diff --git a/src/knownnodes.py b/src/knownnodes.py
index f4e00b90..6d4629a2 100644
--- a/src/knownnodes.py
+++ b/src/knownnodes.py
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import time
 import state
 from bmconfigparser import BMConfigParser
 from debug import logger
-from helper_bootstrap import dns
 
 knownNodesLock = threading.Lock()
 knownNodes = {stream: {} for stream in range(1, 4)}
@@ -123,6 +122,8 @@ def readKnownNodes():
         logger.debug(
             'Failed to read nodes from knownnodes.dat', exc_info=True)
         createDefaultKnownNodes()
+        if BMConfigParser().get('bitmessagesettings', 'socksproxytype') == 'SOCKS5':
+            createDefaultKnownNodes(onion=True)
 
     config = BMConfigParser()
 
@@ -177,6 +178,13 @@ def trimKnownNodes(recAddrStream=1):
             del knownNodes[recAddrStream][oldest]
 
 
+def dns():
+    """Add DNS names to knownnodes"""
+    for port in [8080, 8444]:
+        addKnownNode(
+            1, state.Peer('bootstrap%s.bitmessage.org' % port, port))
+
+
 def cleanupKnownNodes():
     """
     Cleanup knownnodes: remove old nodes and nodes with low rating
diff --git a/src/network/connectionchooser.py b/src/network/connectionchooser.py
index e116ec53..4b1565a2 100644
--- a/src/network/connectionchooser.py
+++ b/src/network/connectionchooser.py
@@ -46,7 +46,8 @@ def chooseConnection(stream):
             # onion addresses have a higher priority when SOCKS
             if peer.host.endswith('.onion') and rating > 0:
                 rating = 1
-            else:
+            # TODO: need better check
+            elif not peer.host.startswith('bootstrap'):
                 encodedAddr = protocol.encodeHost(peer.host)
                 # don't connect to local IPs when using SOCKS
                 if not protocol.checkIPAddress(encodedAddr, False):
diff --git a/src/network/connectionpool.py b/src/network/connectionpool.py
index 461c2b77..05358c28 100644
--- a/src/network/connectionpool.py
+++ b/src/network/connectionpool.py
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import socket
 import time
 
 import asyncore_pollchoose as asyncore
-import helper_bootstrap
 import helper_random
 import knownnodes
 import protocol
@@ -185,7 +184,7 @@ class BMConnectionPool(object):
         # pylint: disable=too-many-nested-blocks
         if spawnConnections:
             if not knownnodes.knownNodesActual:
-                helper_bootstrap.dns()
+                knownnodes.dns()
             if not self.bootstrapped:
                 self.bootstrapped = True
                 Proxy.proxy = (
diff --git a/src/network/socks5.py b/src/network/socks5.py
index 86616f30..e0cb7202 100644
--- a/src/network/socks5.py
+++ b/src/network/socks5.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ src/network/socks5.py
 import socket
 import struct
 
+import state
 from proxy import GeneralProxyError, Proxy, ProxyError
 
 
@@ -160,9 +161,6 @@ class Socks5(Proxy):
 
 class Socks5Connection(Socks5):
     """Child socks5 class used for making outbound connections."""
-    def __init__(self, address):
-        Socks5.__init__(self, address=address)
-
     def state_auth_done(self):
         """Request connection to be made"""
         # Now we can request the actual connection
@@ -172,9 +170,9 @@ class Socks5Connection(Socks5):
         try:
             self.ipaddr = socket.inet_aton(self.destination[0])
             self.append_write_buf(chr(0x01).encode() + self.ipaddr)
-        except socket.error:
+        except socket.error:  # may be IPv6!
             # Well it's not an IP number,  so it's probably a DNS name.
-            if Proxy._remote_dns:  # pylint: disable=protected-access
+            if self._remote_dns:
                 # Resolve remotely
                 self.ipaddr = None
                 self.append_write_buf(chr(0x03).encode() + chr(
@@ -202,7 +200,7 @@ class Socks5Resolver(Socks5):
     def __init__(self, host):
         self.host = host
         self.port = 8444
-        Socks5.__init__(self, address=(self.host, self.port))
+        Socks5.__init__(self, address=state.Peer(self.host, self.port))
 
     def state_auth_done(self):
         """Perform resolving"""
diff --git a/src/network/tcp.py b/src/network/tcp.py
index 5ebd6a21..9b92cb52 100644
--- a/src/network/tcp.py
+++ b/src/network/tcp.py
@@ -73,11 +73,14 @@ class TCPConnection(BMProto, TLSDispatcher):
             logger.debug(
                 'Connecting to %s:%i',
                 self.destination.host, self.destination.port)
-        encodedAddr = protocol.encodeHost(self.destination.host)
-        self.local = all([
-            protocol.checkIPAddress(encodedAddr, True),
-            not protocol.checkSocksIP(self.destination.host)
-        ])
+        try:
+            self.local = (
+                protocol.checkIPAddress(
+                    protocol.encodeHost(self.destination.host), True) and
+                not protocol.checkSocksIP(self.destination.host)
+            )
+        except socket.error:
+            pass  # it's probably a hostname
         ObjectTracker.__init__(self)  # pylint: disable=non-parent-init-called
         self.bm_proto_reset()
         self.set_state("bm_header", expectBytes=protocol.Header.size)
diff --git a/src/protocol.py b/src/protocol.py
index ab81e5e5..1031b950 100644
--- a/src/protocol.py
+++ b/src/protocol.py
@@ -264,7 +264,10 @@ def assembleVersionMessage(remoteHost, remotePort, participatingStreams, server=
     else:
         # use first 16 bytes if host data is longer
         # for example in case of onion v3 service
-        payload += encodeHost(remoteHost)[:16]
+        try:
+            payload += encodeHost(remoteHost)[:16]
+        except socket.error:
+            payload += encodeHost('127.0.0.1')
         payload += pack('>H', remotePort)  # remote IPv6 and port
 
     # bitflags of the services I offer.