diff --git a/cli/onionshare_cli/onionshare.py b/cli/onionshare_cli/onionshare.py
index bd94100f..d055b639 100644
--- a/cli/onionshare_cli/onionshare.py
+++ b/cli/onionshare_cli/onionshare.py
@@ -74,6 +74,8 @@ class OnionShare(object):
 
         if self.local_only:
             self.onion_host = f"127.0.0.1:{self.port}"
+            if mode_settings.get("general", "client_auth"):
+                self.auth_string = "E2GOT5LTUTP3OAMRCRXO4GSH6VKJEUOXZQUC336SRKAHTTT5OVSA"
             return
 
         self.onion_host = self.onion.start_onion_service(
diff --git a/desktop/src/onionshare/tab/mode/__init__.py b/desktop/src/onionshare/tab/mode/__init__.py
index 66f9279a..2b78ffd0 100644
--- a/desktop/src/onionshare/tab/mode/__init__.py
+++ b/desktop/src/onionshare/tab/mode/__init__.py
@@ -241,12 +241,15 @@ class Mode(QtWidgets.QWidget):
     def start_onion_thread(self, obtain_onion_early=False):
         # If we tried to start with Client Auth and our Tor is too old to support it,
         # bail out early
-        if not self.app.onion.supports_stealth and self.settings.get("general", "client_auth"):
-             self.stop_server()
-             self.start_server_error(
-                 strings._("gui_server_doesnt_support_stealth")
-             )
-        else:
+        can_start = True
+        if (
+            not self.server_status.local_only
+            and not self.app.onion.supports_stealth
+            and self.settings.get("general", "client_auth")
+           ):
+               can_start = False
+
+        if can_start:
             self.common.log("Mode", "start_server", "Starting an onion thread")
             self.obtain_onion_early = obtain_onion_early
             self.onion_thread = OnionThread(self)
@@ -255,6 +258,12 @@ class Mode(QtWidgets.QWidget):
             self.onion_thread.error.connect(self.starting_server_error.emit)
             self.onion_thread.start()
 
+        else:
+             self.stop_server()
+             self.start_server_error(
+                 strings._("gui_server_doesnt_support_stealth")
+             )
+
     def start_scheduled_service(self, obtain_onion_early=False):
         # We start a new OnionThread with the saved scheduled key from settings
         self.common.settings.load()