diff --git a/app/config/config.go b/app/config/config.go
index 4563c45..f33b62d 100644
--- a/app/config/config.go
+++ b/app/config/config.go
@@ -149,11 +149,12 @@ type C struct {
 	BunkerEnabled bool `env:"ORLY_BUNKER_ENABLED" default:"false" usage:"enable NIP-46 bunker signing service (requires WireGuard)"`
 	BunkerPort    int  `env:"ORLY_BUNKER_PORT" default:"3335" usage:"internal port for bunker WebSocket (only accessible via WireGuard)"`
 
-	// Tor hidden service configuration
-	TorEnabled      bool   `env:"ORLY_TOR_ENABLED" default:"false" usage:"enable Tor hidden service integration (requires external Tor daemon)"`
-	TorPort         int    `env:"ORLY_TOR_PORT" default:"3336" usage:"internal port that Tor forwards .onion traffic to"`
-	TorHSDir        string `env:"ORLY_TOR_HS_DIR" usage:"Tor HiddenServiceDir path to read .onion hostname (e.g., /var/lib/tor/orly-relay)"`
-	TorOnionAddress string `env:"ORLY_TOR_ONION_ADDRESS" usage:"manual .onion address override (optional, auto-detected from TorHSDir if empty)"`
+	// Tor hidden service configuration (subprocess mode - runs tor binary automatically)
+	TorEnabled  bool   `env:"ORLY_TOR_ENABLED" default:"true" usage:"enable Tor hidden service (spawns tor subprocess; disable with false if tor not installed)"`
+	TorPort     int    `env:"ORLY_TOR_PORT" default:"3336" usage:"internal port for Tor hidden service traffic"`
+	TorDataDir  string `env:"ORLY_TOR_DATA_DIR" usage:"Tor data directory (default: $ORLY_DATA_DIR/tor)"`
+	TorBinary   string `env:"ORLY_TOR_BINARY" default:"tor" usage:"path to tor binary (default: search in PATH)"`
+	TorSOCKS    int    `env:"ORLY_TOR_SOCKS" default:"0" usage:"SOCKS port for outbound Tor connections (0=disabled)"`
 
 	// Cashu access token configuration (NIP-XX)
 	CashuEnabled     bool   `env:"ORLY_CASHU_ENABLED" default:"false" usage:"enable Cashu blind signature tokens for access control"`
@@ -645,11 +646,17 @@ func (cfg *C) GetStorageConfigValues() (
 func (cfg *C) GetTorConfigValues() (
 	enabled bool,
 	port int,
-	hsDir string,
-	onionAddress string,
+	dataDir string,
+	binary string,
+	socksPort int,
 ) {
+	dataDir = cfg.TorDataDir
+	if dataDir == "" {
+		dataDir = filepath.Join(cfg.DataDir, "tor")
+	}
 	return cfg.TorEnabled,
 		cfg.TorPort,
-		cfg.TorHSDir,
-		cfg.TorOnionAddress
+		dataDir,
+		cfg.TorBinary,
+		cfg.TorSOCKS
 }
diff --git a/app/main.go b/app/main.go
index a3c0eda..6b08154 100644
--- a/app/main.go
+++ b/app/main.go
@@ -549,22 +549,24 @@ func Run(
 		log.I.F("archive relay manager initialized with %d relays", len(archiveRelays))
 	}
 
