diff --git a/projects/pazznetwork/ngx-chat/src/lib/ngx-chat.module.ts b/projects/pazznetwork/ngx-chat/src/lib/ngx-chat.module.ts
index 695339f6..ed5d4d9f 100644
--- a/projects/pazznetwork/ngx-chat/src/lib/ngx-chat.module.ts
+++ b/projects/pazznetwork/ngx-chat/src/lib/ngx-chat.module.ts
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ import {
     MessagePlugin,
     MessageUuidPlugin,
     MultiUserChatPlugin,
-    PingPlugin,
     PublishSubscribePlugin,
     PushPlugin,
     RegistrationPlugin,
@@ -133,7 +132,7 @@ export class NgxChatModule {
                 new RosterPlugin(xmppChatAdapter, logService),
                 new ServiceDiscoveryPlugin(xmppChatAdapter),
                 new PushPlugin(xmppChatAdapter),
-                new PingPlugin(xmppChatAdapter, logService, ngZone),
+                // new PingPlugin(xmppChatAdapter, logService, ngZone),
                 new RegistrationPlugin(logService, ngZone),
                 unreadMessageCountPlugin,
             ]);
diff --git a/projects/pazznetwork/ngx-chat/src/lib/services/adapters/xmpp/plugins/ping.plugin.ts b/projects/pazznetwork/ngx-chat/src/lib/services/adapters/xmpp/plugins/ping.plugin.ts
index 144f234d..49583733 100644
--- a/projects/pazznetwork/ngx-chat/src/lib/services/adapters/xmpp/plugins/ping.plugin.ts
+++ b/projects/pazznetwork/ngx-chat/src/lib/services/adapters/xmpp/plugins/ping.plugin.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { NgZone } from '@angular/core';
+import { timeout } from '@xmpp/events';
 import { x as xml } from '@xmpp/xml';
 import { filter } from 'rxjs/operators';
 import { LogService } from '../../../log.service';
@@ -41,15 +42,27 @@ export class PingPlugin extends AbstractXmppPlugin {
     private async ping() {
         this.logService.debug('ping...');
         try {
-            await this.xmppChatAdapter.chatConnectionService.sendIq(
+            await timeout(this.sendPing(), 10_000);
+            this.logService.debug('... pong');
+        } catch (e) {
+            if (this.xmppChatAdapter.state$.getValue() === 'online'
+                && this.xmppChatAdapter.chatConnectionService.state$.getValue() === 'online') {
+                this.logService.error('... pong errored, it thinks it is online, scheduling reconnect!');
+                // TODO: state handling necessary! we have to prevent two reconnects at the same time!
+                this.xmppChatAdapter.reconnect();
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    private sendPing() {
+        try {
+            return this.xmppChatAdapter.chatConnectionService.sendIq(
                 xml('iq', {type: 'get'},
                     xml('ping', {xmlns: 'urn:xmpp:ping'})
                 )
             );
-            // TODO: timeout?
-            this.logService.debug('... pong');
         } catch (e) {
-            this.logService.error('... pong errored!');
+            return Promise.reject(e);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/projects/pazznetwork/ngx-chat/src/lib/services/adapters/xmpp/xmpp-chat-connection.service.ts b/projects/pazznetwork/ngx-chat/src/lib/services/adapters/xmpp/xmpp-chat-connection.service.ts
index 528576cb..38f51f1b 100644
--- a/projects/pazznetwork/ngx-chat/src/lib/services/adapters/xmpp/xmpp-chat-connection.service.ts
+++ b/projects/pazznetwork/ngx-chat/src/lib/services/adapters/xmpp/xmpp-chat-connection.service.ts
@@ -36,14 +36,18 @@ export class XmppChatConnectionService {
     initialize(): void {
         this.client.on('error', (err: any) => {
             this.ngZone.run(() => {
-                this.logService.error('chat service error =>', err.toString());
-                this.client.stop();
+                this.logService.error('chat service error =>', err.toString(), err);
+                if (err.toString().indexOf('connection error ') >= 0) { // thrown by iOS when gone offline due to battery saving
+                    this.reconnect();
+                } else {
+                    this.client.stop(); // e.g. kicked
+                }
             });
         });
 
         this.client.on('status', (status: any, value: any) => {
             this.ngZone.run(() => {
-                this.logService.info('status update =', status, value ? value.toString() : '');
+                this.logService.info('status update =', status, value ? JSON.stringify(value) : '');
                 if (status === 'offline') {
                     this.state$.next('disconnected');
                 }
@@ -62,10 +66,15 @@ export class XmppChatConnectionService {
             });
         });
 
+        this.client.plugins.reconnect.on('reconnected', () => {
+            this.ngZone.run(() => {
+                this.sendPresence();
+            });
+        });
     }
 
     public onOnline(jid: JID) {
-        this.logService.debug('online =', 'online as', jid.toString());
+        this.logService.info('online =', 'online as', jid.toString());
         this.userJid = jid;
         this.state$.next('online');
     }
@@ -78,7 +87,11 @@ export class XmppChatConnectionService {
 
     public send(content: any): PromiseLike<void> {
         this.logService.debug('>>>', content);
-        return this.client.send(content);
+        try {
+            return this.client.send(content);
+        } catch (e) {
+            return Promise.reject(e);
+        }
     }
 
     public sendIq(request: Element): Promise<IqResponseStanza> {
@@ -165,6 +178,8 @@ export class XmppChatConnectionService {
     }
 
     reconnect() {
+        this.logService.warn('hard reconnect...');
+        this.state$.next('disconnected');
         this.client.plugins.reconnect.reconnect();
     }
 }