diff --git a/src/qt/optionsdialog.cpp b/src/qt/optionsdialog.cpp
index d0191fa6d..647c860bd 100644
--- a/src/qt/optionsdialog.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/optionsdialog.cpp
@@ -34,8 +34,7 @@ OptionsDialog::OptionsDialog(QWidget *parent, bool enableWallet) :
     QDialog(parent),
     ui(new Ui::OptionsDialog),
     model(0),
-    mapper(0),
-    fProxyIpsValid(true)
+    mapper(0)
 {
     ui->setupUi(this);
 
@@ -60,12 +59,11 @@ OptionsDialog::OptionsDialog(QWidget *parent, bool enableWallet) :
 
     connect(ui->connectSocks, SIGNAL(toggled(bool)), ui->proxyIp, SLOT(setEnabled(bool)));
     connect(ui->connectSocks, SIGNAL(toggled(bool)), ui->proxyPort, SLOT(setEnabled(bool)));
+    connect(ui->connectSocks, SIGNAL(toggled(bool)), this, SLOT(updateProxyValidationState()));
 
     connect(ui->connectSocksTor, SIGNAL(toggled(bool)), ui->proxyIpTor, SLOT(setEnabled(bool)));
     connect(ui->connectSocksTor, SIGNAL(toggled(bool)), ui->proxyPortTor, SLOT(setEnabled(bool)));
-
-    ui->proxyIp->installEventFilter(this);
-    ui->proxyIpTor->installEventFilter(this);
+    connect(ui->connectSocksTor, SIGNAL(toggled(bool)), this, SLOT(updateProxyValidationState()));
 
     /* Window elements init */
 #ifdef Q_OS_MAC
@@ -119,7 +117,12 @@ OptionsDialog::OptionsDialog(QWidget *parent, bool enableWallet) :
     mapper->setOrientation(Qt::Vertical);
 
     /* setup/change UI elements when proxy IPs are invalid/valid */
-    connect(this, SIGNAL(proxyIpChecks(QValidatedLineEdit *, int)), this, SLOT(doProxyIpChecks(QValidatedLineEdit *, int)));
+    ui->proxyIp->setCheckValidator(new ProxyAddressValidator(parent));
+    ui->proxyIpTor->setCheckValidator(new ProxyAddressValidator(parent));
+    connect(ui->proxyIp, SIGNAL(validationDidChange(QValidatedLineEdit *)), this, SLOT(updateProxyValidationState()));
+    connect(ui->proxyIpTor, SIGNAL(validationDidChange(QValidatedLineEdit *)), this, SLOT(updateProxyValidationState()));
+    connect(ui->proxyPort, SIGNAL(textChanged(const QString&)), this, SLOT(updateProxyValidationState()));
+    connect(ui->proxyPortTor, SIGNAL(textChanged(const QString&)), this, SLOT(updateProxyValidationState()));
 }
 
 OptionsDialog::~OptionsDialog()
@@ -200,18 +203,6 @@ void OptionsDialog::setMapper()
     mapper->addMapping(ui->thirdPartyTxUrls, OptionsModel::ThirdPartyTxUrls);
 }
 
-void OptionsDialog::enableOkButton()
-{
-    /* prevent enabling of the OK button when data modified, if there is an invalid proxy address present */
-    if(fProxyIpsValid)
-        setOkButtonState(true);
-}
-
-void OptionsDialog::disableOkButton()
-{
-    setOkButtonState(false);
-}
-
 void OptionsDialog::setOkButtonState(bool fState)
 {
     ui->okButton->setEnabled(fState);
@@ -269,24 +260,20 @@ void OptionsDialog::clearStatusLabel()
     ui->statusLabel->clear();
 }
 
-void OptionsDialog::doProxyIpChecks(QValidatedLineEdit *pUiProxyIp, int nProxyPort)
+void OptionsDialog::updateProxyValidationState()
 {
-    Q_UNUSED(nProxyPort);
-
-    CService addrProxy;
-
-    /* Check for a valid IPv4 / IPv6 address */
-    if (!(fProxyIpsValid = LookupNumeric(pUiProxyIp->text().toStdString().c_str(), addrProxy)))
+    QValidatedLineEdit *pUiProxyIp = ui->proxyIp;
+    QValidatedLineEdit *otherProxyWidget = (pUiProxyIp == ui->proxyIpTor) ? ui->proxyIp : ui->proxyIpTor;
+    if (pUiProxyIp->isValid() && (!ui->proxyPort->isEnabled() || ui->proxyPort->text().toInt() > 0) && (!ui->proxyPortTor->isEnabled() || ui->proxyPortTor->text().toInt() > 0))
     {
-        disableOkButton();
-        pUiProxyIp->setValid(false);
-        ui->statusLabel->setStyleSheet("QLabel { color: red; }");
-        ui->statusLabel->setText(tr("The supplied proxy address is invalid."));
+        setOkButtonState(otherProxyWidget->isValid()); //only enable ok button if both proxys are valid
+        ui->statusLabel->clear();
     }
     else
     {
-        enableOkButton();
-        ui->statusLabel->clear();
+        setOkButtonState(false);
+        ui->statusLabel->setStyleSheet("QLabel { color: red; }");
+        ui->statusLabel->setText(tr("The supplied proxy address is invalid."));
     }
 }
 
