diff --git a/actions/tor b/actions/tor
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..34d46f48a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/actions/tor
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python
+# -*- mode: python -*-
+#
+# This file is part of Plinth.
+#
+# This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as
+# published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the
+# License, or (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+# along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+#
+
+"""
+Configuration helper for the Tor service
+"""
+
+import argparse
+import subprocess
+
+SERVICE_CONFIG = '/etc/default/tor'
+
+
+def parse_arguments():
+    """Return parsed command line arguments as dictionary"""
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+    subparsers = parser.add_subparsers(dest='subcommand', help='Sub command')
+
+    # Get whether Tor is running
+    subparsers.add_parser('is-running', help='Get whether Tor is running')
+
+    # Start Tor and enable service
+    subparsers.add_parser('start', help='Start Tor service')
+
+    # Stop Tor and disable service
+    subparsers.add_parser('stop', help='Stop Tor service')
+
+    return parser.parse_args()
+
+
+def subcommand_is_running(_):
+    """Get whether Tor is running"""
+    try:
+        output = subprocess.check_output(['service', 'tor', 'status'])
+    except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+        # if tor is not running we get a status code != 0 and a
+        # CalledProcessError
+        print "no"
+    else:
+        running = False
+        for line in output.split('\n'):
+            if "Active" in line and "running" in line:
+                running = True
+                break
+        print "yes" if running else "no"
+
+
+def subcommand_start(_):
+    """Start Tor and enable it as service"""
+    set_tor_service(enable=True)
+    subprocess.call(['service', 'tor', 'start'])
+
+
+def subcommand_stop(_):
+    """Start Tor and enable it as service"""
+    set_tor_service(enable=False)
+    subprocess.call(['service', 'tor', 'stop'])
+
+
+def set_tor_service(enable):
+    """Enable/disable tor service; enable: boolean"""
+    newline = "RUN_DAEMON=\"yes\"\n" if enable else "RUN_DAEMON=\"no\"\n"
+
+    with open(SERVICE_CONFIG, 'r') as file:
+        lines = file.readlines()
+        for i, line in enumerate(lines):
+            if line.startswith('RUN_DAEMON'):
+                lines[i] = newline
+                break
+    with open(SERVICE_CONFIG, 'w') as file:
+        file.writelines(lines)
+
+
+def main():
+    """Parse arguments and perform all duties"""
+    arguments = parse_arguments()
+
+    subcommand = arguments.subcommand.replace('-', '_')
+    subcommand_method = globals()['subcommand_' + subcommand]
+    subcommand_method(arguments)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
diff --git a/plinth/modules/tor/templates/tor.html b/plinth/modules/tor/templates/tor.html
index c97aafded..2612565a4 100644
--- a/plinth/modules/tor/templates/tor.html
+++ b/plinth/modules/tor/templates/tor.html
@@ -44,4 +44,11 @@ port-forwarded, if necessary:</p>
   {% endfor %}
 </table>
 
+<br style='clear:both'>
+{% if is_running %}
+  <div class='circle active'></div> Tor is running
+{% else %}
+  <div class='circle inactive'></div> Tor is not running
+{% endif %}
+
 {% endblock %}
diff --git a/plinth/modules/tor/tor.py b/plinth/modules/tor/tor.py
index 37ffd76cf..0911e3122 100644
--- a/plinth/modules/tor/tor.py
+++ b/plinth/modules/tor/tor.py
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@ def index(request):
         except ValueError:
             continue
 
+    is_running = actions.superuser_run("tor", ["is-running"]).strip() == "yes"
     return TemplateResponse(request, 'tor.html',
                             {'title': _('Tor Control Panel'),
-                             'tor_ports': tor_ports})
+                             'tor_ports': tor_ports,
+                             'is_running': is_running})
diff --git a/static/themes/default/css/plinth.css b/static/themes/default/css/plinth.css
index c983d7042..f09bf917c 100644
--- a/static/themes/default/css/plinth.css
+++ b/static/themes/default/css/plinth.css
@@ -55,3 +55,17 @@ body {
 .table td.cell-indented {
     padding-left: 3em;
 }
+
+.circle {
+    border-radius: 50%/50%;
+    border: 1px solid black;
+    width: 8px;
+    height: 8px;
+    display: inline-block;
+}
+.circle.active {
+    background-color: rgb(0, 167, 0);
+}
+.circle.inactive {
+    background-color: rgb(228, 66, 66);
+}