diff --git a/src/communicatorutils/restarttor.py b/src/communicatorutils/restarttor.py
index d3d38062..232dd57b 100644
--- a/src/communicatorutils/restarttor.py
+++ b/src/communicatorutils/restarttor.py
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 import netcontroller
+import config
+
 def restart(comm_inst):
-    net = comm_inst.shared_state.get(netcontroller.NetController)
-    net.killTor()
-    net.startTor()
+    if not config.get('tor.use_existing_tor', False):
+        net = comm_inst.shared_state.get(netcontroller.NetController)
+        net.killTor()
+        net.startTor()