])
+            jlog.debug("We have a fee estimate: "+str(self.total_txfee))
             total_value = sum([va['value'] for va in self.input_utxos.values()])
             allowed_types = ["reloffer", "absoffer"] if jm_single().config.get(
                 "POLICY", "segwit") == "false" else ["swreloffer", "swabsoffer"]
@@ -941,7 +937,6 @@ class P2EPTaker(Taker):
         # enough for fees, even more rare. "Stuck" coins due to edge cases
         # are not an issue since the wallet has direct-send sweep.
         self.n_counterparties = 1
-        self.txfee_default = 10000
         self.total_cj_fee = 0
         # Preparing bitcoin data here includes choosing utxos/coins.
         # We don't trust the user on the selection algo choice; we want it
@@ -954,7 +949,6 @@ class P2EPTaker(Taker):
             return (False, )
         self.outputs = []
         self.cjfee_total = 0
-        self.txfee_default = 5000
         self.latest_tx = None
         self.txid = None
 
diff --git a/scripts/joinmarket-qt.py b/scripts/joinmarket-qt.py
index de56659..bad981d 100644
--- a/scripts/joinmarket-qt.py
+++ b/scripts/joinmarket-qt.py
@@ -96,9 +96,8 @@ def update_config_for_gui():
     operation of the command line version.
     '''
     gui_config_names = ['gaplimit', 'history_file', 'check_high_fee',
-                        'max_mix_depth', 'txfee_default', 'order_wait_time',
-                       'checktx']
-    gui_config_default_vals = ['6', 'jm-tx-history.txt', '2', '5', '5000', '30',
+                        'max_mix_depth', 'order_wait_time', 'checktx']
+    gui_config_default_vals = ['6', 'jm-tx-history.txt', '2', '5', '30',
                                'true']
     if "GUI" not in jm_single().config.sections():
         jm_single().config.add_section("GUI")
diff --git a/scripts/qtsupport.py b/scripts/qtsupport.py
index 49fd273..621b2c7 100644
--- a/scripts/qtsupport.py
+++ b/scripts/qtsupport.py
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@ config_types = {'rpc_port': int,
                 'gaplimit': int,
                 'check_high_fee': int,
                 'max_mix_depth': int,
-                'txfee_default': int,
                 'order_wait_time': int,
                 "no_daemon": int,
                 "daemon_port": int,}
@@ -79,22 +78,18 @@ config_tips = {
     'socks5_port': 'port for SOCKS5 proxy (or comma separated list)',
     'maker_timeout_sec': 'timeout for waiting for replies from makers',
     'merge_algorithm': 'for dust sweeping, try merge_algorithm = gradual, \n' +
-    'for more rapid dust sweeping, try merge_algorithm = greedy \n' +
-    'for most rapid dust sweeping, try merge_algorithm = greediest \n' +
-    ' but dont forget to bump your miner fees!',
+    'for more rapid dust sweeping, try merge_algorithm = greedy, \n' +
+    'for most rapid dust sweeping, try merge_algorithm = greediest \n',
     'tx_fees':
     'the fee estimate is based on a projection of how many satoshis \n' +
     'per kB are needed to get in one of the next N blocks, N set here \n' +
     'as the value of "tx_fees". This estimate is high if you set N=1, \n' +
-    'so we choose N=3 for a more reasonable figure, \n' +
-    'as our default. Note that for clients not using a local blockchain \n' +
-    'instance, we retrieve an estimate from the API at blockcypher.com, currently. \n',
+    'so we choose N=3 for a more reasonable figure as our default.\n' +
+    'Alternative: Any value higher than 1000 will be interpreted as \n' +
+    'fee value in satoshi per KB. This overrides the dynamic estimation.',
     'gaplimit': 'How far forward to search for used addresses in the HD wallet',
     'check_high_fee': 'Percent fee considered dangerously high, default 2%',
     'max_mix_depth': 'Total number of mixdepths in the wallet, default 5',
-    'txfee_default': 'Number of satoshis per counterparty for an initial\n' +
-    'tx fee estimate; this value is not usually used and is best left at\n' +
-    'the default of 5000',
     'order_wait_time': 'How long to wait for orders to arrive on entering\n' +
     'the message channel, default is 30s',
     'no_daemon': "1 means don't use a separate daemon; set to 0 only if you\n" +