-	// Initialize Tor hidden service if enabled
-	torEnabled, torPort, torHSDir, torOnionAddr := cfg.GetTorConfigValues()
+	// Initialize Tor hidden service if enabled (spawns tor subprocess)
+	torEnabled, torPort, torDataDir, torBinary, torSOCKSPort := cfg.GetTorConfigValues()
 	if torEnabled {
 		torCfg := &tor.Config{
-			Port:         torPort,
-			HSDir:        torHSDir,
-			OnionAddress: torOnionAddr,
-			Handler:      l,
+			Port:      torPort,
+			DataDir:   torDataDir,
+			Binary:    torBinary,
+			SOCKSPort: torSOCKSPort,
+			Handler:   l,
 		}
 		var err error
 		l.torService, err = tor.New(torCfg)
 		if err != nil {
-			log.W.F("failed to create Tor service: %v", err)
+			log.W.F("Tor disabled: %v", err)
 		} else {
 			if err = l.torService.Start(); err != nil {
 				log.W.F("failed to start Tor service: %v", err)
+				l.torService = nil
 			} else {
 				if addr := l.torService.OnionWSAddress(); addr != "" {
 					log.I.F("Tor hidden service listening on port %d, address: %s", torPort, addr)
diff --git a/deploy/orly-tor.service b/deploy/orly-tor.service
deleted file mode 100644
index abdd5d8..0000000
--- a/deploy/orly-tor.service
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,73 +0,0 @@
-# ORLY Relay with Tor Hidden Service - Systemd Unit
-#
-# This is an example systemd unit for running ORLY with Tor support.
-# Copy and customize for your deployment.
-#
-# Installation:
-#   1. Copy to /etc/systemd/system/orly-tor.service
-#   2. Edit paths and environment variables as needed
-#   3. sudo systemctl daemon-reload
-#   4. sudo systemctl enable orly-tor
-#   5. sudo systemctl start orly-tor
-#
-# Prerequisites:
-#   - Tor daemon running (systemctl enable tor && systemctl start tor)
-#   - Hidden service configured (run scripts/tor-setup.sh)
-
-[Unit]
-Description=ORLY Nostr Relay with Tor Hidden Service
-Documentation=https://git.mleku.dev/mleku/orly
-After=network.target tor.service
-Requires=tor.service
-Wants=tor.service
-
-[Service]
-Type=simple
-User=orly
-Group=orly
-
-# Working directory
-WorkingDirectory=/opt/orly
-
-# Main relay binary
-ExecStart=/opt/orly/orly
-
-# Environment configuration
-# Core settings
-Environment=ORLY_PORT=3334
-Environment=ORLY_DATA_DIR=/var/lib/orly
-Environment=ORLY_LOG_LEVEL=info
-
-# Tor hidden service settings
-Environment=ORLY_TOR_ENABLED=true
-Environment=ORLY_TOR_PORT=3336
-Environment=ORLY_TOR_HS_DIR=/var/lib/tor/orly-relay
-
-# ACL mode (choose one: none, follows, managed)
-Environment=ORLY_ACL_MODE=none
-
-# TLS (optional - uncomment and configure for production)
-# Environment=ORLY_TLS_DOMAINS=relay.example.com
-
-# Resource limits
-LimitNOFILE=65535
-LimitNPROC=4096
-
-# Restart policy
-Restart=always
-RestartSec=5
-
-# Security hardening
-NoNewPrivileges=yes
-ProtectSystem=strict
-ProtectHome=yes
-ReadWritePaths=/var/lib/orly
-PrivateTmp=yes
-
-# Allow reading Tor hidden service directory
-# Note: The Tor user must grant read access to the orly user
-# Option 1: Add orly user to debian-tor group
-# Option 2: Use ACLs: setfacl -R -m u:orly:rx /var/lib/tor/orly-relay
-
-[Install]
-WantedBy=multi-user.target
diff --git a/docs/TOR_SETUP.md b/docs/TOR_SETUP.md
deleted file mode 100644
index 8ebbe56..0000000
--- a/docs/TOR_SETUP.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,294 +0,0 @@
-# Tor Hidden Service Setup for ORLY Relay
-
-This guide explains how to configure ORLY to automatically mirror your relay as a Tor hidden service, making it accessible via a `.onion` address.
-
-## Overview
-
-When Tor support is enabled:
-1. ORLY listens on a dedicated internal port for Tor traffic
-2. The Tor daemon forwards `.onion` traffic to this port
-3. ORLY automatically detects the `.onion` address
-4. The `.onion` address is included in NIP-11 relay information
-
-## Quick Start
-
-### Development (Local Testing)
-
-```bash
-# One-time setup (requires Tor installed)
-./scripts/tor-dev-setup.sh
-
-# Start relay with Tor
-ORLY_TOR_ENABLED=true ORLY_TOR_HS_DIR=~/.tor/orly-dev/hidden_service ./orly
-```
-
-### Production
-
-```bash
-# One-time setup (requires root)
-sudo ./scripts/tor-setup.sh
-
-# Start relay with Tor
-ORLY_TOR_ENABLED=true ORLY_TOR_HS_DIR=/var/lib/tor/orly-relay ./orly
-```
-
-## Configuration
-
-### Environment Variables
-
-| Variable | Default | Description |
-|----------|---------|-------------|
-| `ORLY_TOR_ENABLED` | `false` | Enable Tor hidden service integration |
-| `ORLY_TOR_PORT` | `3336` | Internal port Tor forwards traffic to |
-| `ORLY_TOR_HS_DIR` | - | Path to Tor's HiddenServiceDir |
-| `ORLY_TOR_ONION_ADDRESS` | - | Manual `.onion` override (optional) |
-
-### Example Configurations
-
-**Basic Tor setup:**
-```bash
-export ORLY_TOR_ENABLED=true
-export ORLY_TOR_HS_DIR=/var/lib/tor/orly-relay
-./orly
-```
-
-**Custom port:**
-```bash
-export ORLY_TOR_ENABLED=true
-export ORLY_TOR_PORT=3337
-export ORLY_TOR_HS_DIR=/var/lib/tor/orly-relay
-./orly
-```
-
-**Manual address (if auto-detection doesn't work):**
-```bash
-export ORLY_TOR_ENABLED=true
-export ORLY_TOR_ONION_ADDRESS=abc123xyz.onion
-./orly
-```
-
-## How It Works
-
-### Architecture
-
-```
-Internet Users              Tor Users
-      │                         │
-      ▼                         ▼
-┌──────────┐            ┌──────────────┐
-│ Regular  │            │   Tor        │
-│ Traffic  │            │   Network    │
-│ (HTTPS)  │            │              │
-└────┬─────┘            └──────┬───────┘
-     │                         │
