diff --git a/mixnet/client/src/config.rs b/mixnet/client/src/config.rs
index 0de2e867..4d42273a 100644
--- a/mixnet/client/src/config.rs
+++ b/mixnet/client/src/config.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use std::{net::SocketAddr, time::Duration};
+use std::{net::ToSocketAddrs, time::Duration};
 
 use futures::{stream, StreamExt};
 use mixnet_topology::MixnetTopology;
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ impl MixnetClientConfig {
 #[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Clone, Debug, PartialEq)]
 pub enum MixnetClientMode {
     Sender,
-    SenderReceiver(SocketAddr),
+    SenderReceiver(String),
 }
 
 impl MixnetClientMode {
@@ -54,7 +54,15 @@ impl MixnetClientMode {
         match self {
             Self::Sender => Ok(stream::empty().boxed()),
             Self::SenderReceiver(node_address) => {
-                Ok(Receiver::new(*node_address).run().await?.boxed())
+                let mut addrs = node_address
+                    .to_socket_addrs()
+                    .map_err(|e| MixnetClientError::MixnetNodeAddressError(e.to_string()))?;
+                let socket_addr = addrs
+                    .next()
+                    .ok_or(MixnetClientError::MixnetNodeAddressError(
+                        "No address provided".into(),
+                    ))?;
+                Ok(Receiver::new(socket_addr).run().await?.boxed())
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/mixnet/client/src/error.rs b/mixnet/client/src/error.rs
index caaae8a8..302363c6 100644
--- a/mixnet/client/src/error.rs
+++ b/mixnet/client/src/error.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ use nym_sphinx::addressing::nodes::NymNodeRoutingAddressError;
 
 #[derive(thiserror::Error, Debug)]
 pub enum MixnetClientError {
+    #[error("invalid node address: {0}")]
+    MixnetNodeAddressError(String),
     #[error("mixnet node connect error")]
     MixnetNodeConnectError,
     #[error("mixnode stream has been closed")]
diff --git a/tests/src/nodes/nomos.rs b/tests/src/nodes/nomos.rs
index 2eb604eb..8d1de83a 100644
--- a/tests/src/nodes/nomos.rs
+++ b/tests/src/nodes/nomos.rs
@@ -248,7 +248,9 @@ fn create_node_config(
     mixnet_topology: MixnetTopology,
 ) -> Config {
     let mixnet_client_mode = match mixnet_node_config {
-        Some(node_config) => MixnetClientMode::SenderReceiver(node_config.client_listen_address),
+        Some(node_config) => {
+            MixnetClientMode::SenderReceiver(node_config.client_listen_address.to_string())
+        }
         None => MixnetClientMode::Sender,
     };
 
diff --git a/tests/src/tests/mixnet.rs b/tests/src/tests/mixnet.rs
index 965c6cc0..53a0f1f5 100644
--- a/tests/src/tests/mixnet.rs
+++ b/tests/src/tests/mixnet.rs
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ async fn run_nodes_and_destination_client() -> (
     // one of mixnodes the exit layer always will be selected as a destination.
     let client = MixnetClient::new(
         MixnetClientConfig {
-            mode: MixnetClientMode::SenderReceiver(config3.client_listen_address),
+            mode: MixnetClientMode::SenderReceiver(config3.client_listen_address.to_string()),
             topology: topology.clone(),
             connection_pool_size: 255,
             max_retries: 3,