diff --git a/test/test.reconnect.ts b/test/test.reconnect.ts
index 671809f..3eba3c7 100644
--- a/test/test.reconnect.ts
+++ b/test/test.reconnect.ts
@@ -117,15 +117,16 @@ tap.test('should be able to make a functionCall from server to client', async ()
   expect(response.hi).to.equal('hi there from server');
 });
 
-tap.test('client should disconnect and reconnect', async (tools) => {
+tap.test('client should disconnect and reconnect', async (toolsArg) => {
   await testSmartsocketClient.disconnect();
   await testSmartsocketClient.connect();
+  await toolsArg.delayFor(2000);
+  expect(testSmartsocket.socketConnections.getArray().length).to.equal(1);
 });
 
 // class smartsocket
 tap.test('should be able to switch to a new server', async (toolsArg) => {
   await testSmartsocket.stop();
-  await toolsArg.delayFor(5000);
   testSmartsocket = new smartsocket.Smartsocket({ alias: 'testserver2', port: testConfig.port });
   await testSmartsocket.start();
   await toolsArg.delayFor(30000);
diff --git a/ts/smartsocket.classes.smartsocket.ts b/ts/smartsocket.classes.smartsocket.ts
index 00dce88..d0a5649 100644
--- a/ts/smartsocket.classes.smartsocket.ts
+++ b/ts/smartsocket.classes.smartsocket.ts
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ export class Smartsocket {
    */
   public async start() {
     const socketIoModule = this.smartenv.getSafeNodeModule('socket.io');
-    this.io = socketIoModule(this.socketServer.getServerForSocketIo());
+    this.io = socketIoModule(await this.socketServer.getServerForSocketIo());
     await this.socketServer.start();
     this.io.on('connection', (socketArg) => {
       this._handleSocketConnection(socketArg);
diff --git a/ts/smartsocket.classes.smartsocketclient.ts b/ts/smartsocket.classes.smartsocketclient.ts
index b695483..d698be2 100644
--- a/ts/smartsocket.classes.smartsocketclient.ts
+++ b/ts/smartsocket.classes.smartsocketclient.ts
@@ -105,82 +105,81 @@ export class SmartsocketClient {
       authenticated: false,
       side: 'client',
       smartsocketHost: this,
-      socket: await socketIoClient.connect(socketUrl, {
-        multiplex: false,
-        reconnectionAttempts: 5,
-        rejectUnauthorized: socketUrl.startsWith('https://localhost') ? false : true,
-      }),
+      socket: await socketIoClient
+        .connect(socketUrl, {
+          multiplex: false,
+          autoConnect: false,
+          reconnectionAttempts: 0,
+          rejectUnauthorized: socketUrl.startsWith('https://localhost') ? false : true,
+        })
+        .open(),
     });
 
     const timer = new plugins.smarttime.Timer(5000);
     timer.start();
     timer.completed.then(() => {
       logger.log('warn', 'connection to server timed out.');
-      this.disconnect();
+      this.disconnect(true);
     });
 
     // authentication flow
-    this.socketConnection.socket.on(
-      'requestAuth',
-      (dataArg: interfaces.IRequestAuthPayload) => {
-        timer.reset();
-        logger.log('info', `server ${dataArg.serverAlias} requested authentication`);
+    this.socketConnection.socket.on('requestAuth', (dataArg: interfaces.IRequestAuthPayload) => {
+      timer.reset();
+      logger.log('info', `server ${dataArg.serverAlias} requested authentication`);
 
-        // lets register the authenticated event
-        this.socketConnection.socket.on('authenticated', async () => {
-          this.remoteShortId = dataArg.serverAlias;
-          logger.log('info', 'client is authenticated');
-          this.socketConnection.authenticated = true;
-          await this.socketConnection.listenToFunctionRequests();
-        });
+      // lets register the authenticated event
+      this.socketConnection.socket.on('authenticated', async () => {
+        this.remoteShortId = dataArg.serverAlias;
+        logger.log('info', 'client is authenticated');
+        this.socketConnection.authenticated = true;
+        await this.socketConnection.listenToFunctionRequests();
+      });
 
-        this.socketConnection.socket.on('serverFullyReactive', async () => {
-          // lets take care of retagging
-          const oldTagStore = this.tagStore;
-          this.tagStoreSubscription?.unsubscribe();
-          for (const keyArg of Object.keys(this.tagStore)) {
-            this.socketConnection.addTag(this.tagStore[keyArg]);
+      this.socketConnection.socket.on('serverFullyReactive', async () => {
+        // lets take care of retagging
+        const oldTagStore = this.tagStore;
+        this.tagStoreSubscription?.unsubscribe();
+        for (const keyArg of Object.keys(this.tagStore)) {
+          this.socketConnection.addTag(this.tagStore[keyArg]);
+        }
+        this.tagStoreSubscription = this.socketConnection.tagStoreObservable.subscribe(
+          (tagStoreArg) => {
+            this.tagStore = tagStoreArg;
           }
-          this.tagStoreSubscription = this.socketConnection.tagStoreObservable.subscribe(
-            (tagStoreArg) => {
-              this.tagStore = tagStoreArg;
-            }
-          );
+        );
 
