diff --git a/lbrynet/extras/daemon/Components.py b/lbrynet/extras/daemon/Components.py
index eada5c554..6ddc42e4a 100644
--- a/lbrynet/extras/daemon/Components.py
+++ b/lbrynet/extras/daemon/Components.py
@@ -424,12 +424,18 @@ class DHTComponent(Component):
         node_id = CS.get_node_id()
         if node_id is None:
             node_id = generate_id()
+        external_ip = self.upnp_component.external_ip
+        if not external_ip:
+            log.warning("UPnP component failed to get external ip")
+            external_ip = CS.get_external_ip()
+            if not external_ip:
+                log.warning("failed to get external ip")
 
         self.dht_node = node.Node(
             node_id=node_id,
             udpPort=GCS('dht_node_port'),
             externalUDPPort=self.external_udp_port,
-            externalIP=self.upnp_component.external_ip,
+            externalIP=external_ip,
             peerPort=self.external_peer_port
         )
 
@@ -710,33 +716,39 @@ class UPnPComponent(Component):
                 log.info("found upnp gateway: %s", self.upnp.gateway.manufacturer_string)
             except Exception as err:
                 log.warning("upnp discovery failed: %s", err)
-                return
+                self.upnp = None
 
         # update the external ip
-        try:
-            external_ip = yield from_future(self.upnp.get_external_ip())
-            if external_ip == "0.0.0.0":
-                log.warning("upnp doesn't know the external ip address (returned 0.0.0.0), using fallback")
-                external_ip = CS.get_external_ip()
-            if self.external_ip and self.external_ip != external_ip:
-                log.info("external ip changed from %s to %s", self.external_ip, external_ip)
-            elif not self.external_ip:
-                log.info("got external ip: %s", external_ip)
-            self.external_ip = external_ip
-        except (asyncio.TimeoutError, UPnPError):
-            pass
-
-        if not self.upnp_redirects:  # setup missing redirects
+        external_ip = None
+        if self.upnp:
             try:
+                external_ip = yield from_future(self.upnp.get_external_ip())
+                if external_ip != "0.0.0.0":
+                    log.info("got external ip from UPnP: %s", external_ip)
+            except (asyncio.TimeoutError, UPnPError):
+                pass
+
+        if external_ip == "0.0.0.0" or not external_ip:
+            log.warning("unable to get external ip from UPnP, checking lbry.io fallback")
+            external_ip = CS.get_external_ip()
+        if self.external_ip and self.external_ip != external_ip:
+            log.info("external ip changed from %s to %s", self.external_ip, external_ip)
+        self.external_ip = external_ip
+        assert self.external_ip is not None   # TODO: handle going/starting offline
+
+        if not self.upnp_redirects and self.upnp:  # setup missing redirects
+            try:
+                log.info("add UPnP port mappings")
                 upnp_redirects = yield DeferredDict({
                     "UDP": from_future(self.upnp.get_next_mapping(self._int_dht_node_port, "UDP", "LBRY DHT port")),
                     "TCP": from_future(self.upnp.get_next_mapping(self._int_peer_port, "TCP", "LBRY peer port"))
                 })
+                log.info("set up redirects: %s", upnp_redirects)
                 self.upnp_redirects.update(upnp_redirects)
             except (asyncio.TimeoutError, UPnPError):
                 self.upnp = None
                 return self._maintain_redirects()
-        else:  # check existing redirects are still active
+        elif self.upnp:  # check existing redirects are still active
             found = set()
             mappings = yield from_future(self.upnp.get_redirects())
             for mapping in mappings:
@@ -767,6 +779,7 @@ class UPnPComponent(Component):
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def start(self):
+        log.info("detecting external ip")
         if not self.use_upnp:
             self.external_ip = CS.get_external_ip()
             return