-     │  Port 443               │  .onion:80
-     ▼                         ▼
-┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
-│           ORLY Relay                 │
-│                                      │
-│  ┌─────────────┐  ┌───────────────┐ │
-│  │ Main Server │  │  Tor Service  │ │
-│  │  Port 3334  │  │   Port 3336   │ │
-│  └──────┬──────┘  └───────┬───────┘ │
-│         │                 │          │
-│         └────────┬────────┘          │
-│                  ▼                   │
-│          ┌────────────┐              │
-│          │  Database  │              │
-│          └────────────┘              │
-└─────────────────────────────────────┘
-```
-
-### Address Detection
-
-1. The Tor daemon creates a hidden service directory containing:
-   - `hostname` - The `.onion` address
-   - `hs_ed25519_secret_key` - Private key (persistent)
-   - `hs_ed25519_public_key` - Public key
-
-2. ORLY watches the `hostname` file and automatically detects the address
-
-3. The address is included in NIP-11 relay information under the `addresses` field
-
-### NIP-11 Integration
-
-When Tor is enabled and the `.onion` address is detected, the NIP-11 relay info includes:
-
-```json
-{
-  "name": "ORLY",
-  "description": "...",
-  "pubkey": "...",
-  "addresses": [
-    "wss://relay.example.com",
-    "ws://abc123xyz.onion/"
-  ]
-}
-```
-
-## Manual Tor Configuration
-
-If you prefer to configure Tor manually instead of using the setup scripts:
-
-### 1. Install Tor
-
-**Debian/Ubuntu:**
-```bash
-sudo apt update && sudo apt install tor
-```
-
-**Arch Linux:**
-```bash
-sudo pacman -S tor
-```
-
-**macOS:**
-```bash
-brew install tor
-```
-
-### 2. Configure Hidden Service
-
-Add to `/etc/tor/torrc`:
-
-```
-HiddenServiceDir /var/lib/tor/orly-relay/
-HiddenServicePort 80 127.0.0.1:3336
-```
-
-### 3. Set Permissions
-
-```bash
-# Create directory
-sudo mkdir -p /var/lib/tor/orly-relay
-
-# Set ownership (Debian/Ubuntu)
-sudo chown debian-tor:debian-tor /var/lib/tor/orly-relay
-sudo chmod 700 /var/lib/tor/orly-relay
-
-# Or on other systems
-sudo chown tor:tor /var/lib/tor/orly-relay
-```
-
-### 4. Restart Tor
-
-```bash
-sudo systemctl restart tor
-```
-
-### 5. Verify
-
-```bash
-# Check the .onion address
-sudo cat /var/lib/tor/orly-relay/hostname
-```
-
-## Systemd Service
-
-For production deployments, use the provided systemd unit:
-
-```bash
-# Copy unit file
-sudo cp deploy/orly-tor.service /etc/systemd/system/
-
-# Edit configuration
-sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/orly-tor.service
-
-# Enable and start
-sudo systemctl daemon-reload
-sudo systemctl enable orly-tor
-sudo systemctl start orly-tor
-```
-
-### Permissions for Hidden Service Directory
-
-The ORLY process needs read access to the Tor hidden service directory:
-
-**Option 1: Add user to Tor group**
-```bash
-sudo usermod -aG debian-tor orly
-```
-
-**Option 2: Use ACLs**
-```bash
-sudo setfacl -R -m u:orly:rx /var/lib/tor/orly-relay
-```
-
-## Troubleshooting
-
-### .onion address not appearing in NIP-11
-
-1. Check if Tor is running:
-   ```bash
-   systemctl status tor
-   ```
-
-2. Check if hostname file exists:
-   ```bash
-   cat /var/lib/tor/orly-relay/hostname
-   ```
-
-3. Check ORLY logs for Tor-related messages
-
-4. Verify environment variables are set:
-   ```bash
-   echo $ORLY_TOR_ENABLED
-   echo $ORLY_TOR_HS_DIR
-   ```
-
-### Permission denied errors
-
-Ensure ORLY can read the hidden service directory:
-```bash
-# Check permissions
-ls -la /var/lib/tor/orly-relay/
-
-# Fix with ACL
-sudo setfacl -m u:$(whoami):rx /var/lib/tor/orly-relay
-```
-
-### Tor connection timeouts
-
-1. Check Tor logs:
-   ```bash
-   journalctl -u tor -f
-   ```
-
-2. For development, check:
-   ```bash
-   tail -f ~/.tor/orly-dev/tor.log
-   ```
-
-3. Ensure Tor can reach the network (check firewall rules)
-
-### Different .onion address after restart
-
-This means the hidden service key was lost. The key is stored in:
-- Production: `/var/lib/tor/orly-relay/hs_ed25519_secret_key`
-- Development: `~/.tor/orly-dev/hidden_service/hs_ed25519_secret_key`
-
-To preserve your `.onion` address, back up the entire hidden service directory.
-
-## Security Considerations
-
-1. **Keep the hidden service key safe** - The `hs_ed25519_secret_key` file is your identity. If compromised, attackers can impersonate your relay.
-
-2. **Restrict file permissions** - Hidden service directories should be `chmod 700`.
-
-3. **Separate Tor traffic** - The dedicated Tor port (3336) keeps Tor traffic isolated from regular traffic.
-
-4. **Regular updates** - Keep Tor updated for security patches.
-
-## Testing with Tor Browser
-
-1. Download Tor Browser from https://www.torproject.org/
-
-2. Navigate to your `.onion` address:
-   ```
-   ws://your-address.onion/
-   ```
-
-3. Or test with curl over Tor:
-   ```bash
-   curl --socks5-hostname localhost:9050 -H "Accept: application/nostr+json" http://your-address.onion/
-   ```
diff --git a/pkg/tor/service.go b/pkg/tor/service.go
index faf6fc7..ec07f08 100644
--- a/pkg/tor/service.go
+++ b/pkg/tor/service.go
@@ -1,13 +1,19 @@
 // Package tor provides Tor hidden service integration for the ORLY relay.
-// It manages a listener on a dedicated port that receives traffic forwarded
-// from the Tor daemon, and exposes the .onion address for NIP-11 integration.
+// It spawns a tor subprocess with automatic configuration and manages
+// the hidden service lifecycle.
 package tor
 
