diff --git a/src/helper_startup.py b/src/helper_startup.py
index a8789b4a..e4c3c169 100644
--- a/src/helper_startup.py
+++ b/src/helper_startup.py
@@ -241,8 +241,6 @@ def updateConfig():
                 * defaults.networkDefaultPayloadLengthExtraBytes)
         )
 
-    if not config.has_option('bitmessagesettings', 'onionhostname'):
-        config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'onionhostname', '')
     if not config.has_option('bitmessagesettings', 'onionport'):
         config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'onionport', '8444')
     if not config.has_option('bitmessagesettings', 'onionbindip'):
diff --git a/src/network/connectionpool.py b/src/network/connectionpool.py
index 78132cb7..2ec09d88 100644
--- a/src/network/connectionpool.py
+++ b/src/network/connectionpool.py
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ class BMConnectionPool(object):
     def getListeningIP():
         """What IP are we supposed to be listening on?"""
         if config.safeGet(
-                "bitmessagesettings", "onionhostname").endswith(".onion"):
+                "bitmessagesettings", "onionhostname", "").endswith(".onion"):
             host = config.safeGet(
                 "bitmessagesettings", "onionbindip")
         else: