diff --git a/src/i2p.cpp b/src/i2p.cpp
index fc9e741f40d..f3689a7e516 100644
--- a/src/i2p.cpp
+++ b/src/i2p.cpp
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ static CNetAddr DestB64ToAddr(const std::string& dest)
 namespace sam {
 
 Session::Session(const fs::path& private_key_file,
-                 const CService& control_host,
+                 const Proxy& control_host,
                  CThreadInterrupt* interrupt)
     : m_private_key_file{private_key_file},
       m_control_host{control_host},
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ Session::Session(const fs::path& private_key_file,
 {
 }
 
-Session::Session(const CService& control_host, CThreadInterrupt* interrupt)
+Session::Session(const Proxy& control_host, CThreadInterrupt* interrupt)
     : m_control_host{control_host},
       m_interrupt{interrupt},
       m_transient{true}
@@ -326,10 +326,10 @@ Session::Reply Session::SendRequestAndGetReply(const Sock& sock,
 
 std::unique_ptr<Sock> Session::Hello() const
 {
-    auto sock = ConnectDirectly(m_control_host, true);
+    auto sock = m_control_host.Connect();
 
     if (!sock) {
-        throw std::runtime_error(strprintf("Cannot connect to %s", m_control_host.ToStringAddrPort()));
+        throw std::runtime_error(strprintf("Cannot connect to %s", m_control_host.ToString()));
     }
 
     SendRequestAndGetReply(*sock, "HELLO VERSION MIN=3.1 MAX=3.1");
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ void Session::CreateIfNotCreatedAlready()
     const auto session_type = m_transient ? "transient" : "persistent";
     const auto session_id = GetRandHash().GetHex().substr(0, 10); // full is overkill, too verbose in the logs
 
-    Log("Creating %s SAM session %s with %s", session_type, session_id, m_control_host.ToStringAddrPort());
+    Log("Creating %s SAM session %s with %s", session_type, session_id, m_control_host.ToString());
 
     auto sock = Hello();
 
diff --git a/src/i2p.h b/src/i2p.h
index 375abaccfcc..8b0f1e11828 100644
--- a/src/i2p.h
+++ b/src/i2p.h
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 
 #include <compat/compat.h>
 #include <netaddress.h>
+#include <netbase.h>
 #include <sync.h>
 #include <util/fs.h>
 #include <util/sock.h>
@@ -67,7 +68,7 @@ public:
      * `Session` object.
      */
     Session(const fs::path& private_key_file,
-            const CService& control_host,
+            const Proxy& control_host,
             CThreadInterrupt* interrupt);
 
     /**
@@ -81,7 +82,7 @@ public:
      * `CThreadInterrupt` object is saved, so it must not be destroyed earlier than this
      * `Session` object.
      */
-    Session(const CService& control_host, CThreadInterrupt* interrupt);
+    Session(const Proxy& control_host, CThreadInterrupt* interrupt);
 
     /**
      * Destroy the session, closing the internally used sockets. The sockets that have been
@@ -235,9 +236,9 @@ private:
     const fs::path m_private_key_file;
 
     /**
-     * The host and port of the SAM control service.
+     * The SAM control service proxy.
      */
-    const CService m_control_host;
+    const Proxy m_control_host;
 
     /**
      * Cease network activity when this is signaled.
diff --git a/src/net.cpp b/src/net.cpp
index 2cc85aa488a..66a863cd6ca 100644
--- a/src/net.cpp
+++ b/src/net.cpp
@@ -463,7 +463,7 @@ CNode* CConnman::ConnectNode(CAddress addrConnect, const char *pszDest, bool fCo
                     LOCK(m_unused_i2p_sessions_mutex);
                     if (m_unused_i2p_sessions.empty()) {
                         i2p_transient_session =
-                            std::make_unique<i2p::sam::Session>(proxy.proxy, &interruptNet);
+                            std::make_unique<i2p::sam::Session>(proxy, &interruptNet);
                     } else {
                         i2p_transient_session.swap(m_unused_i2p_sessions.front());
                         m_unused_i2p_sessions.pop();
@@ -3186,7 +3186,7 @@ bool CConnman::Start(CScheduler& scheduler, const Options& connOptions)
     Proxy i2p_sam;
     if (GetProxy(NET_I2P, i2p_sam) && connOptions.m_i2p_accept_incoming) {
         m_i2p_sam_session = std::make_unique<i2p::sam::Session>(gArgs.GetDataDirNet() / "i2p_private_key",
-                                                                i2p_sam.proxy, &interruptNet);
+                                                                i2p_sam, &interruptNet);
     }
 
     for (const auto& strDest : connOptions.vSeedNodes) {
diff --git a/src/test/i2p_tests.cpp b/src/test/i2p_tests.cpp
index ef1d0b659cd..d7249d88f41 100644
--- a/src/test/i2p_tests.cpp
+++ b/src/test/i2p_tests.cpp
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include <i2p.h>
 #include <logging.h>
 #include <netaddress.h>
+#include <netbase.h>
 #include <test/util/logging.h>
 #include <test/util/net.h>
 #include <test/util/setup_common.h>
@@ -51,7 +52,9 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(unlimited_recv)
     };
 
     CThreadInterrupt interrupt;
-    i2p::sam::Session session(gArgs.GetDataDirNet() / "test_i2p_private_key", CService{}, &interrupt);
+    const std::optional<CService> addr{Lookup("127.0.0.1", 9000, false)};
+    const Proxy sam_proxy(addr.value(), false);
+    i2p::sam::Session session(gArgs.GetDataDirNet() / "test_i2p_private_key", sam_proxy, &interrupt);
 
     {
         ASSERT_DEBUG_LOG("Creating persistent SAM session");
@@ -111,8 +114,10 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(listen_ok_accept_fail)
     };
 
     CThreadInterrupt interrupt;
+    const CService addr{in6_addr(IN6ADDR_LOOPBACK_INIT), /*port=*/7656};
+    const Proxy sam_proxy(addr, false);
     i2p::sam::Session session(gArgs.GetDataDirNet() / "test_i2p_private_key",
-                              CService{in6_addr(IN6ADDR_LOOPBACK_INIT), /*port=*/7656},
+                              sam_proxy,
                               &interrupt);
 
     i2p::Connection conn;
@@ -154,7 +159,9 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(damaged_private_key)
         BOOST_REQUIRE(WriteBinaryFile(i2p_private_key_file, file_contents));
 
         CThreadInterrupt interrupt;
-        i2p::sam::Session session(i2p_private_key_file, CService{}, &interrupt);
+        const CService addr{in6_addr(IN6ADDR_LOOPBACK_INIT), /*port=*/7656};
+        const Proxy sam_proxy{addr, false};
+        i2p::sam::Session session(i2p_private_key_file, sam_proxy, &interrupt);
 
         {
             ASSERT_DEBUG_LOG("Creating persistent SAM session");