diff --git a/lite-rpc/src/main.rs b/lite-rpc/src/main.rs
index 4bd37204..e0931410 100644
--- a/lite-rpc/src/main.rs
+++ b/lite-rpc/src/main.rs
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ use solana_sdk::commitment_config::CommitmentConfig;
 use solana_sdk::signature::Keypair;
 use solana_sdk::signer::Signer;
 use std::env;
+use std::net::{SocketAddr, ToSocketAddrs};
 use std::sync::Arc;
 use tokio::sync::mpsc;
 
@@ -263,9 +264,27 @@ pub async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
 fn configure_tpu_connection_path(quic_proxy_addr: Option<String>) -> TpuConnectionPath {
     match quic_proxy_addr {
         None => TpuConnectionPath::QuicDirectPath,
-        Some(prox_address) => TpuConnectionPath::QuicForwardProxyPath {
-            // e.g. "127.0.0.1:11111"
-            forward_proxy_address: prox_address.parse().expect("Invalid proxy address"),
-        },
+        Some(prox_address) => {
+            let proxy_socket_addr = parse_host_port_to_ipv4(prox_address.as_str()).unwrap();
+            TpuConnectionPath::QuicForwardProxyPath {
+                // e.g. "127.0.0.1:11111"
+                forward_proxy_address: proxy_socket_addr,
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+fn parse_host_port_to_ipv4(host_port: &str) -> Result<SocketAddr, String> {
+    let addrs: Vec<_> = host_port
+        .to_socket_addrs()
+        .map_err(|err| format!("Unable to resolve host {host_port}: {err}"))?
+        .filter(|addr| addr.is_ipv4())
+        .collect();
+    if addrs.is_empty() {
+        Err(format!("Unable to resolve host: {host_port}"))
+    } else if addrs.len() > 1 {
+        Err(format!("Multiple addresses resolved for host: {host_port}"))
+    } else {
+        Ok(addrs[0])
     }
 }
diff --git a/quic-forward-proxy/src/main.rs b/quic-forward-proxy/src/main.rs
index 729fbd2c..a0cc99f2 100644
--- a/quic-forward-proxy/src/main.rs
+++ b/quic-forward-proxy/src/main.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ use clap::Parser;
 use dotenv::dotenv;
 use log::info;
 use solana_lite_rpc_core::keypair_loader::load_identity_keypair;
+use std::net::{SocketAddr, ToSocketAddrs};
 use std::sync::Arc;
 
 use crate::validator_identity::ValidatorIdentity;
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@ pub async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     } = Args::parse();
     dotenv().ok();
 
-    let proxy_listener_addr = proxy_listen_addr.parse().unwrap();
+    let proxy_listener_addr = parse_host_port_to_ipv4(proxy_listen_addr.as_str()).unwrap();
     let validator_identity = ValidatorIdentity::new(load_identity_keypair(&identity_keypair).await);
 
     let tls_config = Arc::new(SelfSignedTlsConfigProvider::new_singleton_self_signed_localhost());
@@ -58,3 +59,18 @@ pub async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         }
     }
 }
+
+fn parse_host_port_to_ipv4(host_port: &str) -> Result<SocketAddr, String> {
+    let addrs: Vec<_> = host_port
+        .to_socket_addrs()
+        .map_err(|err| format!("Unable to resolve host {host_port}: {err}"))?
+        .filter(|addr| addr.is_ipv4())
+        .collect();
+    if addrs.is_empty() {
+        Err(format!("Unable to resolve host: {host_port}"))
+    } else if addrs.len() > 1 {
+        Err(format!("Multiple addresses resolved for host: {host_port}"))
+    } else {
+        Ok(addrs[0])
+    }
+}