diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index f655d9e53..6a7f32de4 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@
 	* fix uTP edge case where udp socket buffer fills up
 	* fix nagle implementation in uTP
 
+	* expose i2p_alert to python. cleaning up of i2p connection code
 	* fixed overflow and download performance issue when downloading at high rates
 	* fixed bug in add_torrent_alert::message for magnet links
 	* disable optimistic disconnects when connection limit is low
diff --git a/bindings/python/src/alert.cpp b/bindings/python/src/alert.cpp
index 2a3d2c01a..7d8e7e05c 100644
--- a/bindings/python/src/alert.cpp
+++ b/bindings/python/src/alert.cpp
@@ -398,6 +398,11 @@ void bind_alert()
         .add_property("status", &get_status_from_update_alert)
         ;
 
+    class_<i2p_alert, bases<alert>, noncopyable>(
+        "i2p_alert", no_init)
+        .add_property("error", &i2p_alert::error)
+        ;
+
     class_<dht_reply_alert, bases<tracker_alert>, noncopyable>(
         "dht_reply_alert", no_init)
         .def_readonly("num_peers", &dht_reply_alert::num_peers)
diff --git a/include/libtorrent/i2p_stream.hpp b/include/libtorrent/i2p_stream.hpp
index 7b7a5b56c..767f2ff24 100644
--- a/include/libtorrent/i2p_stream.hpp
+++ b/include/libtorrent/i2p_stream.hpp
@@ -188,7 +188,8 @@ private:
 		, name_lookup_handler handler
 		, boost::shared_ptr<i2p_stream>);
 
-	void set_local_endpoint(error_code const& ec, char const* dest);
+	void set_local_endpoint(error_code const& ec, char const* dest
+		, i2p_stream::handler_type const& h);
 
 	// to talk to i2p SAM bridge
 	boost::shared_ptr<i2p_stream> m_sam_socket;
diff --git a/src/i2p_stream.cpp b/src/i2p_stream.cpp
index 0eeaabea7..332e17534 100644
--- a/src/i2p_stream.cpp
+++ b/src/i2p_stream.cpp
@@ -152,18 +152,24 @@ namespace libtorrent
 #endif
 		m_state = sam_idle;
 	
-		do_name_lookup("ME", boost::bind(&i2p_connection::set_local_endpoint, this, _1, _2));
-		h(ec);
-	}
-
-	void i2p_connection::set_local_endpoint(error_code const& ec, char const* dest)
-	{
-		if (ec || dest == 0)
+		if (ec)
 		{
-			m_i2p_local_endpoint.clear();
+			h(ec);
 			return;
 		}
-		m_i2p_local_endpoint = dest;
+
+		do_name_lookup("ME", boost::bind(&i2p_connection::set_local_endpoint, this, _1, _2, h));
+	}
+
+	void i2p_connection::set_local_endpoint(error_code const& ec, char const* dest
+		, i2p_stream::handler_type const& h)
+	{
+		if (!ec && dest != 0)
+			m_i2p_local_endpoint = dest;
+		else
+			m_i2p_local_endpoint.clear();
+
+		h(ec);
 	}
 
 	void i2p_connection::async_name_lookup(char const* name
diff --git a/src/session_impl.cpp b/src/session_impl.cpp
index 7d344ec97..0d4efd330 100644
--- a/src/session_impl.cpp
+++ b/src/session_impl.cpp
@@ -2688,11 +2688,15 @@ retry:
 		// pause the session now and resume it once we've
 		// established the i2p SAM connection
 #if TORRENT_USE_I2P
+		if (m_settings.get_str(settings_pack::i2p_hostname).empty())
+		{
+			error_code ec;
+			m_i2p_conn.close(ec);
+			return;
+		}
 		m_i2p_conn.open(m_settings.get_str(settings_pack::i2p_hostname)
 			, m_settings.get_int(settings_pack::i2p_port)
 			, boost::bind(&session_impl::on_i2p_open, this, _1));
-
-		open_new_incoming_i2p_connection();
 #endif
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/torrent.cpp b/src/torrent.cpp
index aac94c980..bc0d30570 100644
--- a/src/torrent.cpp
+++ b/src/torrent.cpp
@@ -7137,6 +7137,16 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		bool i2p = peerinfo->is_i2p_addr;
 		if (i2p)
 		{
+			if (m_ses.i2p_proxy().hostname.empty())
+			{
+				// we have an i2p torrent, but we're not connected to an i2p
+				// SAM proxy.
+				if (alerts().should_post<i2p_alert>())
+					alerts().post_alert(i2p_alert(error_code(errors::no_i2p_router
+						, get_libtorrent_category())));
+				return false;
+			}
+
 			bool ret = instantiate_connection(m_ses.get_io_service(), m_ses.i2p_proxy(), *s);
 			(void)ret;
 			TORRENT_ASSERT(ret);
diff --git a/test/test_dht.cpp b/test/test_dht.cpp
index af9e1c670..af1938a2c 100644
--- a/test/test_dht.cpp
+++ b/test/test_dht.cpp
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 #include "libtorrent/alert_dispatcher.hpp"
 #include "libtorrent/performance_counters.hpp" // for counters
 #include "libtorrent/random.hpp"
+#include "libtorrent/ed25519.hpp"
 
 #include "libtorrent/kademlia/node_id.hpp"
 #include "libtorrent/kademlia/routing_table.hpp"