diff --git a/testing/launch_tor_integration_test.go b/testing/launch_tor_integration_test.go
index ae63483..73c7329 100644
--- a/testing/launch_tor_integration_test.go
+++ b/testing/launch_tor_integration_test.go
@@ -7,11 +7,14 @@ import (
 	"math/rand"
 	"os"
 	path "path/filepath"
+	"runtime"
+	"runtime/pprof"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 )
 
 func TestLaunchTor(t *testing.T) {
+	goRoutineStart := runtime.NumGoroutine()
 	log.SetLevel(log.LevelDebug)
 
 	rand.Seed(int64(time.Now().Nanosecond()))
@@ -51,4 +54,15 @@ func TestLaunchTor(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Log("we have bootstrapped!")
 		acn.Close()
 	}
+
+	time.Sleep(time.Second * 5)
+
+	goRoutineEnd := runtime.NumGoroutine()
+
+	if goRoutineEnd != goRoutineStart {
+		pprof.Lookup("goroutine").WriteTo(os.Stdout, 1)
+
+		t.Fatalf("goroutine leak in ACN: %v %v", goRoutineStart, goRoutineEnd)
+	}
+
 }
diff --git a/tor/torProvider.go b/tor/torProvider.go
index cfdcb3d..4792219 100644
--- a/tor/torProvider.go
+++ b/tor/torProvider.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package tor
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"context"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
@@ -333,6 +334,7 @@ func (tp *torProvider) restart() {
 		tp.dialer = newTp.dialer
 		tp.statusCallback = statusCallback
 		tp.lastRestartTime = time.Now()
+		tp.isClosed = false
 		go tp.monitorRestart()
 	} else {
 		log.Errorf("Error restarting Tor process: %v", err)
@@ -368,6 +370,8 @@ func (tp *torProvider) Close() {
 		delete(tp.childListeners, addr)
 	}
 
+	log.Debugf("shutting down acn threads..(is already closed: %v)", tp.isClosed)
+
 	if !tp.isClosed {
 		// Break out of any background checks and close
 		// the underlying tor connection
@@ -404,6 +408,7 @@ func (tp *torProvider) callStatusCallback(prog int, status string) {
 func NewTorACNWithAuth(appDirectory string, bundledTorPath string, dataDir string, controlPort int, authenticator tor.Authenticator) (connectivity.ACN, error) {
 	tp, err := startTor(appDirectory, bundledTorPath, dataDir, controlPort, authenticator)
 	if err == nil {
+		tp.isClosed = false
 		go tp.monitorRestart()
 	}
 	return tp, err
@@ -450,7 +455,7 @@ func startTor(appDirectory string, bundledTorPath string, dataDir string, contro
 
 	os.MkdirAll(torDir, 0700)
 
-	tp := &torProvider{authenticator: authenticator, controlPort: controlPort, appDirectory: appDirectory, bundeledTorPath: bundledTorPath, childListeners: make(map[string]*onionListenService), breakChan: make(chan bool), statusCallback: nil, lastRestartTime: time.Now().Add(-restartCooldown)}
+	tp := &torProvider{authenticator: authenticator, controlPort: controlPort, appDirectory: appDirectory, bundeledTorPath: bundledTorPath, childListeners: make(map[string]*onionListenService), breakChan: make(chan bool, 1), statusCallback: nil, lastRestartTime: time.Now().Add(-restartCooldown)}
 
 	log.Debugf("checking if there is a running system tor")
 	if err := tp.checkVersion(); err == nil {
@@ -494,7 +499,7 @@ func startTor(appDirectory string, bundledTorPath string, dataDir string, contro
 
 	err := tp.checkVersion()
 	if err == nil {
-		tp.t.DeleteDataDirOnClose = false // caller is repsonsible for dealing with cached information...
+		tp.t.DeleteDataDirOnClose = false // caller is responsible for dealing with cached information...
 		tp.dialer, err = tp.t.Dialer(context.TODO(), &tor.DialConf{Authenticator: tp.authenticator})
 		return tp, err
 	}
@@ -567,24 +572,53 @@ func createFromExisting(controlport *control.Conn, datadir string) *tor.Tor {
 }
 
