diff --git a/src/warnet/bitcoin.py b/src/warnet/bitcoin.py
index 5b392e22e..8d6676cf2 100644
--- a/src/warnet/bitcoin.py
+++ b/src/warnet/bitcoin.py
@@ -151,6 +151,11 @@ def grep_logs(pattern: str, show_k8s_timestamps: bool, no_sort: bool):
     return matching_logs
 
 
+def is_external_peer(name: str) -> bool:
+    """Check if tank_b is an external/non-tank peer (e.g. onion address or raw IP)"""
+    return ".onion" in name or not name.startswith("tank-")
+
+
 @bitcoin.command()
 @click.argument("tank_a", type=str, required=True)
 @click.argument("tank_b", type=str, required=True)
@@ -159,6 +164,7 @@ def messages(tank_a: str, tank_b: str, chain: str):
     """
     Fetch messages sent between <tank_a pod name> and <tank_b pod name> in [chain]
 
+    tank_b can be a tank pod name, an onion address, or any external peer identifier.
     Optionally, include a namespace like so: tank-name.namespace
     """
 
@@ -171,18 +177,30 @@ def parse_name_and_namespace(tank: str) -> tuple[str, Optional[str]]:
         return tank_split[0], namespace
 
     tank_a_split = tank_a.split(".")
-    tank_b_split = tank_b.split(".")
-    if len(tank_a_split) > 2 or len(tank_b_split) > 2:
+    if len(tank_a_split) > 2:
         click.secho("Accepted formats: tank-name OR tank-name.namespace")
         click.secho(f"Foramts found: {tank_a} {tank_b}")
         sys.exit(1)
 
+        # Only validate tank_b format if it's not an external peer
+    if not is_external_peer(tank_b):
+        tank_b_split = tank_b.split(".")
+        if len(tank_b_split) > 2:
+            click.secho("Accepted formats: tank-name OR tank-name.namespace")
+            click.secho(f"Format found: {tank_b}")
+            sys.exit(1)
+
     tank_a, namespace_a = parse_name_and_namespace(tank_a)
-    tank_b, namespace_b = parse_name_and_namespace(tank_b)
+
+    # If tank_b is an external peer (onion address etc.), skip namespace parsing
+    if is_external_peer(tank_b):
+        namespace_b = None
+    else:
+        tank_b, namespace_b = parse_name_and_namespace(tank_b)
+        namespace_b = get_default_namespace_or(namespace_b)
 
     try:
         namespace_a = get_default_namespace_or(namespace_a)
-        namespace_b = get_default_namespace_or(namespace_b)
 
         # Get the messages
         messages = get_messages(
@@ -190,9 +208,8 @@ def parse_name_and_namespace(tank: str) -> tuple[str, Optional[str]]:
         )
 
         if not messages:
-            print(
-                f"No messages found between {tank_a} ({namespace_a}) and {tank_b} ({namespace_b})"
-            )
+            peer_display = tank_b if namespace_b is None else f"{tank_b} ({namespace_b})"
+            print(f"No messages found between {tank_a} ({namespace_a}) and {peer_display}")
             return
 
         # Process and print messages
@@ -224,15 +241,17 @@ def get_messages(tank_a: str, tank_b: str, chain: str, namespace_a: str, namespa
     subdir = "" if chain == "main" else f"{chain}/"
     base_dir = f"/root/.bitcoin/{subdir}message_capture"
 
-    # Get the IP of node_b
-    cmd = f"kubectl get pod {tank_b} -o jsonpath='{{.status.podIP}}' --namespace {namespace_b}"
-    tank_b_ip = run_command(cmd).strip()
+    if namespace_b is None:
+        # External peer (onion address, raw IP, etc.) — use address directly for dir matching
+        tank_b_ip = tank_b
+        tank_b_service_ip = tank_b
+    else:
+        # Known tank — look up IPs via kubectl
+        cmd = f"kubectl get pod {tank_b} -o jsonpath='{{.status.podIP}}' --namespace {namespace_b}"
+        tank_b_ip = run_command(cmd).strip()
 
-    # Get the service IP of node_b
-    cmd = (
-        f"kubectl get service {tank_b} -o jsonpath='{{.spec.clusterIP}}' --namespace {namespace_b}"
-    )
-    tank_b_service_ip = run_command(cmd).strip()
+        cmd = f"kubectl get service {tank_b} -o jsonpath='{{.spec.clusterIP}}' --namespace {namespace_b}"
+        tank_b_service_ip = run_command(cmd).strip()
 
     # List directories in the message capture folder
     cmd = f"kubectl exec {tank_a} --namespace {namespace_a} -- ls {base_dir}"
diff --git a/test/onion_test.py b/test/onion_test.py
index 75ec6b049..b50cda486 100755
--- a/test/onion_test.py
+++ b/test/onion_test.py
@@ -76,6 +76,25 @@ def onion_connect():
 
         self.wait_for_predicate(onion_connect, timeout=20 * 60)
 
+        self.check_messages(onions)
+
+    def check_messages(self, onions: dict):
+        self.log.info("Checking captured messages from onion peer...")
+
+        # tank-0001's onion address as seen by tank-0000
+        onion_b = onions["tank-0001"]
+
+        # Bitcoin message capture dirs are named like: <ip>_<port> or <onion>_<port>
+        # We pass the onion address with port appended as tank_b
+        onion_b_with_port = f"{onion_b}_18444"
+
+        result = self.warnet(f"bitcoin messages tank-0000 {onion_b_with_port}")
+        self.log.info(f"Messages result: {result}")
+        assert result and len(result.strip()) > 0, (
+            f"Expected messages between tank-0000 and {onion_b_with_port} but got none"
+        )
+        self.log.info("Successfully retrieved messages from onion peer!")
+
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     test = OnionTest()