 import (
+	"bufio"
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
 	"net"
 	"net/http"
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
@@ -16,25 +22,32 @@ import (
 	"lol.mleku.dev/log"
 )
 
-// Config holds Tor hidden service configuration.
+// Config holds Tor subprocess configuration.
 type Config struct {
-	// Port is the internal port that Tor forwards .onion traffic to
+	// Port is the internal port for the hidden service
 	Port int
-	// HSDir is the Tor HiddenServiceDir path to read .onion hostname from
-	HSDir string
-	// OnionAddress is an optional manual override for the .onion address
-	OnionAddress string
+	// DataDir is the directory for Tor data (torrc, keys, hostname, etc.)
+	DataDir string
+	// Binary is the path to the tor executable
+	Binary string
+	// SOCKSPort is the port for outbound SOCKS connections (0 = disabled)
+	SOCKSPort int
 	// Handler is the HTTP handler to serve (typically the main relay handler)
 	Handler http.Handler
 }
 
-// Service manages the Tor hidden service listener.
+// Service manages the Tor subprocess and hidden service listener.
 type Service struct {
 	cfg      *Config
 	listener net.Listener
 	server   *http.Server
 
-	// onionAddress is the detected or configured .onion address
+	// Tor subprocess
+	cmd    *exec.Cmd
+	stdout io.ReadCloser
+	stderr io.ReadCloser
+
+	// onionAddress is the detected .onion address
 	onionAddress string
 
 	// hostname watcher
@@ -47,11 +60,29 @@ type Service struct {
 }
 
 // New creates a new Tor service with the given configuration.
+// Returns an error if the tor binary is not found.
 func New(cfg *Config) (*Service, error) {
 	if cfg.Port == 0 {
 		cfg.Port = 3336
 	}
 
+	// Find tor binary
+	binary := cfg.Binary
+	if binary == "" {
+		binary = "tor"
+	}
+
+	torPath, err := exec.LookPath(binary)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("tor binary not found: %w (install tor or set ORLY_TOR_ENABLED=false)", err)
+	}
+	cfg.Binary = torPath
+
+	// Ensure data directory exists
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(cfg.DataDir, 0700); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create Tor data directory: %w", err)
+	}
+
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
 
 	s := &Service{
@@ -60,43 +91,117 @@ func New(cfg *Config) (*Service, error) {
 		cancel: cancel,
 	}
 
-	// If manual address provided, use it
-	if cfg.OnionAddress != "" {
-		s.onionAddress = cfg.OnionAddress
-		log.I.F("using configured .onion address: %s", s.onionAddress)
+	return s, nil
+}
+
+// generateTorrc creates the torrc configuration file.
+func (s *Service) generateTorrc() (string, error) {
+	torrcPath := filepath.Join(s.cfg.DataDir, "torrc")
+	hsDir := filepath.Join(s.cfg.DataDir, "hidden_service")
+
+	// Ensure hidden service directory exists with correct permissions
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(hsDir, 0700); err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to create hidden service directory: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	return s, nil
+	var sb strings.Builder
+	sb.WriteString("# ORLY Tor hidden service configuration\n")
+	sb.WriteString("# Auto-generated - do not edit\n\n")
+
+	// Data directory
+	sb.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("DataDirectory %s/data\n", s.cfg.DataDir))
+
+	// Hidden service configuration
+	sb.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("HiddenServiceDir %s\n", hsDir))
+	sb.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("HiddenServicePort 80 127.0.0.1:%d\n", s.cfg.Port))
+
+	// Optional SOCKS port for outbound connections
+	if s.cfg.SOCKSPort > 0 {
+		sb.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("SocksPort %d\n", s.cfg.SOCKSPort))
+	} else {
+		sb.WriteString("SocksPort 0\n")
+	}
+
+	// Disable unused features to reduce resource usage
+	sb.WriteString("ControlPort 0\n")
+	sb.WriteString("Log notice stdout\n")
+
+	// Write torrc
+	if err := os.WriteFile(torrcPath, []byte(sb.String()), 0600); err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to write torrc: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	// Create data subdirectory
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(s.cfg.DataDir, "data"), 0700); err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to create Tor data subdirectory: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return torrcPath, nil
 }
 
