diff --git a/bridge/bridge.go b/bridge/bridge.go
index b387812a..c8c6ac4e 100644
--- a/bridge/bridge.go
+++ b/bridge/bridge.go
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/42wim/matterbridge/bridge/slack"
 	"github.com/42wim/matterbridge/bridge/telegram"
 	"github.com/42wim/matterbridge/bridge/xmpp"
+	log "github.com/Sirupsen/logrus"
+
 	"strings"
 )
 
@@ -17,14 +19,18 @@ type Bridger interface {
 	Send(msg config.Message) error
 	Connect() error
 	JoinChannel(channel string) error
+	Disconnect() error
 }
 
 type Bridge struct {
 	Config config.Protocol
 	Bridger
-	Name     string
-	Account  string
-	Protocol string
+	Name           string
+	Account        string
+	Protocol       string
+	ChannelsOut    []string
+	ChannelsIn     []string
+	ChannelOptions config.ChannelOptions
 }
 
 func New(cfg *config.Config, bridge *config.Bridge, c chan config.Message) *Bridge {
@@ -66,3 +72,15 @@ func New(cfg *config.Config, bridge *config.Bridge, c chan config.Message) *Brid
 	}
 	return b
 }
+
+func (b *Bridge) JoinChannels() error {
+	exists := make(map[string]bool)
+	for _, channel := range append(b.ChannelsIn, b.ChannelsOut...) {
+		if !exists[channel] {
+			log.Infof("%s: joining %s", b.Account, channel)
+			b.JoinChannel(channel)
+			exists[channel] = true
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/bridge/config/config.go b/bridge/config/config.go
index ac3e939b..811c97ae 100644
--- a/bridge/config/config.go
+++ b/bridge/config/config.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 
 const (
 	EVENT_JOIN_LEAVE = "join_leave"
+	EVENT_FAILURE    = "failure"
 )
 
 type Message struct {
diff --git a/bridge/discord/discord.go b/bridge/discord/discord.go
index 620493b2..06508b84 100644
--- a/bridge/discord/discord.go
+++ b/bridge/discord/discord.go
@@ -80,6 +80,10 @@ func (b *bdiscord) Connect() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (b *bdiscord) Disconnect() error {
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (b *bdiscord) JoinChannel(channel string) error {
 	idcheck := strings.Split(channel, "ID:")
 	if len(idcheck) > 1 {
diff --git a/bridge/gitter/gitter.go b/bridge/gitter/gitter.go
index 0400b4ba..d1f4b401 100644
--- a/bridge/gitter/gitter.go
+++ b/bridge/gitter/gitter.go
@@ -45,6 +45,11 @@ func (b *Bgitter) Connect() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (b *Bgitter) Disconnect() error {
+	return nil
+
+}
+
 func (b *Bgitter) JoinChannel(channel string) error {
 	room := channel
 	roomID := b.getRoomID(room)
diff --git a/bridge/irc/irc.go b/bridge/irc/irc.go
index fe8dc741..db430800 100644
--- a/bridge/irc/irc.go
+++ b/bridge/irc/irc.go
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@ func New(cfg config.Protocol, account string, c chan config.Message) *Birc {
 	if b.Config.MessageQueue == 0 {
 		b.Config.MessageQueue = 30
 	}
-	b.Local = make(chan config.Message, b.Config.MessageQueue+10)
 	return b
 }
 
@@ -61,6 +60,7 @@ func (b *Birc) Command(msg *config.Message) string {
 }
 
 func (b *Birc) Connect() error {
+	b.Local = make(chan config.Message, b.Config.MessageQueue+10)
 	flog.Infof("Connecting %s", b.Config.Server)
 	i := irc.IRC(b.Config.Nick, b.Config.Nick)
 	if log.GetLevel() == log.DebugLevel {
@@ -91,6 +91,12 @@ func (b *Birc) Connect() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (b *Birc) Disconnect() error {
+	b.i.Disconnect()
+	close(b.Local)
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (b *Birc) JoinChannel(channel string) error {
 	b.i.Join(channel)
 	return nil
@@ -170,7 +176,11 @@ func (b *Birc) handleJoinPart(event *irc.Event) {
 	flog.Debugf("Sending JOIN_LEAVE event from %s to gateway", b.Account)
 	channel := event.Arguments[0]
 	if event.Code == "QUIT" {
-		channel = ""
+		if event.Nick == b.Nick && strings.Contains(event.Raw, "Ping timeout") {
+			flog.Infof("%s reconnecting ..", b.Account)
+			b.Remote <- config.Message{Username: "system", Text: "reconnect", Channel: channel, Account: b.Account, Event: config.EVENT_FAILURE}
+			return
+		}
 	}
 	b.Remote <- config.Message{Username: "system", Text: event.Nick + " " + strings.ToLower(event.Code) + "s", Channel: channel, Account: b.Account, Event: config.EVENT_JOIN_LEAVE}
 	flog.Debugf("handle %#v", event)
diff --git a/bridge/mattermost/mattermost.go b/bridge/mattermost/mattermost.go
index e2bf228d..126bab43 100644
--- a/bridge/mattermost/mattermost.go
+++ b/bridge/mattermost/mattermost.go
@@ -77,6 +77,10 @@ func (b *Bmattermost) Connect() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (b *Bmattermost) Disconnect() error {
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (b *Bmattermost) JoinChannel(channel string) error {
 	// we can only join channels using the API
 	if b.Config.UseAPI {
diff --git a/bridge/rocketchat/rocketchat.go b/bridge/rocketchat/rocketchat.go
index d87450ec..4590a895 100644
--- a/bridge/rocketchat/rocketchat.go
+++ b/bridge/rocketchat/rocketchat.go
@@ -49,6 +49,11 @@ func (b *Brocketchat) Connect() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (b *Brocketchat) Disconnect() error {
+	return nil
+
+}
+
 func (b *Brocketchat) JoinChannel(channel string) error {
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/bridge/slack/slack.go b/bridge/slack/slack.go
index 763231d8..0f8806a2 100644
--- a/bridge/slack/slack.go
+++ b/bridge/slack/slack.go
@@ -65,6 +65,11 @@ func (b *Bslack) Connect() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (b *Bslack) Disconnect() error {
+	return nil
+
+}
+
 func (b *Bslack) JoinChannel(channel string) error {
 	// we can only join channels using the API
 	if b.Config.UseAPI {
diff --git a/bridge/telegram/telegram.go b/bridge/telegram/telegram.go
index 38d7fd12..aa637457 100644
--- a/bridge/telegram/telegram.go
+++ b/bridge/telegram/telegram.go
@@ -51,6 +51,11 @@ func (b *Btelegram) Connect() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (b *Btelegram) Disconnect() error {
+	return nil
+
+}
+
 func (b *Btelegram) JoinChannel(channel string) error {
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/bridge/xmpp/xmpp.go b/bridge/xmpp/xmpp.go
index 8899e718..4dcb8ef7 100644
--- a/bridge/xmpp/xmpp.go
+++ b/bridge/xmpp/xmpp.go
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 package bxmpp
 
