diff --git a/network/tor/tor/src/main/java/bisq/tor/controller/TorController.java b/network/tor/tor/src/main/java/bisq/tor/controller/TorController.java
index c7e4ff9af3..dc53bfca0c 100644
--- a/network/tor/tor/src/main/java/bisq/tor/controller/TorController.java
+++ b/network/tor/tor/src/main/java/bisq/tor/controller/TorController.java
@@ -32,12 +32,12 @@ public TorController(int bootstrapTimeout) {
         this.bootstrapTimeout = bootstrapTimeout;
     }
 
-    public void initialize(int controlPort, PasswordDigest hashedControlPassword) throws IOException {
-        var torControlProtocol = new TorControlProtocol(controlPort);
-        this.torControlProtocol = Optional.of(torControlProtocol);
+    public void initialize(int controlPort) throws IOException {
+        initialize(controlPort, Optional.empty());
+    }
 
-        torControlProtocol.initialize();
-        torControlProtocol.authenticate(hashedControlPassword);
+    public void initialize(int controlPort, PasswordDigest hashedControlPassword) throws IOException {
+        initialize(controlPort, Optional.of(hashedControlPassword));
     }
 
     public void shutdown() {
@@ -90,6 +90,16 @@ public void onBootstrapStatusEvent(BootstrapEvent bootstrapEvent) {
         }
     }
 
+    private void initialize(int controlPort, Optional<PasswordDigest> hashedControlPassword) throws IOException {
+        var torControlProtocol = new TorControlProtocol(controlPort);
+        this.torControlProtocol = Optional.of(torControlProtocol);
+
+        torControlProtocol.initialize();
+        if (hashedControlPassword.isPresent()) {
+            torControlProtocol.authenticate(hashedControlPassword.get());
+        }
+    }
+
     private void bindToBisq() throws IOException {
         TorControlProtocol torControlProtocol = getTorControlProtocol();
         torControlProtocol.takeOwnership();