diff --git a/src/network/connectionpool.py b/src/network/connectionpool.py
index 2c3b5054..9b91386e 100644
--- a/src/network/connectionpool.py
+++ b/src/network/connectionpool.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+from ConfigParser import NoOptionError, NoSectionError
 import errno
 import socket
 import time
@@ -8,8 +9,6 @@ from bmconfigparser import BMConfigParser
 from debug import logger
 import helper_bootstrap
 from network.proxy import Proxy
-from network.bmproto import BMProto
-from network.dandelion import Dandelion
 from network.tcp import TCPServer, Socks5BMConnection, Socks4aBMConnection, TCPConnection
 from network.udp import UDPSocket
 from network.connectionchooser import chooseConnection
@@ -143,6 +142,15 @@ class BMConnectionPool(object):
                 self.bootstrapped = True
                 Proxy.proxy = (BMConfigParser().safeGet("bitmessagesettings", "sockshostname"),
                         BMConfigParser().safeGetInt("bitmessagesettings", "socksport"))
+                # TODO AUTH
+                # TODO reset based on GUI settings changes
+                try:
+                    if not BMConfigParser().get("network", "onionsocksproxytype").beginswith("SOCKS"):
+                        raise NoOptionError
+                    Proxy.onionproxy = (BMConfigParser().get("network", "onionsockshostname"),
+                        BMConfigParser().getint("network", "onionsocksport"))
+                except (NoOptionError, NoSectionError):
+                    Proxy.onionproxy = None
             established = sum(1 for c in self.outboundConnections.values() if (c.connected and c.fullyEstablished))
             pending = len(self.outboundConnections) - established
             if established < BMConfigParser().safeGetInt("bitmessagesettings", "maxoutboundconnections"):
@@ -166,15 +174,23 @@ class BMConnectionPool(object):
                     #    if chosen.host == c.destination.host:
                     #        continue
                     try:
-                        if (BMConfigParser().safeGet("bitmessagesettings", "socksproxytype") == "SOCKS5"):
+                        if chosen.host.endswith(".onion") and Proxy.onionproxy is not None:
+                            if BMConfigParser().get("network", "onionsocksproxytype") == "SOCKS5":
+                                self.addConnection(Socks5BMConnection(chosen))
+                            elif BMConfigParser().get("network", "onionsocksproxytype") == "SOCKS4a":
+                                self.addConnection(Socks4aBMConnection(chosen))
+                        elif BMConfigParser().safeGet("bitmessagesettings", "socksproxytype") == "SOCKS5":
                             self.addConnection(Socks5BMConnection(chosen))
-                        elif (BMConfigParser().safeGet("bitmessagesettings", "socksproxytype") == "SOCKS4a"):
+                        elif BMConfigParser().safeGet("bitmessagesettings", "socksproxytype") == "SOCKS4a":
                             self.addConnection(Socks4aBMConnection(chosen))
-                        elif not chosen.host.endswith(".onion"):
+                        else:
                             self.addConnection(TCPConnection(chosen))
                     except socket.error as e:
                         if e.errno == errno.ENETUNREACH:
                             continue
+                    except (NoSectionError, NoOptionError):
+                        # shouldn't happen
+                        pass
 
                     self.lastSpawned = time.time()
         else:
diff --git a/src/network/proxy.py b/src/network/proxy.py
index 96930c18..43298f63 100644
--- a/src/network/proxy.py
+++ b/src/network/proxy.py
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ class Proxy(AdvancedDispatcher):
     # instances should change too
     _proxy = ("127.0.0.1", 9050)
     _auth = None
+    _onion_proxy = None
+    _onion_auth = None
     _remote_dns = True
 
     @property
@@ -58,6 +60,25 @@ class Proxy(AdvancedDispatcher):
     def auth(self, authTuple):
         self.__class__._auth = authTuple
 
+    @property
+    def onion_proxy(self):
+        return self.__class__._onion_proxy
+
+    @onion_proxy.setter
+    def onion_proxy(self, address):
+        if address is not None and (not isinstance(address, tuple) or (len(address) < 2) or \
+                (not isinstance(address[0], str) or not isinstance(address[1], int))):
+            raise ValueError
+        self.__class__._onion_proxy = address
+
+    @property
+    def onion_auth(self):
+        return self.__class__._onion_auth
+
+    @onion_auth.setter
+    def onion_auth(self, authTuple):
+        self.__class__._onion_auth = authTuple
+
     def __init__(self, address):
         if not isinstance(address, state.Peer):
             raise ValueError
@@ -66,7 +87,10 @@ class Proxy(AdvancedDispatcher):
         self.isOutbound = True
         self.fullyEstablished = False
         self.create_socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
-        self.connect(self.proxy)
+        if address.host.endswith(".onion") and self.onion_proxy is not None:
+            self.connect(self.onion_proxy)
+        else:
+            self.connect(self.proxy)
 
     def handle_connect(self):
         self.set_state("init")