diff --git a/tor/torProvider.go b/tor/torProvider.go
index 7b90396..33120f0 100644
--- a/tor/torProvider.go
+++ b/tor/torProvider.go
@@ -42,6 +42,13 @@ const (
 	networkUp      = 0
 )
 
+// NoTorrcError is a typed error thrown to indicate start could not complete due to lack of a torrc file
+type NoTorrcError struct {
+	path string
+}
+
+func (e *NoTorrcError) Error() string { return fmt.Sprintf("torrc file does not exist at %v", e.path) }
+
 type onionListenService struct {
 	os *tor.OnionService
 	tp *torProvider
@@ -286,8 +293,9 @@ func startTor(appDirectory string, bundledTorPath string, controlPort int, authe
 
 	// check if the torrc file is present where expected
 	if _, err := os.Stat(path.Join(dataDir, "torrc")); os.IsNotExist(err) {
-		log.Debugf("torrc file does not exist at %v", path.Join(dataDir, "torrc"))
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("torrc file does not exist at %v", path.Join(dataDir, "torrc"))
+		err = &NoTorrcError{path.Join(dataDir, "torrc")}
+		log.Debugln(err.Error())
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	// if not, try running system tor