diff --git a/dagger/node.nim b/dagger/node.nim
index eb849f33..329b14fb 100644
--- a/dagger/node.nim
+++ b/dagger/node.nim
@@ -44,10 +44,17 @@ type
     discovery*: Discovery
 
 proc start*(node: DaggerNodeRef) {.async.} =
-  await node.switch.start()
-  await node.engine.start()
-  await node.erasure.start()
-  await node.discovery.start()
+  if not node.switch.isNil:
+    await node.switch.start()
+
+  if not node.engine.isNil:
+    await node.engine.start()
+
+  if not node.erasure.isNil:
+    await node.erasure.start()
+
+  if not node.discovery.isNil:
+    await node.discovery.start()
 
   node.networkId = node.switch.peerInfo.peerId
   notice "Started dagger node", id = $node.networkId, addrs = node.switch.peerInfo.addrs
@@ -55,10 +62,17 @@ proc start*(node: DaggerNodeRef) {.async.} =
 proc stop*(node: DaggerNodeRef) {.async.} =
   trace "Stopping node"
 
-  await node.engine.stop()
-  await node.switch.stop()
-  await node.erasure.stop()
-  await node.discovery.stop()
+  if not node.engine.isNil:
+    await node.engine.stop()
+
+  if not node.switch.isNil:
+    await node.switch.stop()
+
+  if not node.erasure.isNil:
+    await node.erasure.stop()
+
+  if not node.discovery.isNil:
+    await node.discovery.stop()
 
 proc findPeer*(
   node: DaggerNodeRef,