Electrum 2.7.9 on Tails can't sign offline, I get "Server did not answer"

[racezefi]

When I click "Sign", it times out of some remote connection in about 10 seconds and says "server did not answer".
I'm trying to just sign a TX hex I copied from a watch only.
I can do it perfectly on 2.7.11.

Why would Electrum need to contact a server in order to sign a transaction?

[Abdussamad]

it shouldn't. but hey that's an older version. so upgrade if you can.