diff --git a/gui/src/bitcoind.rs b/gui/src/bitcoind.rs
index ef3acc5a..07ad7b14 100644
--- a/gui/src/bitcoind.rs
+++ b/gui/src/bitcoind.rs
@@ -217,15 +217,21 @@ impl Bitcoind {
 
     /// Stop (internal) bitcoind.
     pub fn stop(&self) {
-        match liana::BitcoinD::new(&self.config, "internal_bitcoind_stop".to_string()) {
-            Ok(bitcoind) => {
-                info!("Stopping internal bitcoind...");
-                bitcoind.stop();
-                info!("Stopped liana managed bitcoind");
-            }
-            Err(e) => {
-                warn!("Could not create interface to internal bitcoind: '{}'.", e);
-            }
+        stop_bitcoind(&self.config);
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn stop_bitcoind(config: &BitcoindConfig) -> bool {
+    match liana::BitcoinD::new(config, "internal_bitcoind_stop".to_string()) {
+        Ok(bitcoind) => {
+            info!("Stopping internal bitcoind...");
+            bitcoind.stop();
+            info!("Stopped liana managed bitcoind");
+            true
+        }
+        Err(e) => {
+            warn!("Could not create interface to internal bitcoind: '{}'.", e);
+            false
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/gui/src/loader.rs b/gui/src/loader.rs
index cfdd5c80..9fb43147 100644
--- a/gui/src/loader.rs
+++ b/gui/src/loader.rs
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ use crate::{
         config::Config as GUIConfig,
         wallet::{Wallet, WalletError},
     },
-    bitcoind::{Bitcoind, StartInternalBitcoindError},
+    bitcoind::{stop_bitcoind, Bitcoind, StartInternalBitcoindError},
     daemon::{client, embedded::EmbeddedDaemon, model::*, Daemon, DaemonError},
 };
 
@@ -225,6 +225,15 @@ impl Loader {
 
         if let Some(bitcoind) = &self.internal_bitcoind {
             bitcoind.stop();
+        } else if self.gui_config.start_internal_bitcoind {
+            if let Ok(config) = Config::from_file(self.gui_config.daemon_config_path.clone()) {
+                if let Some(bitcoind_config) = &config.bitcoind_config {
+                    let mut stopped = false;
+                    while !stopped {
+                        stopped = stop_bitcoind(&bitcoind_config);
+                    }
+                }
+            }
         }
     }