diff --git a/DuckDuckGo/NetworkProtection/AppTargets/BothAppTargets/NetworkProtectionTunnelController.swift b/DuckDuckGo/NetworkProtection/AppTargets/BothAppTargets/NetworkProtectionTunnelController.swift
index a9051ab6a2..ed20ffef1d 100644
--- a/DuckDuckGo/NetworkProtection/AppTargets/BothAppTargets/NetworkProtectionTunnelController.swift
+++ b/DuckDuckGo/NetworkProtection/AppTargets/BothAppTargets/NetworkProtectionTunnelController.swift
@@ -572,7 +572,9 @@ final class NetworkProtectionTunnelController: TunnelController, TunnelSessionPr
                 )
             }
 
-            await stop()
+            if await isConnected {
+                await stop()
+            }
 
             // Always keep the first error message shown, as it's the more actionable one.
             if controllerErrorStore.lastErrorMessage == nil {