 func checkCmdlineTorVersion(torCmd string) bool {
+	// ideally we would use CommandContext with Timeout here
+	// but it doesn't work with programs that may launch other processes via scripts e.g. exec
+	// and the workout is more complex than just implementing the logic ourselves...
 	cmd := exec.Command(torCmd, "--version")
-	cmd.SysProcAttr = sysProcAttr
-	out, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
+	var outb bytes.Buffer
+	cmd.Stdout = &outb
+
+	waiting := make(chan error, 1)
+
+	// try running the tor process
+	go func() {
+		log.Debugf("running tor process: %v", torCmd)
+		cmd.Run()
+		waiting <- nil
+	}()
+
+	// timeout function
+	go func() {
+		<-time.After(time.Second * 5)
+		waiting <- errors.New("timeout")
+	}()
+
+	err := <-waiting
+
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Debugf("tor process timed out")
+		return false
+	}
+
 	re := regexp.MustCompile(`[0-1]\.[0-9]\.[0-9]\.[0-9]`)
-	sysTorVersion := re.Find(out)
-	log.Infoln("tor version: " + string(sysTorVersion))
-	return err == nil && minTorVersionReqs(string(sysTorVersion))
+	sysTorVersion := re.Find(outb.Bytes())
+	log.Infof("tor version: %v", string(sysTorVersion))
+	return minTorVersionReqs(string(sysTorVersion))
 }
 
 // returns true if supplied version meets our min requirments
 // min requirement: 0.3.5.x
 func minTorVersionReqs(torversion string) bool {
 	torversions := strings.Split(torversion, ".") //eg: 0.3.4.8 or 0.3.5.1-alpha
-	log.Debugf("torversions: %v", torversions)
-	tva, _ := strconv.Atoi(torversions[0])
-	tvb, _ := strconv.Atoi(torversions[1])
-	tvc, _ := strconv.Atoi(torversions[2])
-	return tva > 0 || (tva == 0 && (tvb > 3 || (tvb == 3 && tvc >= 5)))
+	if len(torversions) >= 3 {
+		log.Debugf("torversions: %v", torversions)
+		tva, _ := strconv.Atoi(torversions[0])
+		tvb, _ := strconv.Atoi(torversions[1])
+		tvc, _ := strconv.Atoi(torversions[2])
+		return tva > 0 || (tva == 0 && (tvb > 3 || (tvb == 3 && tvc >= 5)))
+	}
+	return false
 }
 
 func dialControlPort(port int) (*control.Conn, error) {
diff --git a/tor/torProvider_test.go b/tor/torProvider_test.go
index d6b8365..5827eb3 100644
--- a/tor/torProvider_test.go
+++ b/tor/torProvider_test.go
@@ -4,8 +4,12 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"git.openprivacy.ca/openprivacy/log"
 	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
 	path "path/filepath"
+	"runtime"
+	"runtime/pprof"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 )
 
 func getStatusCallback(progChan chan int) func(int, string) {
@@ -16,7 +20,10 @@ func getStatusCallback(progChan chan int) func(int, string) {
 }
 
 func TestTorProvider(t *testing.T) {
-	progChan := make(chan int)
+
+	goRoutineStart := runtime.NumGoroutine()
+
+	progChan := make(chan int, 10)
 	log.SetLevel(log.LevelDebug)
 	torpath := path.Join("..", "tmp/tor")
 
@@ -79,4 +86,15 @@ func TestTorProvider(t *testing.T) {
 	acn.Restart()
 
 	acn.Close()
+
+	time.Sleep(time.Second * 5)
+
+	goRoutineEnd := runtime.NumGoroutine()
+
+	if goRoutineEnd != goRoutineStart {
+		pprof.Lookup("goroutine").WriteTo(os.Stdout, 1)
+
+		t.Fatalf("goroutine leak in ACN: %v %v", goRoutineStart, goRoutineEnd)
+	}
+
 }