-// Start initializes the Tor listener and hostname watcher.
+// Start spawns the Tor subprocess and initializes the listener.
 func (s *Service) Start() error {
-	// Start hostname watcher if HSDir is configured
-	if s.cfg.HSDir != "" {
-		s.hostnameWatcher = NewHostnameWatcher(s.cfg.HSDir)
-		s.hostnameWatcher.OnChange(func(addr string) {
+	// Generate torrc
+	torrcPath, err := s.generateTorrc()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	log.I.F("starting Tor subprocess with config: %s", torrcPath)
+
+	// Start tor subprocess
+	s.cmd = exec.CommandContext(s.ctx, s.cfg.Binary, "-f", torrcPath)
+
+	// Capture stdout/stderr for logging
+	s.stdout, err = s.cmd.StdoutPipe()
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to get Tor stdout: %w", err)
+	}
+	s.stderr, err = s.cmd.StderrPipe()
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to get Tor stderr: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	if err := s.cmd.Start(); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to start Tor: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	log.I.F("Tor subprocess started (PID %d)", s.cmd.Process.Pid)
+
+	// Log Tor output
+	s.wg.Add(2)
+	go s.logOutput("tor", s.stdout)
+	go s.logOutput("tor", s.stderr)
+
+	// Monitor subprocess
+	s.wg.Add(1)
+	go s.monitorProcess()
+
+	// Start hostname watcher
+	hsDir := filepath.Join(s.cfg.DataDir, "hidden_service")
+	s.hostnameWatcher = NewHostnameWatcher(hsDir)
+	s.hostnameWatcher.OnChange(func(addr string) {
+		s.mu.Lock()
+		s.onionAddress = addr
+		s.mu.Unlock()
+		log.I.F("Tor hidden service address: %s", addr)
+	})
+	if err := s.hostnameWatcher.Start(); err != nil {
+		log.W.F("failed to start hostname watcher: %v", err)
+	} else {
+		// Get initial address
+		if addr := s.hostnameWatcher.Address(); addr != "" {
 			s.mu.Lock()
 			s.onionAddress = addr
 			s.mu.Unlock()
-			log.I.F("detected .onion address: %s", addr)
-		})
-		if err := s.hostnameWatcher.Start(); err != nil {
-			log.W.F("failed to start hostname watcher: %v", err)
-		} else {
-			// Get initial address
-			if addr := s.hostnameWatcher.Address(); addr != "" {
-				s.mu.Lock()
-				s.onionAddress = addr
-				s.mu.Unlock()
-			}
 		}
 	}
 
-	// Create listener
+	// Create listener for the hidden service port
 	addr := fmt.Sprintf("127.0.0.1:%d", s.cfg.Port)
-	var err error
 	s.listener, err = net.Listen("tcp", addr)
 	if chk.E(err) {
+		s.Stop()
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to listen on %s: %w", addr, err)
 	}
 
@@ -112,7 +217,7 @@ func (s *Service) Start() error {
 	s.wg.Add(1)
 	go func() {
 		defer s.wg.Done()
-		log.I.F("Tor listener started on %s", addr)
+		log.I.F("Tor hidden service listener started on %s", addr)
 		if err := s.server.Serve(s.listener); err != nil && err != http.ErrServerClosed {
 			log.E.F("Tor server error: %v", err)
 		}
@@ -121,6 +226,40 @@ func (s *Service) Start() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// logOutput reads from a pipe and logs each line.
+func (s *Service) logOutput(prefix string, r io.ReadCloser) {
+	defer s.wg.Done()
+	scanner := bufio.NewScanner(r)
+	for scanner.Scan() {
+		line := scanner.Text()
+		// Filter out common noise
+		if strings.Contains(line, "Bootstrapped") {
+			log.I.F("[%s] %s", prefix, line)
+		} else if strings.Contains(line, "[warn]") || strings.Contains(line, "[err]") {
+			log.W.F("[%s] %s", prefix, line)
+		} else {
+			log.D.F("[%s] %s", prefix, line)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// monitorProcess watches the Tor subprocess and logs when it exits.
+func (s *Service) monitorProcess() {
+	defer s.wg.Done()
+	err := s.cmd.Wait()
+	if err != nil {
+		select {
+		case <-s.ctx.Done():
+			// Expected shutdown
+			log.D.F("Tor subprocess exited (shutdown)")
+		default:
+			log.E.F("Tor subprocess exited unexpectedly: %v", err)
+		}
+	} else {
+		log.I.F("Tor subprocess exited cleanly")
+	}
+}
+
 // Stop gracefully shuts down the Tor service.
 func (s *Service) Stop() error {
 	s.cancel()
@@ -135,7 +274,7 @@ func (s *Service) Stop() error {
 		ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 5*time.Second)
 		defer cancel()
 		if err := s.server.Shutdown(ctx); chk.E(err) {
-			return err
+			// Continue shutdown anyway
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -144,12 +283,33 @@ func (s *Service) Stop() error {
 		s.listener.Close()
 	}
 
+	// Terminate Tor subprocess
+	if s.cmd != nil && s.cmd.Process != nil {
+		log.D.F("sending SIGTERM to Tor subprocess (PID %d)", s.cmd.Process.Pid)
+		s.cmd.Process.Signal(os.Interrupt)
+
+		// Give it a few seconds to exit gracefully
+		done := make(chan struct{})
+		go func() {
+			s.cmd.Wait()
+			close(done)
+		}()
+
+		select {
+		case <-done:
+			log.D.F("Tor subprocess exited gracefully")
+		case <-time.After(5 * time.Second):
+			log.W.F("Tor subprocess did not exit, killing")
+			s.cmd.Process.Kill()
+		}
+	}
+
 	s.wg.Wait()
 	log.I.F("Tor service stopped")
 	return nil
 }
 
