diff --git a/minode/connection.py b/minode/connection.py
index cd10e0c..cf59b6e 100644
--- a/minode/connection.py
+++ b/minode/connection.py
@@ -544,11 +544,13 @@ class SocksConnection(Connection):
 
         import socks
 
+        proxy_type = socks.PROXY_TYPES[shared.socks_proxy.scheme.upper()]
+
         try:
             self.s = socks.create_connection(
-                (self.host, self.port), 30, None, socks.PROXY_TYPE_SOCKS5,
-                shared.socks_proxy[0], shared.socks_proxy[1], True,
-                None, None, None)
+                (self.host, self.port), 30, None, proxy_type,
+                shared.socks_proxy.hostname, shared.socks_proxy.port, True,
+                shared.socks_proxy.username, shared.socks_proxy.password, None)
             self.status = 'connected'
             logging.debug('Established SOCKS connection to %s', peer_str)
         except socket.timeout:
diff --git a/minode/main.py b/minode/main.py
index 2fabfd5..53cadb4 100644
--- a/minode/main.py
+++ b/minode/main.py
@@ -5,8 +5,10 @@ import base64
 import logging
 import multiprocessing
 import os
+import re
 import signal
 import socket
+from urllib import parse
 
 try:
     import socks
@@ -118,10 +120,11 @@ def parse_arguments():  # pylint: disable=too-many-branches,too-many-statements
     if args.tor:
         shared.tor = True
         if not args.socks_proxy:
-            shared.socks_proxy = ('127.0.0.1', 9050)
+            args.socks_proxy = '127.0.0.1:9050'
     if args.socks_proxy:
-        addr = args.socks_proxy.split(':')
-        shared.socks_proxy = (addr[0], int(addr[1]))
+        if not re.match(r'^.*://', args.socks_proxy):
+            args.socks_proxy = '//' + args.socks_proxy
+        shared.socks_proxy = parse.urlparse(args.socks_proxy, scheme='socks5')
 
 
 def bootstrap_from_dns():
@@ -266,6 +269,13 @@ def main():
                 'Error while creating data directory in: %s',
                 shared.data_directory, exc_info=True)
 
+    if shared.socks_proxy:
+        try:
+            socks.PROXY_TYPES[shared.socks_proxy.scheme.upper()]
+        except KeyError:
+            logging.error('Unsupported proxy schema!')
+            return
+
     if shared.ip_enabled and not shared.trusted_peer:
         bootstrap_from_dns()