diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/torproject/android/ui/connect/ConfigConnectionBottomSheet.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/torproject/android/ui/connect/ConfigConnectionBottomSheet.kt
index d106c33bd..098f2255f 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/torproject/android/ui/connect/ConfigConnectionBottomSheet.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/torproject/android/ui/connect/ConfigConnectionBottomSheet.kt
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ import android.widget.RadioButton
 import android.widget.Toast
 import androidx.appcompat.content.res.AppCompatResources
 import androidx.core.net.toUri
+import androidx.fragment.app.activityViewModels
 import androidx.lifecycle.lifecycleScope
-import androidx.navigation.fragment.NavHostFragment
 import kotlinx.coroutines.Dispatchers
 import kotlinx.coroutines.delay
 import kotlinx.coroutines.launch
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ class ConfigConnectionBottomSheet :
     OrbotBottomSheetDialogFragment(), CompoundButton.OnCheckedChangeListener {
 
     private lateinit var binding: ConfigConnectionBottomSheetBinding
+    private val viewModel: ConnectViewModel by activityViewModels()
 
     private lateinit var radios: List<RadioButton>
     private lateinit var radioSubtitleMap: Map<CompoundButton, View>
@@ -177,9 +178,7 @@ class ConfigConnectionBottomSheet :
 
     private fun closeAndConnect() {
         dismiss()
-        val navHostFragment = requireActivity().supportFragmentManager.fragments[0] as NavHostFragment
-        val connectFrag = navHostFragment.childFragmentManager.fragments.last() as ConnectFragment
-        connectFrag.startTorAndVpn()
+        viewModel.triggerStartTorAndVpn()
     }
 
     private fun selectRadioButtonFromPreference() {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/torproject/android/ui/connect/ConnectFragment.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/torproject/android/ui/connect/ConnectFragment.kt
index 03e37e38f..470eb5301 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/torproject/android/ui/connect/ConnectFragment.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/torproject/android/ui/connect/ConnectFragment.kt
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ class ConnectFragment : Fragment(),
     private val startTorResultLauncher =
         registerForActivityResult(ActivityResultContracts.StartActivityForResult()) { result ->
             if (result.resultCode == AppCompatActivity.RESULT_OK) {
-                startTorAndVpn()
+                viewModel.triggerStartTorAndVpn()
             }
         }
 
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ class ConnectFragment : Fragment(),
         registerForActivityResult(ActivityResultContracts.StartActivityForResult()) { result ->
             if (result.resultCode == AppCompatActivity.RESULT_OK) {
                 requireContext().sendIntentToService(OrbotConstants.ACTION_RESTART_VPN) // is this enough todo?
-                refreshMenuList(requireContext())
+                viewModel.triggerRefreshMenuList()
             }
         }
 
@@ -80,7 +80,6 @@ class ConnectFragment : Fragment(),
                                 binding.progressBar.progress = it
                             }
                         }
-
                         is ConnectUiState.On -> doLayoutOn(requireContext())
                         is ConnectUiState.Stopping -> {}
                     }
@@ -93,6 +92,8 @@ class ConnectFragment : Fragment(),
                 when (event) {
                     is ConnectEvent.StartTorAndVpn -> startTorAndVpn()
                     is ConnectEvent.RefreshMenuList -> refreshMenuList(requireContext())
+                    is ConnectEvent.StopTorAndVpn -> stopTorAndVpn()
+                    is ConnectEvent.SendNewnymSignal -> sendNewnymSignal()
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -119,7 +120,6 @@ class ConnectFragment : Fragment(),
 
     private fun stopTorAndVpn() {
         requireContext().sendIntentToService(OrbotConstants.ACTION_STOP)
-        doLayoutOff()
     }
 
     private fun stopAnimations() {
@@ -178,8 +178,13 @@ class ConnectFragment : Fragment(),
                         "ExitNodeBottomSheet"
                     )
                 },
-                OrbotMenuAction(R.string.btn_refresh, R.drawable.ic_refresh) { sendNewnymSignal() },
-                OrbotMenuAction(R.string.btn_tor_off, R.drawable.ic_power) { stopTorAndVpn() })
+                OrbotMenuAction(R.string.btn_refresh, R.drawable.ic_refresh) {
+                    viewModel.triggerSendNewnymSignal()
+                },
+                OrbotMenuAction(R.string.btn_tor_off, R.drawable.ic_power) {
+                    viewModel.triggerStopTorAndVpn()
+                }
+            )
         if (!Prefs.isPowerUserMode) listItems.add(
             0,
             OrbotMenuAction(R.string.btn_choose_apps, R.drawable.ic_choose_apps) {
@@ -223,7 +228,7 @@ class ConnectFragment : Fragment(),
         binding.swSmartConnect.visibility = View.GONE
         binding.tvConfigure.visibility = View.GONE
 
-        refreshMenuList(context)
+        viewModel.triggerRefreshMenuList()
 
         binding.ivStatus.setOnClickListener {}
     }
@@ -241,7 +246,7 @@ class ConnectFragment : Fragment(),
         binding.swSmartConnect.isChecked = Prefs.smartConnect
         binding.swSmartConnect.setOnCheckedChangeListener { _, value ->
             Prefs.smartConnect = value
-            doLayoutOff()
+            viewModel.updateState(requireContext(), lastStatus)
         }
 
         binding.tvConfigure.visibility = View.VISIBLE
@@ -323,11 +328,13 @@ class ConnectFragment : Fragment(),
             backgroundTintList = ColorStateList.valueOf(
                 ContextCompat.getColor(requireContext(), R.color.orbot_btn_enabled_purple)
             )
-            setOnClickListener { startTorAndVpn() }
+            setOnClickListener {
+                viewModel.triggerStartTorAndVpn()
+            }
         }
 
         binding.ivStatus.setOnClickListener {
-            startTorAndVpn()
+            viewModel.triggerStartTorAndVpn()
         }
     }
 
@@ -361,7 +368,7 @@ class ConnectFragment : Fragment(),
                 )
             )
             setOnClickListener {
-                stopTorAndVpn()
+                viewModel.triggerStopTorAndVpn()
             }
         }
 
@@ -385,6 +392,6 @@ class ConnectFragment : Fragment(),
                 .setAction(OrbotConstants.CMD_SET_EXIT).putExtra("exit", countryCode)
         )
 
-        refreshMenuList(requireContext())
+        viewModel.triggerRefreshMenuList()
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/torproject/android/ui/connect/ConnectViewModel.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/torproject/android/ui/connect/ConnectViewModel.kt
index 7a5d46bea..53cbaa63c 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/torproject/android/ui/connect/ConnectViewModel.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/torproject/android/ui/connect/ConnectViewModel.kt
@@ -50,9 +50,23 @@ class ConnectViewModel : ViewModel() {
             _eventChannel.send(ConnectEvent.RefreshMenuList)
         }
     }
+
+    fun triggerStopTorAndVpn() {
+        viewModelScope.launch {
+            _eventChannel.send(ConnectEvent.StopTorAndVpn)
+        }
+    }
+
+    fun triggerSendNewnymSignal() {
+        viewModelScope.launch {
+            _eventChannel.send(ConnectEvent.SendNewnymSignal)
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 sealed class ConnectEvent {
     object StartTorAndVpn : ConnectEvent()
     object RefreshMenuList : ConnectEvent()
+    object StopTorAndVpn : ConnectEvent()
+    object SendNewnymSignal : ConnectEvent()
 }