 import (
+	"crypto/tls"
 	"github.com/42wim/matterbridge/bridge/config"
 	log "github.com/Sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/mattn/go-xmpp"
-	"crypto/tls"
 
 	"strings"
 	"time"
@@ -47,6 +47,10 @@ func (b *Bxmpp) Connect() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (b *Bxmpp) Disconnect() error {
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (b *Bxmpp) JoinChannel(channel string) error {
 	b.xc.JoinMUCNoHistory(channel+"@"+b.Config.Muc, b.Config.Nick)
 	return nil
@@ -63,11 +67,11 @@ func (b *Bxmpp) createXMPP() (*xmpp.Client, error) {
 	tc.InsecureSkipVerify = b.Config.SkipTLSVerify
 	tc.ServerName = strings.Split(b.Config.Server, ":")[0]
 	options := xmpp.Options{
-		Host:     b.Config.Server,
-		User:     b.Config.Jid,
-		Password: b.Config.Password,
-		NoTLS:    true,
-		StartTLS: true,
+		Host:      b.Config.Server,
+		User:      b.Config.Jid,
+		Password:  b.Config.Password,
+		NoTLS:     true,
+		StartTLS:  true,
 		TLSConfig: tc,
 
 		//StartTLS:      false,
diff --git a/gateway/gateway.go b/gateway/gateway.go
index 82a76ef8..19571776 100644
--- a/gateway/gateway.go
+++ b/gateway/gateway.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	log "github.com/Sirupsen/logrus"
 	"reflect"
 	"strings"
+	"time"
 )
 
 type Gateway struct {
@@ -39,24 +40,16 @@ func (gw *Gateway) AddBridge(cfg *config.Bridge) error {
 	}
 	log.Infof("Starting bridge: %s ", cfg.Account)
 	br := bridge.New(gw.Config, cfg, gw.Message)
+	br.ChannelsOut = gw.ChannelsOut[br.Account]
+	br.ChannelsIn = gw.ChannelsIn[br.Account]
+	br.ChannelOptions = gw.ChannelOptions[br.Account]
+
 	gw.Bridges[cfg.Account] = br
 	err := br.Connect()
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("Bridge %s failed to start: %v", br.Account, err)
 	}
-	exists := make(map[string]bool)
-	for _, channel := range append(gw.ChannelsOut[br.Account], gw.ChannelsIn[br.Account]...) {
-		if !exists[br.Account+channel] {
-			mychannel := channel
-			log.Infof("%s: joining %s", br.Account, channel)
-			if br.Protocol == "irc" && gw.ChannelOptions[br.Account+channel].Key != "" {
-				log.Debugf("using key %s for channel %s", gw.ChannelOptions[br.Account+channel].Key, channel)
-				mychannel = mychannel + " " + gw.ChannelOptions[br.Account+channel].Key
-			}
-			br.JoinChannel(mychannel)
-			exists[br.Account+channel] = true
-		}
-	}
+	br.JoinChannels()
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -76,6 +69,13 @@ func (gw *Gateway) handleReceive() {
 	for {
 		select {
 		case msg := <-gw.Message:
+			if msg.Event == config.EVENT_FAILURE {
+				for _, br := range gw.Bridges {
+					if msg.Account == br.Account {
+						go gw.reconnectBridge(br)
+					}
+				}
+			}
 			if !gw.ignoreMessage(&msg) {
 				for _, br := range gw.Bridges {
 					gw.handleMessage(msg, br)
@@ -85,6 +85,20 @@ func (gw *Gateway) handleReceive() {
 	}
 }
 
+func (gw *Gateway) reconnectBridge(br *bridge.Bridge) {
+	br.Disconnect()
+	time.Sleep(time.Second * 5)
+RECONNECT:
+	log.Infof("Reconnecting %s", br.Account)
+	err := br.Connect()
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Errorf("Reconnection failed: %s. Trying again in 60 seconds", err)
+		time.Sleep(time.Second * 60)
+		goto RECONNECT
+	}
+	br.JoinChannels()
+}
+
 func (gw *Gateway) mapChannels() error {
 	options := make(map[string]config.ChannelOptions)
 	m := make(map[string][]string)