diff --git a/connectivity/torProvider.go b/connectivity/torProvider.go
index 11cc8cc..473efb7 100644
--- a/connectivity/torProvider.go
+++ b/connectivity/torProvider.go
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ type onionListenService struct {
 
 type torProvider struct {
 	t               *tor.Tor
+	dialer          *tor.Dialer
 	appDirectory    string
 	bundeledTorPath string
 	lock            sync.Mutex
@@ -109,6 +110,9 @@ func (tp *torProvider) Listen(identity PrivateKey, port int) (ListenService, err
 	var onion = ""
 	var privkey ed25519.PrivateKey
 
+	tp.lock.Lock()
+	defer tp.lock.Unlock()
+
 	if tp.t == nil {
 		return nil, errors.New("Tor Provider closed")
 	}
@@ -131,14 +135,8 @@ func (tp *torProvider) Listen(identity PrivateKey, port int) (ListenService, err
 		localport += 1024
 	}
 
-	if tp.t == nil {
-		return nil, errors.New("Tor is offline")
-	}
-
 	localListener, err := net.Listen("tcp", "127.0.0.1:"+strconv.Itoa(localport))
 
-	tp.lock.Lock()
-	defer tp.lock.Unlock()
 	conf := &tor.ListenConf{NoWait: true, Version3: true, Key: identity, RemotePorts: []int{port}, Detach: true, DiscardKey: true, LocalListener: localListener}
 	os, err := tp.t.Listen(nil, conf)
 	if err != nil && strings.Contains(err.Error(), "550 Unspecified Tor error: Onion address collision") {
@@ -159,22 +157,20 @@ func (tp *torProvider) Listen(identity PrivateKey, port int) (ListenService, err
 
 func (tp *torProvider) Open(hostname string) (net.Conn, string, error) {
 	tp.lock.Lock()
-	defer tp.lock.Unlock()
 
 	if tp.t == nil {
+		tp.lock.Unlock()
 		return nil, hostname, errors.New("Tor is offline")
 	}
-	torDailer, err := tp.t.Dialer(nil, &tor.DialConf{})
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, "", err
-	}
+	tp.lock.Unlock()
+
 	resolvedHostname := hostname
 	if strings.HasPrefix(hostname, "ricochet:") {
 		addrParts := strings.Split(hostname, ":")
 		resolvedHostname = addrParts[1]
 	}
 
-	conn, err := torDailer.Dial("tcp", resolvedHostname+".onion:9878")
+	conn, err := tp.dialer.Dial("tcp", resolvedHostname+".onion:9878")
 	return conn, resolvedHostname, err
 }
 
@@ -202,7 +198,10 @@ func (tp *torProvider) SetStatusCallback(callback func(int, string)) {
 func StartTor(appDirectory string, bundledTorPath string) (ACN, error) {
 	tp, err := startTor(appDirectory, bundledTorPath)
 	if err == nil {
-		go tp.monitorRestart()
+		tp.dialer, err = tp.t.Dialer(nil, &tor.DialConf{})
+		if err == nil {
+			go tp.monitorRestart()
+		}
 	}
 	return tp, err
 }
@@ -308,6 +307,7 @@ func (tp *torProvider) restart() {
 		newTp, err := startTor(tp.appDirectory, tp.bundeledTorPath)
 		if err == nil {
 			tp.t = newTp.t
+			tp.dialer, _ = tp.t.Dialer(nil, &tor.DialConf{})
 			return
 		}
 	}