diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/cluster/ClusterAdminService.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/cluster/ClusterAdminService.java
index 4f98804..73137e1 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/cluster/ClusterAdminService.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/cluster/ClusterAdminService.java
@@ -1,11 +1,23 @@
 package org.onlab.onos.cluster;
 
+import org.onlab.packet.IpPrefix;
+
 /**
  * Service for administering the cluster node membership.
  */
 public interface ClusterAdminService {
 
     /**
+     * Adds a new controller node to the cluster.
+     *
+     * @param nodeId  controller node identifier
+     * @param ip      node IP listen address
+     * @param tcpPort tcp listen port
+     * @return newly added node
+     */
+    ControllerNode addNode(NodeId nodeId, IpPrefix ip, int tcpPort);
+
+    /**
      * Removes the specified node from the cluster node list.
      *
      * @param nodeId controller node identifier
diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/cluster/ClusterStore.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/cluster/ClusterStore.java
index ea5bbd3..3725706 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/cluster/ClusterStore.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/cluster/ClusterStore.java
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package org.onlab.onos.cluster;
 
 import org.onlab.onos.store.Store;
+import org.onlab.packet.IpPrefix;
 
 import java.util.Set;
 
@@ -40,6 +41,16 @@
     ControllerNode.State getState(NodeId nodeId);
 
     /**
+     * Adds a new controller node to the cluster.
+     *
+     * @param nodeId  controller node identifier
+     * @param ip      node IP listen address
+     * @param tcpPort tcp listen port
+     * @return newly added node
+     */
+    ControllerNode addNode(NodeId nodeId, IpPrefix ip, int tcpPort);
+
+    /**
      * Removes the specified node from the inventory of cluster nodes.
      *
      * @param nodeId controller instance identifier
diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/cluster/ControllerNode.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/cluster/ControllerNode.java
index c6f0cb3..33fe1c9 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/cluster/ControllerNode.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/cluster/ControllerNode.java
@@ -35,4 +35,12 @@
      */
     IpPrefix ip();
 
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the TCP port on which the node listens for connections.
+     *
+     * @return TCP port
+     */
+    int tcpPort();
+
 }
diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/cluster/DefaultControllerNode.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/cluster/DefaultControllerNode.java
index 86ea14c..d23b7a3 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/cluster/DefaultControllerNode.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/cluster/DefaultControllerNode.java
@@ -11,13 +11,17 @@
  */
 public class DefaultControllerNode implements ControllerNode {
 
+    private static final int DEFAULT_PORT = 9876;
+
     private final NodeId id;
     private final IpPrefix ip;
+    private final int tcpPort;
 
     // For serialization
     private DefaultControllerNode() {
         this.id = null;
         this.ip = null;
+        this.tcpPort = 0;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -27,8 +31,19 @@
      * @param ip instance IP address
      */
     public DefaultControllerNode(NodeId id, IpPrefix ip) {
+        this(id, ip, DEFAULT_PORT);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a new instance with the specified id and IP address and TCP port.
+     *
+     * @param id instance identifier
+     * @param ip instance IP address
+     */
+    public DefaultControllerNode(NodeId id, IpPrefix ip, int tcpPort) {
         this.id = id;
         this.ip = ip;
+        this.tcpPort = tcpPort;
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -42,6 +57,11 @@
     }
 
     @Override
+    public int tcpPort() {
+        return tcpPort;
+    }
+
+    @Override
     public int hashCode() {
         return Objects.hash(id);
     }
@@ -60,7 +80,8 @@
 
     @Override
     public String toString() {
-        return toStringHelper(this).add("id", id).add("ip", ip).toString();
+        return toStringHelper(this).add("id", id)
+                .add("ip", ip).add("tcpPort", tcpPort).toString();
     }
 
 }