-// OnionAddress returns the current .onion address (without .onion suffix).
+// OnionAddress returns the current .onion address.
 func (s *Service) OnionAddress() string {
 	s.mu.RLock()
 	defer s.mu.RUnlock()
@@ -172,7 +332,7 @@ func (s *Service) OnionWSAddress() string {
 
 // IsRunning returns whether the Tor service is currently running.
 func (s *Service) IsRunning() bool {
-	return s.listener != nil
+	return s.listener != nil && s.cmd != nil && s.cmd.Process != nil
 }
 
 // Upgrader returns a WebSocket upgrader configured for Tor connections.
@@ -186,3 +346,13 @@ func (s *Service) Upgrader() *websocket.Upgrader {
 		},
 	}
 }
+
+// DataDir returns the Tor data directory path.
+func (s *Service) DataDir() string {
+	return s.cfg.DataDir
+}
+
+// HiddenServiceDir returns the hidden service directory path.
+func (s *Service) HiddenServiceDir() string {
+	return filepath.Join(s.cfg.DataDir, "hidden_service")
+}
diff --git a/pkg/version/version b/pkg/version/version
index 222a360..fe2725e 100644
--- a/pkg/version/version
+++ b/pkg/version/version
@@ -1 +1 @@
-v0.46.0
+v0.46.1
diff --git a/scripts/tor-dev-setup.sh b/scripts/tor-dev-setup.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index 5bfb46f..0000000
--- a/scripts/tor-dev-setup.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,217 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/bash
-# tor-dev-setup.sh - Development Tor hidden service setup for ORLY relay
-#
-# This script sets up a user-space Tor hidden service for local development.
-# No root privileges required (except for initial Tor installation).
-#
-# Usage: ./scripts/tor-dev-setup.sh [port]
-#   port: internal port ORLY listens on for Tor traffic (default: 3336)
-#
-# After running this script:
-#   1. Start ORLY with: ORLY_TOR_ENABLED=true ORLY_TOR_HS_DIR=~/.tor/orly-dev ./orly
-#   2. Connect via Tor Browser to the .onion address
-
-set -e
-
-# Configuration
-TOR_PORT="${1:-3336}"
-TOR_DATA_DIR="${HOME}/.tor/orly-dev"
-TOR_CONFIG="${TOR_DATA_DIR}/torrc"
-TOR_PID_FILE="${TOR_DATA_DIR}/tor.pid"
-
-# Colors for output
-RED='\033[0;31m'
-GREEN='\033[0;32m'
-YELLOW='\033[1;33m'
-BLUE='\033[0;34m'
-NC='\033[0m' # No Color
-
-info() { echo -e "${GREEN}[INFO]${NC} $1"; }
-warn() { echo -e "${YELLOW}[WARN]${NC} $1"; }
-error() { echo -e "${RED}[ERROR]${NC} $1"; exit 1; }
-debug() { echo -e "${BLUE}[DEBUG]${NC} $1"; }
-
-# Check if Tor is installed
-check_tor() {
-    if ! command -v tor &> /dev/null; then
-        error "Tor is not installed. Please install it first:
-    Debian/Ubuntu: sudo apt install tor
-    Arch:          sudo pacman -S tor
-    macOS:         brew install tor
-    Fedora:        sudo dnf install tor"
-    fi
-    info "Tor is installed: $(tor --version | head -1)"
-}
-
-# Create directory structure
-setup_dirs() {
-    info "Creating directory structure..."
-
-    mkdir -p "${TOR_DATA_DIR}"
-    mkdir -p "${TOR_DATA_DIR}/hidden_service"
-    chmod 700 "${TOR_DATA_DIR}"
-    chmod 700 "${TOR_DATA_DIR}/hidden_service"
-
-    info "Directory created: ${TOR_DATA_DIR}"
-}
-
-# Create Tor configuration
-create_config() {
-    info "Creating Tor configuration..."
-
-    cat > "$TOR_CONFIG" << EOF
-# ORLY Development Tor Configuration
-# Generated by tor-dev-setup.sh on $(date)
-
-# Data directory
-DataDirectory ${TOR_DATA_DIR}/data
-
-# Run in background
-RunAsDaemon 1
-PidFile ${TOR_PID_FILE}
-
-# SOCKS proxy for outgoing connections (optional, for testing)
-SocksPort 9150
-
-# Hidden service for ORLY relay
-HiddenServiceDir ${TOR_DATA_DIR}/hidden_service/
-HiddenServicePort 80 127.0.0.1:${TOR_PORT}
-
-# Logging
-Log notice file ${TOR_DATA_DIR}/tor.log
-EOF
-
-    chmod 600 "$TOR_CONFIG"
-    info "Configuration created: ${TOR_CONFIG}"
-}
-
-# Stop existing Tor instance
-stop_tor() {
-    if [ -f "$TOR_PID_FILE" ]; then
-        PID=$(cat "$TOR_PID_FILE" 2>/dev/null)
-        if [ -n "$PID" ] && kill -0 "$PID" 2>/dev/null; then
-            info "Stopping existing Tor instance (PID: $PID)..."
-            kill "$PID" 2>/dev/null || true
-            sleep 2
-        fi
-        rm -f "$TOR_PID_FILE"
-    fi
-}
-
-# Start Tor
-start_tor() {
-    info "Starting Tor..."
-
-    # Ensure data directory exists
-    mkdir -p "${TOR_DATA_DIR}/data"
-
-    # Start Tor with our config
-    tor -f "$TOR_CONFIG" 2>&1 | head -20 &
