diff --git a/minode/main.py b/minode/main.py
index 66fac81..f6dcee0 100644
--- a/minode/main.py
+++ b/minode/main.py
@@ -283,9 +283,17 @@ def main():
             from . import tor
         except ImportError:
             logging.info('Failed to import tor module.', exc_info=True)
+            tor = None
         else:
             if not tor.start_tor_service():
                 logging.warning('Failed to start tor service.')
+                tor = None
+        if not tor:
+            try:
+                socket.socket().bind(('127.0.0.1', 9050))
+                return
+            except (OSError, socket.error):
+                pass
 
     if shared.ip_enabled and not shared.trusted_peer and not shared.tor:
         bootstrap_from_dns()
diff --git a/minode/tor.py b/minode/tor.py
index 28e5b76..96f10fa 100644
--- a/minode/tor.py
+++ b/minode/tor.py
@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@ def start_tor_service():
             logging.info('Failed to create a temp dir.')
             return
 
+    if os.getuid() == 0:
+        logging.info('Tor is not going to start as root')
+        return
+
     try:
         present_permissions = os.stat(socket_dir)[0]
         disallowed_permissions = stat.S_IRWXG | stat.S_IRWXO
@@ -49,17 +53,18 @@ def start_tor_service():
     stem.util.log.get_logger().setLevel(logging.WARNING)
 
     control_socket = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(socket_dir, 'tor_control'))
+    port = str(shared.socks_proxy.port)
     tor_config = {
-        'SocksPort': str(shared.socks_proxy.port),
+        'SocksPort': port,
         'ControlSocket': control_socket}
 
-    for attempt in range(50):
+    for attempt in range(20):
         if attempt > 0:
             port = random.randint(32767, 65535)  # nosec B311
             tor_config['SocksPort'] = str(port)
         try:
             stem.process.launch_tor_with_config(
-                tor_config, take_ownership=True, timeout=20,
+                tor_config, take_ownership=True, timeout=90,
                 init_msg_handler=logwrite)
         except OSError:
             if not attempt: