diff --git a/contrib/dendrite-demo-i2p/main_i2p.go b/contrib/dendrite-demo-i2p/main_i2p.go
index bfe5730b4a..3e3730988a 100644
--- a/contrib/dendrite-demo-i2p/main_i2p.go
+++ b/contrib/dendrite-demo-i2p/main_i2p.go
@@ -42,7 +42,14 @@ import (
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/setup/config"
 )
 
-var sam, err = goSam.NewClient(*samAddr)
+func client() (*goSam.Client, error) {
+	if skip {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+	return goSam.NewClient(*samAddr)
+}
+
+var sam, err = client()
 
 // Dial a network connection to an I2P server or a unix socket. Fail for clearnet addresses.
 func Dial(network, addr string) (net.Conn, error) {
diff --git a/contrib/dendrite-demo-tor/main_tor.go b/contrib/dendrite-demo-tor/main_tor.go
index ba240961f4..9222870531 100644
--- a/contrib/dendrite-demo-tor/main_tor.go
+++ b/contrib/dendrite-demo-tor/main_tor.go
@@ -40,8 +40,22 @@ import (
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/setup/config"
 )
 
-var t, terr = tor.Start(context.Background(), nil)
-var tdialer, tderr = t.Dialer(context.TODO(), nil)
+func start() (*tor.Tor, error) {
+	if skip {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+	return tor.Start(context.Background(), nil)
+}
+
+func dialer() (*tor.Dialer, error) {
+	if skip {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+	return t.Dialer(context.TODO(), nil)
+}
+
+var t, terr = start()
+var tdialer, tderr = dialer()
 
 // Dial either a unix socket address, or connect to a remote address over Tor. Always uses Tor.
 func Dial(network, addr string) (net.Conn, error) {