-
-    # Wait for Tor to bootstrap
-    info "Waiting for Tor to connect to the network..."
-
-    for i in {1..60}; do
-        if [ -f "${TOR_DATA_DIR}/hidden_service/hostname" ]; then
-            ONION_ADDR=$(cat "${TOR_DATA_DIR}/hidden_service/hostname")
-            if [ -n "$ONION_ADDR" ]; then
-                break
-            fi
-        fi
-
-        # Check if Tor is still running
-        if [ -f "$TOR_PID_FILE" ]; then
-            PID=$(cat "$TOR_PID_FILE")
-            if ! kill -0 "$PID" 2>/dev/null; then
-                error "Tor process died. Check ${TOR_DATA_DIR}/tor.log"
-            fi
-        fi
-
-        sleep 1
-        echo -n "."
-    done
-    echo ""
-
-    if [ -f "${TOR_DATA_DIR}/hidden_service/hostname" ]; then
-        ONION_ADDR=$(cat "${TOR_DATA_DIR}/hidden_service/hostname")
-        info "Tor started successfully"
-        echo ""
-        echo -e "${GREEN}======================================${NC}"
-        echo -e "${GREEN}Hidden Service Address:${NC}"
-        echo -e "${YELLOW}${ONION_ADDR}${NC}"
-        echo -e "${GREEN}======================================${NC}"
-        echo ""
-    else
-        warn "Tor started but hidden service not ready yet"
-        warn "Check: tail -f ${TOR_DATA_DIR}/tor.log"
-    fi
-}
-
-# Print usage instructions
-print_instructions() {
-    echo ""
-    info "Development Tor setup complete!"
-    echo ""
-    echo "  To start ORLY with Tor:"
-    echo -e "    ${BLUE}ORLY_TOR_ENABLED=true ORLY_TOR_HS_DIR=${TOR_DATA_DIR}/hidden_service ./orly${NC}"
-    echo ""
-    echo "  To view the .onion address:"
-    echo -e "    ${BLUE}cat ${TOR_DATA_DIR}/hidden_service/hostname${NC}"
-    echo ""
-    echo "  To view Tor logs:"
-    echo -e "    ${BLUE}tail -f ${TOR_DATA_DIR}/tor.log${NC}"
-    echo ""
-    echo "  To stop Tor:"
-    echo -e "    ${BLUE}kill \$(cat ${TOR_PID_FILE})${NC}"
-    echo ""
-    echo "  To restart Tor:"
-    echo -e "    ${BLUE}./scripts/tor-dev-setup.sh${NC}"
-    echo ""
-}
-
-# Status command
-status() {
-    if [ -f "$TOR_PID_FILE" ]; then
-        PID=$(cat "$TOR_PID_FILE")
-        if kill -0 "$PID" 2>/dev/null; then
-            info "Tor is running (PID: $PID)"
-            if [ -f "${TOR_DATA_DIR}/hidden_service/hostname" ]; then
-                ONION_ADDR=$(cat "${TOR_DATA_DIR}/hidden_service/hostname")
-                echo -e "  Address: ${YELLOW}${ONION_ADDR}${NC}"
-            fi
-            return 0
-        fi
-    fi
-    warn "Tor is not running"
-    return 1
-}
-
-# Main
-main() {
-    case "${1:-}" in
-        status)
-            status
-            exit $?
-            ;;
-        stop)
-            stop_tor
-            info "Tor stopped"
-            exit 0
-            ;;
-        *)
-            ;;
-    esac
-
-    info "ORLY Development Tor Setup"
-    info "Internal port: ${TOR_PORT}"
-    echo ""
-
-    check_tor
-    setup_dirs
-    stop_tor
-    create_config
-    start_tor
-    print_instructions
-}
-
-main "$@"
diff --git a/scripts/tor-setup.sh b/scripts/tor-setup.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index 1087d81..0000000
--- a/scripts/tor-setup.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,197 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/bash
-# tor-setup.sh - Production Tor hidden service setup for ORLY relay
-#
-# This script installs Tor and configures a hidden service for the relay.
-# The .onion address will be automatically detected by ORLY.
-#
-# Usage: sudo ./scripts/tor-setup.sh [port]
-#   port: internal port ORLY listens on for Tor traffic (default: 3336)
-#
-# Requirements:
-#   - Root privileges (for installing packages and configuring Tor)
-#   - Systemd-based Linux distribution
-#
-# After running this script:
-#   1. Start ORLY with: ORLY_TOR_ENABLED=true ORLY_TOR_HS_DIR=/var/lib/tor/orly-relay ./orly
-#   2. The .onion address will appear in logs and NIP-11
-
-set -e
-
-# Configuration
-TOR_PORT="${1:-3336}"
-HS_NAME="orly-relay"
-HS_DIR="/var/lib/tor/${HS_NAME}"
-
-# Colors for output
-RED='\033[0;31m'
-GREEN='\033[0;32m'
-YELLOW='\033[1;33m'
-NC='\033[0m' # No Color
-
-info() { echo -e "${GREEN}[INFO]${NC} $1"; }
-warn() { echo -e "${YELLOW}[WARN]${NC} $1"; }
-error() { echo -e "${RED}[ERROR]${NC} $1"; exit 1; }
-
-# Check if running as root
-if [ "$EUID" -ne 0 ]; then
