diff --git a/electrum/gui/qt/__init__.py b/electrum/gui/qt/__init__.py
index 43bc5585e..e5fda06e6 100644
--- a/electrum/gui/qt/__init__.py
+++ b/electrum/gui/qt/__init__.py
@@ -206,6 +206,8 @@ class ElectrumGui(Logger):
         self.app.new_window_signal.emit(path, uri)
 
     def show_lightning_dialog(self):
+        if not self.daemon.network.is_lightning_running():
+            return
         if not self.lightning_dialog:
             self.lightning_dialog = LightningDialog(self)
         self.lightning_dialog.bring_to_top()
diff --git a/electrum/gui/qt/channels_list.py b/electrum/gui/qt/channels_list.py
index 33fac6de9..adaa545d5 100644
--- a/electrum/gui/qt/channels_list.py
+++ b/electrum/gui/qt/channels_list.py
@@ -66,8 +66,11 @@ class ChannelsList(MyTreeView):
             labels[subject] = label
         status = self.lnworker.get_channel_status(chan)
         closed = chan.is_closed()
-        node_info = self.lnworker.channel_db.get_node_info_for_node_id(chan.node_id)
-        node_alias = (node_info.alias if node_info else '') or ''
+        if self.parent.network.is_lightning_running():
+            node_info = self.lnworker.channel_db.get_node_info_for_node_id(chan.node_id)
+            node_alias = (node_info.alias if node_info else '') or ''
+        else:
+            node_alias = ''
         return [
             format_short_channel_id(chan.short_channel_id),
             bh2u(chan.node_id),
diff --git a/electrum/gui/qt/main_window.py b/electrum/gui/qt/main_window.py
index 39c62c294..e13552799 100644
--- a/electrum/gui/qt/main_window.py
+++ b/electrum/gui/qt/main_window.py
@@ -2076,6 +2076,8 @@ class ElectrumWindow(QMainWindow, MessageBoxMixin, Logger):
     def update_lightning_icon(self):
         if self.lightning_button is None:
             return
+        if not self.network.is_lightning_running():
+            return
         cur, total = self.network.lngossip.get_sync_progress_estimate()
         # self.logger.debug(f"updating lngossip sync progress estimate: cur={cur}, total={total}")
         progress_percent = 0
diff --git a/electrum/network.py b/electrum/network.py
index ebd4c6082..fde0ae8be 100644
--- a/electrum/network.py
+++ b/electrum/network.py
@@ -322,6 +322,9 @@ class Network(Logger):
             self.local_watchtower.start_network(self)
             asyncio.ensure_future(self.local_watchtower.start_watching())
 
+    def is_lightning_running(self):
+        return self.channel_db is not None
+
     def maybe_init_lightning(self):
         if self.channel_db is None:
             from . import lnworker