diff --git a/platypush/backend/http/__init__.py b/platypush/backend/http/__init__.py
index 8637aa9f..ac42d937 100644
--- a/platypush/backend/http/__init__.py
+++ b/platypush/backend/http/__init__.py
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ class HttpBackend(Backend):
                 try:
                     waiter = await websocket.ping()
                     await asyncio.wait_for(waiter, timeout=5)
-                    time.sleep(1)
+                    time.sleep(5)
                 except (asyncio.TimeoutError, websockets.exceptions.ConnectionClosed) as e:
                     logging.info('Client {} closed connection'.format(websocket.remote_address[0]))
                     self.active_websockets.remove(websocket)
diff --git a/platypush/backend/http/static/js/application.js b/platypush/backend/http/static/js/application.js
index 72db7af1..2fd3084c 100644
--- a/platypush/backend/http/static/js/application.js
+++ b/platypush/backend/http/static/js/application.js
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 $(document).ready(function() {
-    var websocket;
-    var dateTimeInterval;
-    var eventListeners = [];
+    var websocket,
+        dateTimeInterval,
+        websocketReconnectTimeout,
+        eventListeners = [];
 
     var initWebsocket = function() {
         websocket = new WebSocket('ws://' + window.location.hostname + ':' + window.websocket_port);
@@ -15,6 +16,17 @@ $(document).ready(function() {
                 listener(data);
             }
         };
+
+        websocket.onerror = function(event) {
+            console.error(event);
+        };
+
+        websocket.onclose = function(event) {
+            console.log('Websocket closed, code: ' + event.code);
+            websocketReconnectTimeout = setTimeout(function() {
+                initWebsocket();
+            }, 5000);
+        };
     };
 
     var initDateTime = function() {