diff --git a/onionshare/onion.py b/onionshare/onion.py
index 28f03f2d..5b4ae1bb 100644
--- a/onionshare/onion.py
+++ b/onionshare/onion.py
@@ -472,8 +472,8 @@ class Onion(object):
                 auth_cookie = list(res.client_auth.values())[0]
                 self.auth_string = 'HidServAuth {} {}'.format(onion_host, auth_cookie)
 
-        self.settings.save()
         if onion_host is not None:
+            self.settings.save()
             return onion_host
         else:
             raise TorErrorProtocolError(strings._('error_tor_protocol_error'))
@@ -484,13 +484,17 @@ class Onion(object):
         """
         common.log('Onion', 'cleanup')
 
-        # Cleanup the ephemeral onion service
-        if self.service_id:
-            try:
-                self.c.remove_ephemeral_hidden_service(self.service_id)
-            except:
-                pass
-            self.service_id = None
+        # Cleanup the ephemeral onion services, if we have any
+        try:
+            onions = self.c.list_ephemeral_hidden_services()
+            for onion in onions:
+                try:
+                    self.c.delete_ephemeral_hidden_service(service_id)
+                except:
+                    pass
+        except:
+            pass
+        self.service_id = None
 
         if stop_tor:
             # Stop tor process
diff --git a/onionshare_gui/onionshare_gui.py b/onionshare_gui/onionshare_gui.py
index 7fdc3491..722ba82f 100644
--- a/onionshare_gui/onionshare_gui.py
+++ b/onionshare_gui/onionshare_gui.py
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ class OnionShareGui(QtWidgets.QMainWindow):
         self.server_status.server_stopped.connect(self.stop_server)
         self.server_status.server_stopped.connect(self.update_server_status_indicator)
         self.server_status.server_stopped.connect(self.update_primary_action)
+        self.server_status.server_canceled.connect(self.cancel_server)
         self.start_server_finished.connect(self.clear_message)
         self.start_server_finished.connect(self.server_status.start_server_finished)
         self.start_server_finished.connect(self.update_server_status_indicator)
@@ -341,9 +342,10 @@ class OnionShareGui(QtWidgets.QMainWindow):
             # wait for modules in thread to load, preventing a thread-related cx_Freeze crash
             time.sleep(0.2)
 
-        t = threading.Thread(target=start_onion_service, kwargs={'self': self})
-        t.daemon = True
-        t.start()
+        common.log('OnionshareGui', 'start_server', 'Starting an onion thread')
+        self.t = OnionThread(function=start_onion_service, kwargs={'self': self})
+        self.t.daemon = True
+        self.t.start()
 
     def start_server_step2(self):
         """
@@ -427,6 +429,14 @@ class OnionShareGui(QtWidgets.QMainWindow):
             self._zip_progress_bar = None
         self.status_bar.clearMessage()
 
+    def cancel_server(self):
+        """
+        Cancel the server while it is preparing to start
+        """
+        if self.t:
+            self.t.terminate()
+        self.stop_server()
+
     def stop_server(self):
         """
         Stop the onionshare server.
@@ -667,3 +677,26 @@ class ZipProgressBar(QtWidgets.QProgressBar):
             self.setValue(100)
         else:
             self.setValue(0)
+
+
+class OnionThread(QtCore.QThread):
+    """
+    A QThread for starting our Onion Service.
+    By using QThread rather than threading.Thread, we are able
+    to call quit() or terminate() on the startup if the user
+    decided to cancel (in which case do not proceed with obtaining
+    the Onion address and starting the web server).
+    """
+    def __init__(self, function, kwargs=None):
+        super(OnionThread, self).__init__()
+        common.log('OnionThread', '__init__')
+        self.function = function
+        if not kwargs:
+            self.kwargs = {}
+        else:
+            self.kwargs = kwargs
+
+    def run(self):
+        common.log('OnionThread', 'run')
+
+        self.function(**self.kwargs)
diff --git a/onionshare_gui/server_status.py b/onionshare_gui/server_status.py
index 786deb64..2715d57b 100644
--- a/onionshare_gui/server_status.py
+++ b/onionshare_gui/server_status.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ class ServerStatus(QtWidgets.QWidget):
     """
     server_started = QtCore.pyqtSignal()
     server_stopped = QtCore.pyqtSignal()
+    server_canceled = QtCore.pyqtSignal()
     url_copied = QtCore.pyqtSignal()
     hidservauth_copied = QtCore.pyqtSignal()
 
@@ -198,7 +199,7 @@ class ServerStatus(QtWidgets.QWidget):
                 self.shutdown_timeout.setEnabled(False)
             elif self.status == self.STATUS_WORKING:
                 self.server_button.setStyleSheet(button_working_style)
-                self.server_button.setEnabled(False)
+                self.server_button.setEnabled(True)
                 self.server_button.setText(strings._('gui_please_wait'))
                 self.shutdown_timeout.setEnabled(False)
             else:
@@ -224,6 +225,8 @@ class ServerStatus(QtWidgets.QWidget):
                 self.start_server()
         elif self.status == self.STATUS_STARTED:
             self.stop_server()
+        elif self.status == self.STATUS_WORKING:
+            self.cancel_server()
 
     def start_server(self):
         """
@@ -250,6 +253,16 @@ class ServerStatus(QtWidgets.QWidget):
         self.update()
         self.server_stopped.emit()
 
+    def cancel_server(self):
+        """
+        Cancel the server.
+        """
+        common.log('ServerStatus', 'cancel_server', 'Canceling the server mid-startup')
+        self.status = self.STATUS_WORKING
+        self.shutdown_timeout_reset()
+        self.update()
+        self.server_canceled.emit()
+
     def stop_server_finished(self):
         """
         The server has finished stopping.
diff --git a/share/locale/en.json b/share/locale/en.json
index 5473a88f..fd112845 100644
--- a/share/locale/en.json
+++ b/share/locale/en.json
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@
     "gui_copied_hidservauth": "Copied HidServAuth line to clipboard",
     "gui_starting_server1": "Starting Tor onion service...",
     "gui_starting_server2": "Crunching files...",
-    "gui_please_wait": "Please wait...",
+    "gui_please_wait": "Starting... Click to cancel",
     "error_hs_dir_cannot_create": "Cannot create onion service dir {0:s}",
     "error_hs_dir_not_writable": "onion service dir {0:s} is not writable",
     "using_ephemeral": "Starting ephemeral Tor onion service and awaiting publication",