-          for (const tag of Object.keys(oldTagStore)) {
-            await this.addTag(oldTagStore[tag]);
-          }
-          done.resolve();
-        });
+        for (const tag of Object.keys(oldTagStore)) {
+          await this.addTag(oldTagStore[tag]);
+        }
+        this.updateStatus('connected');
+        done.resolve();
+      });
 
-        // lets register the forbidden event
-        this.socketConnection.socket.on('forbidden', async () => {
-          logger.log('warn', `disconnecting due to being forbidden to use the ressource`);
-          await this.disconnect();
-        });
+      // lets register the forbidden event
+      this.socketConnection.socket.on('forbidden', async () => {
+        logger.log('warn', `disconnecting due to being forbidden to use the ressource`);
+        await this.disconnect();
+      });
 
-        // lets provide the actual auth data
-        this.socketConnection.socket.emit('dataAuth', {
-          alias: this.alias,
-        });
-      }
-    );
+      // lets provide the actual auth data
+      this.socketConnection.socket.emit('dataAuth', {
+        alias: this.alias,
+      });
+    });
 
     // handle connection
-    this.socketConnection.socket.on('connect', async () => {
-      this.updateStatus('connected');
-    });
+    this.socketConnection.socket.on('connect', async () => {});
 
     // handle disconnection and errors
     this.socketConnection.socket.on('disconnect', async () => {
-      await this.disconnect();
+      await this.disconnect(true);
     });
 
     this.socketConnection.socket.on('reconnect_failed', async () => {
-      await this.disconnect();
+      await this.disconnect(true);
     });
     this.socketConnection.socket.on('connect_error', async () => {
-      await this.disconnect();
+      await this.disconnect(true);
     });
     return done.promise;
   }
@@ -188,19 +187,25 @@ export class SmartsocketClient {
   /**
    * disconnect from the server
    */
-  public async disconnect() {
+  public async disconnect(useAutoconnectSetting = false) {
+    if (this.eventStatus === 'disconnecting') {
+      return;
+    }
+    this.updateStatus('disconnecting');
     this.tagStoreSubscription?.unsubscribe();
     if (this.socketConnection) {
       await this.socketConnection.disconnect();
       this.socketConnection = undefined;
-      logger.log('ok', 'disconnected!');
+      logger.log('ok', 'disconnected socket!');
     }
     logger.log('warn', `disconnected from server ${this.remoteShortId}`);
     this.remoteShortId = null;
-    this.updateStatus('disconnected');
 
-    if (this.autoReconnect) {
+    if (this.autoReconnect && useAutoconnectSetting && this.eventStatus !== 'connecting') {
+      this.updateStatus('connecting');
       this.tryDebouncedReconnect();
+    } else if (this.eventStatus === 'connected') {
+      this.updateStatus('disconnected');
     }
   }
 
@@ -216,6 +221,7 @@ export class SmartsocketClient {
    * try a reconnection
    */
   public async tryDebouncedReconnect() {
+    console.log('debounced reconnect!');
     await plugins.smartdelay.delayForRandom(10000, 20000);
     await this.connect();
   }
diff --git a/ts/smartsocket.classes.socketconnection.ts b/ts/smartsocket.classes.socketconnection.ts
index 70cdbb4..1bde7ea 100644
--- a/ts/smartsocket.classes.socketconnection.ts
+++ b/ts/smartsocket.classes.socketconnection.ts
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ export class SocketConnection {
         this.remoteTagStoreObservable.next(tagStoreArg);
       });
 
-      logger.log('info', `now listening to function requests for ${this.alias}`);
+      logger.log('info', `now listening to function requests for ${this.alias} on side ${this.side}`);
       done.resolve(this);
     } else {
       const errMessage = 'socket needs to be authenticated first';
diff --git a/ts/smartsocket.classes.socketserver.ts b/ts/smartsocket.classes.socketserver.ts
index d8d50ca..0c0acb1 100644
--- a/ts/smartsocket.classes.socketserver.ts
+++ b/ts/smartsocket.classes.socketserver.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import { logger } from './smartsocket.logging';
  */
 export class SocketServer {
   private smartsocket: Smartsocket;
+  private httpServerDeferred: plugins.smartpromise.Deferred<any>;
   private httpServer: pluginsTyped.http.Server | pluginsTyped.https.Server;
   
   /**
@@ -30,14 +31,19 @@ export class SocketServer {
     serverType: 'smartexpress',
     serverArg: pluginsTyped.smartexpress.Server
   ) {
+    this.httpServerDeferred = plugins.smartpromise.defer();
     await serverArg.startedPromise;
     this.httpServer = serverArg.httpServer;
+    this.httpServerDeferred.resolve();
   }
 
   /**
    * gets the server for socket.io
    */
-  public getServerForSocketIo() {
+  public async getServerForSocketIo() {
+    if (this.httpServerDeferred) {
+      await this.httpServerDeferred.promise;
+    }
     if (this.httpServer) {
       return this.httpServer;
     } else {