@@ -312,18 +299,18 @@ void OptionsDialog::updateDefaultProxyNets()
     (strProxy == strDefaultProxyGUI.toStdString()) ? ui->proxyReachTor->setChecked(true) : ui->proxyReachTor->setChecked(false);
 }
 
-bool OptionsDialog::eventFilter(QObject *object, QEvent *event)
+ProxyAddressValidator::ProxyAddressValidator(QObject *parent) :
+QValidator(parent)
 {
-    if(event->type() == QEvent::FocusOut)
-    {
-        if(object == ui->proxyIp)
-        {
-            Q_EMIT proxyIpChecks(ui->proxyIp, ui->proxyPort->text().toInt());
-        }
-        else if(object == ui->proxyIpTor)
-        {
-            Q_EMIT proxyIpChecks(ui->proxyIpTor, ui->proxyPortTor->text().toInt());
-        }
-    }
-    return QDialog::eventFilter(object, event);
+}
+
+QValidator::State ProxyAddressValidator::validate(QString &input, int &pos) const
+{
+    Q_UNUSED(pos);
+    // Validate the proxy
+    proxyType addrProxy = proxyType(CService(input.toStdString(), 9050), true);
+    if (addrProxy.IsValid())
+        return QValidator::Acceptable;
+
+    return QValidator::Invalid;
 }
diff --git a/src/qt/optionsdialog.h b/src/qt/optionsdialog.h
index 348489c59..489e35da4 100644
--- a/src/qt/optionsdialog.h
+++ b/src/qt/optionsdialog.h
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #define BITCOIN_QT_OPTIONSDIALOG_H
 
 #include <QDialog>
+#include <QValidator>
 
 class OptionsModel;
 class QValidatedLineEdit;
@@ -18,6 +19,18 @@ namespace Ui {
 class OptionsDialog;
 }
 
+/** Proxy address widget validator, checks for a valid proxy address.
+ */
+class ProxyAddressValidator : public QValidator
+{
+    Q_OBJECT
+
+public:
+    explicit ProxyAddressValidator(QObject *parent);
+
+    State validate(QString &input, int &pos) const;
+};
+
 /** Preferences dialog. */
 class OptionsDialog : public QDialog
 {
@@ -30,14 +43,7 @@ public:
     void setModel(OptionsModel *model);
     void setMapper();
 
-protected:
-    bool eventFilter(QObject *object, QEvent *event);
-
 private Q_SLOTS:
-    /* enable OK button */
-    void enableOkButton();
-    /* disable OK button */
-    void disableOkButton();
     /* set OK button state (enabled / disabled) */
     void setOkButtonState(bool fState);
     void on_resetButton_clicked();
@@ -46,7 +52,7 @@ private Q_SLOTS:
 
     void showRestartWarning(bool fPersistent = false);
     void clearStatusLabel();
-    void doProxyIpChecks(QValidatedLineEdit *pUiProxyIp, int nProxyPort);
+    void updateProxyValidationState();
     /* query the networks, for which the default proxy is used */
     void updateDefaultProxyNets();
 
@@ -57,7 +63,6 @@ private:
     Ui::OptionsDialog *ui;
     OptionsModel *model;
     QDataWidgetMapper *mapper;
-    bool fProxyIpsValid;
 };
 
 #endif // BITCOIN_QT_OPTIONSDIALOG_H
diff --git a/src/qt/qvalidatedlineedit.cpp b/src/qt/qvalidatedlineedit.cpp
index 346369392..5658a0bdc 100644
--- a/src/qt/qvalidatedlineedit.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/qvalidatedlineedit.cpp
@@ -99,9 +99,25 @@ void QValidatedLineEdit::checkValidity()
     }
     else
         setValid(false);
+
+    Q_EMIT validationDidChange(this);
 }
 
 void QValidatedLineEdit::setCheckValidator(const QValidator *v)
 {
     checkValidator = v;
 }
+
+bool QValidatedLineEdit::isValid()
+{
+    // use checkValidator in case the QValidatedLineEdit is disabled
+    if (checkValidator)
+    {
+        QString address = text();
+        int pos = 0;
+        if (checkValidator->validate(address, pos) == QValidator::Acceptable)
+            return true;
+    }
+
+    return valid;
+}
diff --git a/src/qt/qvalidatedlineedit.h b/src/qt/qvalidatedlineedit.h
index 8665acda5..8cb6a425f 100644
--- a/src/qt/qvalidatedlineedit.h
+++ b/src/qt/qvalidatedlineedit.h
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ public:
     explicit QValidatedLineEdit(QWidget *parent);
     void clear();
     void setCheckValidator(const QValidator *v);
+    bool isValid();
 
 protected:
     void focusInEvent(QFocusEvent *evt);
@@ -31,6 +32,9 @@ public Q_SLOTS:
     void setValid(bool valid);
     void setEnabled(bool enabled);
 
+Q_SIGNALS:
+    void validationDidChange(QValidatedLineEdit *validatedLineEdit);
+    
 private Q_SLOTS:
     void markValid();
     void checkValidity();