-    error "Please run as root: sudo $0"
-fi
-
-# Detect package manager and install Tor
-install_tor() {
-    info "Installing Tor..."
-
-    if command -v apt-get &> /dev/null; then
-        # Debian/Ubuntu
-        apt-get update
-        apt-get install -y tor
-    elif command -v dnf &> /dev/null; then
-        # Fedora/RHEL
-        dnf install -y tor
-    elif command -v pacman &> /dev/null; then
-        # Arch Linux
-        pacman -Sy --noconfirm tor
-    elif command -v apk &> /dev/null; then
-        # Alpine
-        apk add tor
-    elif command -v brew &> /dev/null; then
-        # macOS (run as user, not root)
-        brew install tor
-    else
-        error "Unsupported package manager. Please install Tor manually."
-    fi
-
-    info "Tor installed successfully"
-}
-
-# Configure hidden service
-configure_tor() {
-    info "Configuring Tor hidden service..."
-
-    TORRC="/etc/tor/torrc"
-
-    # Check if hidden service already configured
-    if grep -q "HiddenServiceDir ${HS_DIR}" "$TORRC" 2>/dev/null; then
-        warn "Hidden service already configured in ${TORRC}"
-        return 0
-    fi
-
-    # Backup original torrc
-    if [ -f "$TORRC" ]; then
-        cp "$TORRC" "${TORRC}.backup.$(date +%Y%m%d%H%M%S)"
-        info "Backed up original torrc"
-    fi
-
-    # Add hidden service configuration
-    cat >> "$TORRC" << EOF
-
-# ORLY Relay Hidden Service
-# Added by tor-setup.sh on $(date)
-HiddenServiceDir ${HS_DIR}/
-HiddenServicePort 80 127.0.0.1:${TOR_PORT}
-EOF
-
-    info "Hidden service configured: ${HS_DIR}"
-}
-
-# Set permissions
-set_permissions() {
-    info "Setting directory permissions..."
-
-    # Create hidden service directory if it doesn't exist
-    mkdir -p "$HS_DIR"
-
-    # Set correct ownership (debian-tor on Debian/Ubuntu, tor on others)
-    if id "debian-tor" &>/dev/null; then
-        chown -R debian-tor:debian-tor "$HS_DIR"
-    elif id "tor" &>/dev/null; then
-        chown -R tor:tor "$HS_DIR"
-    fi
-
-    chmod 700 "$HS_DIR"
-
-    info "Permissions set"
-}
-
-# Restart Tor service
-restart_tor() {
-    info "Restarting Tor service..."
-
-    if command -v systemctl &> /dev/null; then
-        systemctl enable tor
-        systemctl restart tor
-    elif command -v service &> /dev/null; then
-        service tor restart
-    else
-        warn "Could not restart Tor. Please restart manually."
-        return 1
-    fi
-
-    # Wait for Tor to create the hostname file
-    info "Waiting for hidden service to initialize..."
-    for i in {1..30}; do
-        if [ -f "${HS_DIR}/hostname" ]; then
-            break
-        fi
-        sleep 1
-    done
-
-    if [ -f "${HS_DIR}/hostname" ]; then
-        ONION_ADDR=$(cat "${HS_DIR}/hostname")
-        info "Tor service started successfully"
-        echo ""
-        echo -e "${GREEN}======================================${NC}"
-        echo -e "${GREEN}Hidden Service Address:${NC}"
-        echo -e "${YELLOW}${ONION_ADDR}${NC}"
-        echo -e "${GREEN}======================================${NC}"
-        echo ""
-    else
-        warn "Tor started but hostname file not yet created"
-        warn "Check: ls -la ${HS_DIR}/"
-    fi
-}
-
-# Print usage instructions
-print_instructions() {
-    echo ""
-    info "Setup complete! To enable Tor in ORLY:"
-    echo ""
-    echo "  Option 1 - Environment variables:"
-    echo "    export ORLY_TOR_ENABLED=true"
-    echo "    export ORLY_TOR_HS_DIR=${HS_DIR}"
-    echo "    export ORLY_TOR_PORT=${TOR_PORT}"
-    echo "    ./orly"
-    echo ""
-    echo "  Option 2 - Command line:"
-    echo "    ORLY_TOR_ENABLED=true ORLY_TOR_HS_DIR=${HS_DIR} ./orly"
-    echo ""
-    echo "  The .onion address will automatically appear in NIP-11 relay info."
-    echo ""
-    echo "  To view the .onion address:"
-    echo "    cat ${HS_DIR}/hostname"
-    echo ""
-    echo "  To check Tor status:"
-    echo "    systemctl status tor"
-    echo ""
-}
-
-# Main
-main() {
-    info "ORLY Tor Hidden Service Setup"
-    info "Internal port: ${TOR_PORT}"
-    echo ""
-
-    # Check if Tor is already installed
-    if ! command -v tor &> /dev/null; then
-        install_tor
-    else
-        info "Tor is already installed"
-    fi
-
-    configure_tor
-    set_permissions
-    restart_tor
-    print_instructions
-}
-
-main