diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
index 002a3cb..9fe094b 100755
--- a/install.sh
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -82,6 +82,28 @@ deps_install ()
     fi
 }
 
+tor_deps_install ()
+{
+    debian_deps=( \
+        'libevent-dev' \
+        'libssl-dev' \
+        'zlib1g-dev' )
+
+    # TODO: darwin_deps
+
+    if [[ ${use_os_deps_check} != '1' ]]; then
+        return 0
+    elif [[ ${install_os} == 'debian' ]]; then
+        deb_deps_install "${debian_deps[@]}"
+        return "$?"
+    elif [[ ${install_os} == 'darwin' ]]; then
+        echo "FixMe: Darwin deps not specified. Trying to build."
+        return 0
+    else
+        return 0
+    fi
+}
+
 deb_deps_check ()
 {
     apt-cache policy ${deb_deps[@]} | grep "Installed.*none"
@@ -325,6 +347,49 @@ libsodium_install ()
     popd
 }
 
+tor_build ()
+{
+    $make uninstall
+    $make distclean
+    ./configure \
+        --disable-system-torrc \
+        --disable-seccomp \
+        --disable-libscrypt \
+        --disable-module-relay \
+        --disable-lzma \
+        --disable-zstd \
+        --disable-asciidoc \
+        --disable-manpage \
+        --disable-html-manual \
+        --prefix="${jm_root}"
+    $make
+    if ! $make check; then
+        return 1
+    fi
+}
+
+tor_install ()
+{
+    tor_version='tor-0.4.6.8'
+    tor_tar="${tor_version}.tar.gz"
+    tor_sha='15ce1a37b4cc175b07761e00acdcfa2c08f0d23d6c3ab9c97c464bd38cc5476a'
+    tor_url='https://dist.torproject.org'
+
+    if ! dep_get "${tor_tar}" "${tor_sha}" "${tor_url}"; then
+        return 1
+    fi
+    pushd "${tor_version}"
+    if tor_build; then
+        $make install
+        # Create blank tor config, it will default to running socks5 proxy
+        # at 127.0.0.1:9050 and should be enough for us.
+        > "${jm_root}/etc/tor/torrc"
+    else
+        return 1
+    fi
+    popd
+}
+
 joinmarket_install ()
 {
     reqs=( 'base.txt' )
@@ -379,6 +444,9 @@ parse_flags ()
                 echo 'ERROR: "--python" requires a non-empty option argument.'
                 return 1
                 ;;
+            --with-local-tor)
+                build_local_tor='1'
+                ;;
             --with-qt)
                 with_qt='1'
                 ;;
@@ -403,6 +471,7 @@ Options:
 --disable-secp-check        do not run libsecp256k1 tests (default is to run them)
 --docker-install            system wide install as root for minimal Docker installs
 --python, -p                python version (only python3 versions are supported)
+--with-local-tor            build Tor locally and autostart when needed
 --with-qt                   build the Qt GUI
 --without-qt                don't build the Qt GUI
 "
@@ -459,6 +528,7 @@ main ()
     # flags
     develop_build=''
     python='python3'
+    build_local_tor=''
     use_os_deps_check='1'
     use_secp_check='1'
     with_qt=''
@@ -495,6 +565,12 @@ main ()
         fi
         source "${jm_root}/bin/activate"
     fi
+    if [[ ${build_local_tor} == "1" ]]; then
+        if ! tor_deps_install; then
+            echo "Tor dependencies could not be installed. Exiting."
+            return 1
+        fi
+    fi
     mkdir -p "deps/cache"
     pushd deps
     if ! libsecp256k1_install; then
@@ -509,6 +585,12 @@ main ()
         echo "Libsodium was not built. Exiting."
         return 1
     fi
+    if [[ ${build_local_tor} == "1" ]]; then
+        if ! tor_install; then
+            echo "Building local Tor was requested, but not built. Exiting."
+            return 1
+        fi
+    fi
     popd
     if ! joinmarket_install; then
         echo "Joinmarket was not installed. Exiting."
diff --git a/jmclient/jmclient/__init__.py b/jmclient/jmclient/__init__.py
index e410638..df2ed38 100644
--- a/jmclient/jmclient/__init__.py
+++ b/jmclient/jmclient/__init__.py
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@ from .configure import (load_test_config, process_shutdown,
     load_program_config, jm_single, get_network, update_persist_config,
     validate_address, is_burn_destination, get_irc_mchannels,
     get_blockchain_interface_instance, set_config, is_segwit_mode,
-    is_native_segwit_mode, JMPluginService, get_interest_rate, get_bondless_makers_allowance)
+    is_native_segwit_mode, JMPluginService, get_interest_rate,
+    get_bondless_makers_allowance, check_and_start_tor)
 from .blockchaininterface import (BlockchainInterface,
                                   RegtestBitcoinCoreInterface, BitcoinCoreInterface)
 from .snicker_receiver import SNICKERError, SNICKERReceiver
diff --git a/jmclient/jmclient/configure.py b/jmclient/jmclient/configure.py
index dc8849d..e328654 100644
--- a/jmclient/jmclient/configure.py
+++ b/jmclient/jmclient/configure.py
@@ -3,7 +3,11 @@ import io
 import logging
 import os
 import re
+import socket
 import sys
+import subprocess
+import atexit
+from signal import SIGINT
 
 from configparser import ConfigParser, NoOptionError
 
@@ -749,6 +753,34 @@ def load_program_config(config_path="", bs=None, plugin_services=[]):
                 os.makedirs(plogsdir)
             p.set_log_dir(plogsdir)
 
