diff --git a/ape_foundry/provider.py b/ape_foundry/provider.py
index 3a4d50d..a57b961 100644
--- a/ape_foundry/provider.py
+++ b/ape_foundry/provider.py
@@ -333,7 +333,13 @@ def _set_web3(self):
             return
 
         self._web3 = Web3(HTTPProvider(self.uri, request_kwargs={"timeout": self.timeout}))
-        if not self._web3.is_connected():
+
+        try:
+            is_connected = self._web3.is_connected()
+        except Exception:
+            is_connected = False
+
+        if not is_connected:
             self._web3 = None
             return
 
@@ -397,7 +403,12 @@ def _start(self):
         else:
             self._host = f"http://127.0.0.1:{DEFAULT_PORT}"
 
-        self.start()
+        if "127.0.0.1" in self._host or "localhost" in self._host:
+            # Start local process
+            self.start()
+
+        else:
+            raise FoundryProviderError(f"Failed to connect to Anvil node at '{self._clean_uri}'.")
 
     def disconnect(self):
         self._web3 = None
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index ec303de..99fdc5d 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import json
+import os
 import tempfile
 from contextlib import contextmanager
 from pathlib import Path
@@ -257,3 +258,12 @@ def contract_a(owner, connected_provider, get_contract_type):
         ContractContainer(get_contract_type("contract_a")), contract_b.address, contract_c.address
     )
     return contract_a
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def no_anvil_bin(monkeypatch):
+    original_path = os.environ.get("PATH")
+    modified_path = ":".join(path for path in original_path.split(":") if "anvil" not in path)
+    monkeypatch.setenv("PATH", modified_path)
+    yield
+    monkeypatch.setenv("PATH", original_path)
diff --git a/tests/test_provider.py b/tests/test_provider.py
index 9e8f50e..7166615 100644
--- a/tests/test_provider.py
+++ b/tests/test_provider.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 from evm_trace import CallType
 from hexbytes import HexBytes
 
+from ape_foundry import FoundryProviderError
 from ape_foundry.provider import FOUNDRY_CHAIN_ID
 
 TEST_WALLET_ADDRESS = "0xD9b7fdb3FC0A0Aa3A507dCf0976bc23D49a9C7A3"
@@ -293,3 +294,14 @@ def test_block_time(temp_config, networks, connected_provider):
         cmd = provider.build_command()
         assert "--block-time" in cmd
         assert "10" in cmd
+
+
+def test_remote_host(temp_config, networks, no_anvil_bin):
+    data = {"foundry": {"host": "https://example.com"}}
+    with temp_config(data):
+        with pytest.raises(
+            FoundryProviderError,
+            match=r"Failed to connect to Anvil node at 'https://example.com'\.",
+        ):
+            with networks.ethereum.local.use_provider("foundry"):
+                assert True