diff --git a/src/net.cpp b/src/net.cpp
index 4f88aa8aab9..9dd95dab46e 100644
--- a/src/net.cpp
+++ b/src/net.cpp
@@ -434,7 +434,6 @@ CNode* CConnman::ConnectNode(CAddress addrConnect,
 
     // Connect
     std::unique_ptr<Sock> sock;
-    Proxy proxy;
     CService addr_bind;
     assert(!addr_bind.IsValid());
     std::unique_ptr<i2p::sam::Session> i2p_transient_session;
@@ -442,6 +441,7 @@ CNode* CConnman::ConnectNode(CAddress addrConnect,
     for (auto& target_addr: connect_to) {
         if (target_addr.IsValid()) {
             bool use_proxy;
+            Proxy proxy;
             if (proxy_override.has_value()) {
                 use_proxy = true;
                 proxy = proxy_override.value();
@@ -495,12 +495,14 @@ CNode* CConnman::ConnectNode(CAddress addrConnect,
                 // the proxy, mark this as an attempt.
                 addrman.get().Attempt(target_addr, fCountFailure);
             }
-        } else if (pszDest && GetNameProxy(proxy)) {
-            std::string host;
-            uint16_t port{default_port};
-            SplitHostPort(std::string(pszDest), port, host);
-            bool proxyConnectionFailed;
-            sock = ConnectThroughProxy(proxy, host, port, proxyConnectionFailed);
+        } else if (pszDest) {
+            if (const auto name_proxy = GetNameProxy()) {
+                std::string host;
+                uint16_t port{default_port};
+                SplitHostPort(std::string(pszDest), port, host);
+                bool proxyConnectionFailed;
+                sock = ConnectThroughProxy(*name_proxy, host, port, proxyConnectionFailed);
+            }
         }
         // Check any other resolved address (if any) if we fail to connect
         if (!sock) {
diff --git a/src/netbase.cpp b/src/netbase.cpp
index c1c03c57259..f7339a330b5 100644
--- a/src/netbase.cpp
+++ b/src/netbase.cpp
@@ -723,12 +723,13 @@ bool SetNameProxy(const Proxy &addrProxy) {
     return true;
 }
 
-bool GetNameProxy(Proxy &nameProxyOut) {
+std::optional<Proxy> GetNameProxy()
+{
     LOCK(g_proxyinfo_mutex);
-    if(!nameProxy.IsValid())
-        return false;
-    nameProxyOut = nameProxy;
-    return true;
+    if (!nameProxy.IsValid()) {
+        return std::nullopt;
+    }
+    return nameProxy;
 }
 
 bool HaveNameProxy() {
diff --git a/src/netbase.h b/src/netbase.h
index 6e538a73c26..27e1e59d8e1 100644
--- a/src/netbase.h
+++ b/src/netbase.h
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ bool IsProxy(const CNetAddr &addr);
  */
 bool SetNameProxy(const Proxy &addrProxy);
 bool HaveNameProxy();
-bool GetNameProxy(Proxy &nameProxyOut);
+std::optional<Proxy> GetNameProxy();
 
 using DNSLookupFn = std::function<std::vector<CNetAddr>(const std::string&, bool)>;
 extern DNSLookupFn g_dns_lookup;