diff --git a/onionr/netcontroller/netcontrol.py b/onionr/netcontroller/netcontrol.py
index f7b0746d..8f4be3c1 100644
--- a/onionr/netcontroller/netcontrol.py
+++ b/onionr/netcontroller/netcontrol.py
@@ -24,6 +24,20 @@ from . import getopenport
 from utils import identifyhome
 config.reload()
 TOR_KILL_WAIT = 3
+
+def add_bridges(torrc: str)->str:
+    """Configure tor to use a bridge using Onionr config keys"""
+    if config.get('tor.use_bridge', False) == True:
+        bridge = config.get('tor.bridge_ip', None)
+        if not bridge is None:
+            fingerprint = config.get('tor.bridge_fingerprint', '') # allow blank fingerprint purposefully
+            torrc += '\nUseBridges 1\nBridge %s %s\n' % (bridge, fingerprint)
+        else:
+            logger.warn('bridge was enabled but not specified in config')
+
+    return torrc
+
+
 class NetController:
     '''
         This class handles hidden service setup on Tor and I2P
@@ -90,6 +104,8 @@ HiddenServiceMaxStreams 100
 HiddenServiceMaxStreamsCloseCircuit 1
 HiddenServicePort 80 ''' + self.apiServerIP + ''':''' + str(self.hsPort)
 
+        torrcData = add_bridges(torrcData)
+
         torrc = open(self.torConfigLocation, 'w')
         torrc.write(torrcData)
         torrc.close()
diff --git a/onionr/static-data/default_config.json b/onionr/static-data/default_config.json
index 6f96bbf1..c378050a 100755
--- a/onionr/static-data/default_config.json
+++ b/onionr/static-data/default_config.json
@@ -61,7 +61,10 @@
     },
 
     "tor" : {
-        "v3onions" : true
+        "v3onions" : true,
+        "use_bridge": false,
+        "bridge_ip": "",
+        "bridge_fingerprint": ""
     },
 
     "i2p" : {