diff --git a/src/torcontrol.cpp b/src/torcontrol.cpp
--- a/src/torcontrol.cpp
+++ b/src/torcontrol.cpp
@@ -85,13 +85,14 @@
 
     /**
      * Connect to a Tor control port.
-     * target is address of the form host:port.
+     * tor_control_center is address of the form host:port.
      * connected is the handler that is called when connection is successfully
      * established.
      * disconnected is a handler that is called when the connection is broken.
      * Return true on success.
      */
-    bool Connect(const std::string &target, const ConnectionCB &connected,
+    bool Connect(const std::string &tor_control_center,
+                 const ConnectionCB &connected,
                  const ConnectionCB &disconnected);
 
     /**
@@ -207,19 +208,19 @@
     }
 }
 
-bool TorControlConnection::Connect(const std::string &target,
+bool TorControlConnection::Connect(const std::string &tor_control_center,
                                    const ConnectionCB &_connected,
                                    const ConnectionCB &_disconnected) {
     if (b_conn) {
         Disconnect();
     }
-    // Parse target address:port
+    // Parse tor_control_center address:port
     struct sockaddr_storage connect_to_addr;
     int connect_to_addrlen = sizeof(connect_to_addr);
-    if (evutil_parse_sockaddr_port(target.c_str(),
+    if (evutil_parse_sockaddr_port(tor_control_center.c_str(),
                                    (struct sockaddr *)&connect_to_addr,
                                    &connect_to_addrlen) < 0) {
-        LogPrintf("tor: Error parsing socket address %s\n", target);
+        LogPrintf("tor: Error parsing socket address %s\n", tor_control_center);
         return false;
     }
 
@@ -234,10 +235,10 @@
     this->connected = _connected;
     this->disconnected = _disconnected;
 
-    // Finally, connect to target
+    // Finally, connect to tor_control_center
     if (bufferevent_socket_connect(b_conn, (struct sockaddr *)&connect_to_addr,
                                    connect_to_addrlen) < 0) {
-        LogPrintf("tor: Error connecting to address %s\n", target);
+        LogPrintf("tor: Error connecting to address %s\n", tor_control_center);
         return false;
     }
     return true;
@@ -461,7 +462,8 @@
  */
 class TorController {
 public:
-    TorController(struct event_base *base, const std::string &target);
+    TorController(struct event_base *base,
+                  const std::string &tor_control_center);
     ~TorController();
 
     /** Get name fo file to store private key in */
@@ -472,7 +474,7 @@
 
 private:
     struct event_base *base;
-    std::string target;
+    const std::string m_tor_control_center;
     TorControlConnection conn;
     std::string private_key;
     std::string service_id;
@@ -505,22 +507,23 @@
 };
 
 TorController::TorController(struct event_base *_base,
-                             const std::string &_target)
-    : base(_base), target(_target), conn(base), reconnect(true),
-      reconnect_ev(0), reconnect_timeout(RECONNECT_TIMEOUT_START) {
+                             const std::string &tor_control_center)
+    : base(_base), m_tor_control_center(tor_control_center), conn(base),
+      reconnect(true), reconnect_ev(0),
+      reconnect_timeout(RECONNECT_TIMEOUT_START) {
     reconnect_ev = event_new(base, -1, 0, reconnect_cb, this);
     if (!reconnect_ev) {
         LogPrintf(
             "tor: Failed to create event for reconnection: out of memory?\n");
     }
     // Start connection attempts immediately
-    if (!conn.Connect(_target,
+    if (!conn.Connect(m_tor_control_center,
                       std::bind(&TorController::connected_cb, this,
                                 std::placeholders::_1),
                       std::bind(&TorController::disconnected_cb, this,
                                 std::placeholders::_1))) {
         LogPrintf("tor: Initiating connection to Tor control port %s failed\n",
-                  _target);
+                  m_tor_control_center);
     }
     // Read service private key if cached
     std::pair<bool, std::string> pkf = ReadBinaryFile(GetPrivateKeyFile());
@@ -825,7 +828,7 @@
 
     LogPrint(BCLog::TOR,
              "tor: Not connected to Tor control port %s, trying to reconnect\n",
-             target);
+             m_tor_control_center);
 
     // Single-shot timer for reconnect. Use exponential backoff.
     struct timeval time = MillisToTimeval(int64_t(reconnect_timeout * 1000.0));
@@ -839,14 +842,14 @@
     /* Try to reconnect and reestablish if we get booted - for example, Tor may
      * be restarting.
      */
-    if (!conn.Connect(target,
+    if (!conn.Connect(m_tor_control_center,
                       std::bind(&TorController::connected_cb, this,
                                 std::placeholders::_1),
                       std::bind(&TorController::disconnected_cb, this,
                                 std::placeholders::_1))) {
         LogPrintf(
             "tor: Re-initiating connection to Tor control port %s failed\n",
-            target);
+            m_tor_control_center);
     }
 }