diff --git a/minode/main.py b/minode/main.py
index 72cebe0..813206d 100644
--- a/minode/main.py
+++ b/minode/main.py
@@ -223,9 +223,10 @@ def start_i2p_listener():
 
 def main():
     """Script entry point"""
-    signal.signal(signal.SIGINT, handler)
-    signal.signal(signal.SIGTERM, handler)
-
+    try:
+        multiprocessing.set_start_method('spawn')
+    except RuntimeError:
+        pass
     parse_arguments()
 
     logging.basicConfig(
@@ -233,6 +234,12 @@ def main():
         format='[%(asctime)s] [%(levelname)s] %(message)s')
     logging.info('Starting MiNode')
 
+    try:
+        signal.signal(signal.SIGINT, handler)
+        signal.signal(signal.SIGTERM, handler)
+    except ValueError:
+        logging.warning('Working outside of the main thread!')
+
     logging.info('Data directory: %s', shared.data_directory)
     if not os.path.exists(shared.data_directory):
         try:
@@ -261,5 +268,4 @@ def main():
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-    multiprocessing.set_start_method('spawn')
     main()
diff --git a/minode/manager.py b/minode/manager.py
index aa8bbf9..40b9b33 100644
--- a/minode/manager.py
+++ b/minode/manager.py
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ class Manager(threading.Thread):
                             ' an I2P connection', exc_info=True)
                 else:
                     continue
-            else:
+            elif outgoing_connections < shared.outgoing_connections:
                 connect((host, port))
                 hosts.add(group)
         shared.hosts = hosts
diff --git a/minode/tests/test_app.py b/minode/tests/test_app.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7ef63c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/minode/tests/test_app.py
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+import unittest
+import sys
+import tempfile
+import time
+import threading
+
+from minode import shared
+from minode.main import main as app
+
+
+class TestAppProto(unittest.TestCase):
+    """Import and start the application"""
+    _process_cmd = ['minode']
+    _connection_limit = 4 if sys.platform.startswith('win') else 6
+    _listen = False
+    _listening_port = None
+
+    home = None
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _build_app_args(cls):
+        if not cls.home:
+            cls.home = tempfile.gettempdir()
+        args = cls._process_cmd + [
+            '--data-dir', cls.home,
+            '--connection-limit', str(cls._connection_limit)
+        ]
+        if not cls._listen:
+            args += ['--no-incoming']
+        elif cls._listening_port:
+            args += ['-p', str(cls._listening_port)]
+
+        return args
+
+    def _connections(self):
+        return [
+            c for c in shared.connections.copy()
+            if c.status == 'fully_established']
+
+    @classmethod
+    def setUpClass(cls):
+        sys.argv = cls._build_app_args()
+        cls.app = threading.Thread(name="minode", target=app, daemon=True)
+        cls.app.start()
+
+    @classmethod
+    def tearDownClass(cls):
+        shared.shutting_down = True
+
+
+class TestApp(TestAppProto):
+    """Check the app parameters"""
+    _wait_time = 120
+    _check_limit = True
+
+    def test_connections(self):
+        """Check connections"""
+        _started = time.time()
+
+        def continue_check_limit(extra_time):
+            for t in range(extra_time * 4):
+                self.assertLessEqual(
+                    len(self._connections()),
+                    # shared.outgoing_connections, one listening
+                    # TODO: find the cause of one extra
+                    (min(self._connection_limit, 8) if not self._listen
+                     else self._connection_limit) + 1,
+                    'Opened more connections than required'
+                    ' by --connection-limit')
+                time.sleep(0.5)
+
+        for t in range(self._wait_time * 2):
+            if len(self._connections()) > self._connection_limit / 2:
+                _time_to_connect = round(time.time() - _started)
+                break
+            time.sleep(0.5)
+        else:
+            self.fail(
+                'Failed establish at least %s connections in %s sec'
+                % (self._connection_limit / 2, self._wait_time))
+
+        if self._check_limit:
+            continue_check_limit(_time_to_connect)