diff --git a/client/source/class/cv/io/Client.js b/client/source/class/cv/io/Client.js
index 981469964fa..a0a492edb4f 100644
--- a/client/source/class/cv/io/Client.js
+++ b/client/source/class/cv/io/Client.js
@@ -73,9 +73,6 @@ qx.Class.define('cv.io.Client', {
 
     this.backendUrl = backendUrl;
 
-    this.watchdog = new cv.io.Watchdog();
-    this.watchdog.setClient(this);
-
     this.addresses = [];
     this.initialAddresses = [];
     this.filters = [];
@@ -217,7 +214,6 @@ qx.Class.define('cv.io.Client', {
    ******************************************************
    */
   members: {
-    watchdog: null,
     backend: null,
     backendName: null,
     backendUrl: null,
@@ -340,8 +336,6 @@ qx.Class.define('cv.io.Client', {
         if (this.loginSettings.loginOnly === true) {
           // connect to the backend
           this.getCurrentTransport().connect();
-          // start the watchdog
-          this.watchdog.start(5);
           this.loginSettings.loginOnly = false;
         }
         else {
@@ -563,8 +557,6 @@ qx.Class.define('cv.io.Client', {
         this.getCurrentTransport().handleSession(args, false);
       } else {
         this.getCurrentTransport().handleSession(args, true);
-        // once the connection is set up, start the watchdog
-        this.watchdog.start(5);
       }
       this.loginSettings.loggedIn = true;
       if (this.loginSettings.callbackAfterLoggedIn) {
@@ -584,7 +576,6 @@ qx.Class.define('cv.io.Client', {
         this.getCurrentTransport().abort();
       }
       this.loginSettings.loggedIn = false;
-      this.watchdog.stop();
     },
 
     /**
@@ -665,4 +656,4 @@ qx.Class.define('cv.io.Client', {
   destruct: function() {
     this.stop();
   }
-});
\ No newline at end of file
+});
diff --git a/client/source/class/cv/io/Watchdog.js b/client/source/class/cv/io/Watchdog.js
index e2a044f18e0..11059936ab0 100644
--- a/client/source/class/cv/io/Watchdog.js
+++ b/client/source/class/cv/io/Watchdog.js
@@ -67,6 +67,9 @@ qx.Class.define("cv.io.Watchdog", {
     },
 
     start: function (watchdogTimer) {
+      if (this.__id) {
+        this.stop();
+      }
       this.__id = setInterval(this.aliveCheckFunction.bind(this), watchdogTimer * 1000);
     },
 
@@ -77,6 +80,10 @@ qx.Class.define("cv.io.Watchdog", {
       }
     },
 
+    isActive: function() {
+      return !!this.__id;
+    },
+
     ping: function (fullReload) {
       this.last = new Date();
       if (fullReload) {
diff --git a/client/source/class/cv/io/transport/LongPolling.js b/client/source/class/cv/io/transport/LongPolling.js
index 288c489de16..3eaa20b71e0 100644
--- a/client/source/class/cv/io/transport/LongPolling.js
+++ b/client/source/class/cv/io/transport/LongPolling.js
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ qx.Class.define('cv.io.transport.LongPolling', {
    */
   construct: function(client) {
     this.client = client;
+    this.watchdog = new cv.io.Watchdog();
+    this.watchdog.setClient(client);
   },
 
 
@@ -41,6 +43,7 @@ qx.Class.define('cv.io.transport.LongPolling', {
   ******************************************************
   */
   members: {
+    watchdog: null,
     doRestart: false, // are we currently in a restart, e.g. due to the watchdog
     xhr: null, // the ongoing AJAX request
     lastIndex: -1,    // index returned by the last request
@@ -84,7 +87,7 @@ qx.Class.define('cv.io.transport.LongPolling', {
         successCallback = this.handleRead;
       }
       this.__startReading(data, successCallback);
-      this.client.watchdog.start(5);
+      this.watchdog.start(5);
     },
 
     __startReading: function(data, callback) {
@@ -117,9 +120,13 @@ qx.Class.define('cv.io.transport.LongPolling', {
           } else {
             this.error("restarting XHR read requests in "+delay+" ms");
           }
+          if (!this.watchdog.isActive()) {
+            // watchdog has been stopped in the abort function -> restart it
+            this.watchdog.start(5);
+          }
           qx.event.Timer.once(function () {
             this.__startReading();
-            this.client.watchdog.ping(true);
+            this.watchdog.ping(true);
           }, this, delay);
         }
         return;
@@ -143,7 +150,7 @@ qx.Class.define('cv.io.transport.LongPolling', {
         var url = this.xhr.getUrl().split("?").shift()+"?"+this.client.getQueryString(data);
         this.xhr.setUrl(url);
         this.xhr.send();
-        this.client.watchdog.ping();
+        this.watchdog.ping();
       }
     },
 
@@ -153,7 +160,7 @@ qx.Class.define('cv.io.transport.LongPolling', {
         this.client.setDataReceived(false);
         if (this.running) { // retry initial request
           this.xhr.send();
-          this.client.watchdog.ping();
+          this.watchdog.ping();
         }
         return;
       }
@@ -179,7 +186,7 @@ qx.Class.define('cv.io.transport.LongPolling', {
         this.xhr.removeListener("success", this.handleReadStart, this);
         this.xhr.addListener("success", this.handleRead, this);
         this.xhr.send();
-        this.client.watchdog.ping();
+        this.watchdog.ping();
       }
     },
 
@@ -290,6 +297,7 @@ qx.Class.define('cv.io.transport.LongPolling', {
           this.client.backend.hooks.onClose.bind(this);
         }
       }
+      this.watchdog.stop();
     }
   }
 });
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/client/source/class/cv/io/transport/Sse.js b/client/source/class/cv/io/transport/Sse.js
index e3ca47cf1a9..7c59f354223 100644
--- a/client/source/class/cv/io/transport/Sse.js
+++ b/client/source/class/cv/io/transport/Sse.js
@@ -91,7 +91,6 @@ qx.Class.define('cv.io.transport.Sse', {
         this.debug("connection established");
         this.client.setConnected(true);
       }.bind(this);
-      this.client.watchdog.start(5);
     },
 
     /**
@@ -101,7 +100,6 @@ qx.Class.define('cv.io.transport.Sse', {
       this.client.record("read", e.data);
       var json = JSON.parse(e.data);
       var data = json.d;
-      this.client.watchdog.ping(true);
       this.client.update(data);
       this.client.setDataReceived(true);
     },
@@ -160,12 +158,10 @@ qx.Class.define('cv.io.transport.Sse', {
     },
 
     /**
-     * Restart the read request, e.g. when the watchdog kicks in
-     *
-     *
+     * Restart the read request
      */
     restart: function (doFullReload) {
-      if (doFullReload || !this.isConnectionRunning()) {
+      if (doFullReload || this.eventSource.readyState === EventSource.CLOSED) {
         this.abort();
         this.connect();
       }