+def gracefully_kill_subprocess(p):
+    # See https://stackoverflow.com/questions/43274476/is-there-a-way-to-check-if-a-subprocess-is-still-running
+    if p.poll() is None:
+        p.send_signal(SIGINT)
+
+def check_and_start_tor():
+    sock = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
+    result = sock.connect_ex(("127.0.0.1", 9050))
+    sock.close()
+    if result == 0:
+        return
+    log.info("Nobody listens on 127.0.0.1:9050, trying to start Tor.")
+    tor_bin = os.path.join(sys.prefix, "bin", "tor")
+    if not os.path.exists(tor_bin):
+        log.info("Can't find our custom tor.")
+        return
+    command = [tor_bin, "-f", os.path.join(sys.prefix,
+        "etc", "tor", "torrc")]
+    # output messages from tor if loglevel is debug, they might be useful
+    if global_singleton.config.get("LOGGING", "console_log_level") == "DEBUG":
+        tor_stdout = sys.stdout
+    else:
+        tor_stdout = open(os.devnull, 'w')
+    tor_subprocess = subprocess.Popen(command, stdout=tor_stdout,
+        stderr=subprocess.STDOUT, close_fds=True)
+    atexit.register(gracefully_kill_subprocess, tor_subprocess)
+    log.debug("Started Tor subprocess with pid " + str(tor_subprocess.pid))
+
 def load_test_config(**kwargs):
     if "config_path" not in kwargs:
         load_program_config(config_path=".", **kwargs)
diff --git a/jmclient/jmclient/yieldgenerator.py b/jmclient/jmclient/yieldgenerator.py
index 444483e..4f3c6e5 100644
--- a/jmclient/jmclient/yieldgenerator.py
+++ b/jmclient/jmclient/yieldgenerator.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ from jmclient import (Maker, jm_single, load_program_config,
                       JMClientProtocolFactory, start_reactor, calc_cj_fee,
                       WalletService, add_base_options, SNICKERReceiver,
                       SNICKERClientProtocolFactory, FidelityBondMixin,
-                      get_interest_rate, fmt_utxo)
+                      get_interest_rate, fmt_utxo, check_and_start_tor)
 from .wallet_utils import open_test_wallet_maybe, get_wallet_path
 from jmbase.support import EXIT_ARGERROR, EXIT_FAILURE, get_jm_version_str
 import jmbitcoin as btc
@@ -401,6 +401,8 @@ def ygmain(ygclass, nickserv_password='', gaplimit=6):
 
     load_program_config(config_path=options["datadir"])
 
+    check_and_start_tor()
+
     # As per previous note, override non-default command line settings:
     for x in ["ordertype", "txfee_contribution", "txfee_contribution_factor",
               "cjfee_a", "cjfee_r", "cjfee_factor", "minsize", "size_factor"]:
diff --git a/scripts/joinmarket-qt.py b/scripts/joinmarket-qt.py
index 69858b6..0110807 100755
--- a/scripts/joinmarket-qt.py
+++ b/scripts/joinmarket-qt.py
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ from jmclient import load_program_config, get_network, update_persist_config,\
     parse_payjoin_setup, send_payjoin, JMBIP78ReceiverManager, \
     detect_script_type, general_custom_change_warning, \
     nonwallet_custom_change_warning, sweep_custom_change_warning, EngineError,\
-    TYPE_P2WPKH
+    TYPE_P2WPKH, check_and_start_tor
 from jmclient.wallet import BaseWallet
 
 from qtsupport import ScheduleWizard, TumbleRestartWizard, config_tips,\
@@ -2376,6 +2376,8 @@ if not jm_single().config.get("POLICY", "segwit") == "true":
 
 update_config_for_gui()
 
+check_and_start_tor()
+
 def onTabChange(i):
     """ Respond to change of tab.
     """
diff --git a/scripts/obwatch/ob-watcher.py b/scripts/obwatch/ob-watcher.py
index adf5cc2..fa7d88e 100755
--- a/scripts/obwatch/ob-watcher.py
+++ b/scripts/obwatch/ob-watcher.py
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ if sys.version_info < (3, 7):
 
 from jmbase.support import EXIT_FAILURE
 from jmbase import bintohex
-from jmclient import FidelityBondMixin, get_interest_rate
+from jmclient import FidelityBondMixin, get_interest_rate, check_and_start_tor
 from jmclient.fidelity_bond import FidelityBondProof
 
 import sybil_attack_calculations as sybil
@@ -803,6 +803,7 @@ def main():
                       default=62601)
     (options, args) = parser.parse_args()
     load_program_config(config_path=options.datadir)
+    check_and_start_tor()
     hostport = (options.host, options.port)
     mcs = [ObIRCMessageChannel(c) for c in get_irc_mchannels()]
     mcc = MessageChannelCollection(mcs)
diff --git a/scripts/sendpayment.py b/scripts/sendpayment.py
index 033d051..4cc3c9a 100755
--- a/scripts/sendpayment.py
+++ b/scripts/sendpayment.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ from jmclient import Taker, load_program_config, get_schedule,\
     get_sendpayment_parser, get_max_cj_fee_values, check_regtest, \
     parse_payjoin_setup, send_payjoin, general_custom_change_warning, \
     nonwallet_custom_change_warning, sweep_custom_change_warning, \
-    EngineError
+    EngineError, check_and_start_tor
 from twisted.python.log import startLogging
 from jmbase.support import get_log, jmprint, \
     EXIT_FAILURE, EXIT_ARGERROR
@@ -63,6 +63,8 @@ def main():
                     " wallet, amount, destination address or wallet, bitcoin_uri.")
                 sys.exit(EXIT_ARGERROR)
 
+    check_and_start_tor()
+
     #without schedule file option, use the arguments to create a schedule
     #of a single transaction
     sweeping = False