diff --git a/src/qamqpclient.cpp b/src/qamqpclient.cpp
index 7a22ad4..0488d80 100644
--- a/src/qamqpclient.cpp
+++ b/src/qamqpclient.cpp
@@ -45,6 +45,9 @@ void QAmqpClientPrivate::init()
     initSocket();
     heartbeatTimer = new QTimer(q);
     QObject::connect(heartbeatTimer, SIGNAL(timeout()), q, SLOT(_q_heartbeat()));
+    reconnectTimer = new QTimer(q);
+    reconnectTimer->setSingleShot(true);
+    QObject::connect(reconnectTimer, SIGNAL(timeout()), q, SLOT(_q_connect()));
 
     authenticator = QSharedPointer<QAmqpAuthenticator>(
         new QAmqpPlainAuthenticator(QString::fromLatin1(AMQP_LOGIN), QString::fromLatin1(AMQP_PSWD)));
@@ -136,9 +139,13 @@ void QAmqpClientPrivate::parseConnectionString(const QString &uri)
 
 void QAmqpClientPrivate::_q_connect()
 {
+    if (reconnectTimer)
+        reconnectTimer->stop();
     if (socket->state() != QAbstractSocket::UnconnectedState) {
         qAmqpDebug() << Q_FUNC_INFO << "socket already connected, disconnecting..";
         _q_disconnect();
+        // We need to explicitly close connection here because either way it will not be closed until we receive closeOk
+        closeConnection();
     }
 
     qAmqpDebug() << "connecting to host: " << host << ", port: " << port;
@@ -150,6 +157,8 @@ void QAmqpClientPrivate::_q_connect()
 
 void QAmqpClientPrivate::_q_disconnect()
 {
+    if (reconnectTimer)
+        reconnectTimer->stop();
     if (socket->state() == QAbstractSocket::UnconnectedState) {
         qAmqpDebug() << Q_FUNC_INFO << "already disconnected";
         return;
@@ -162,10 +171,10 @@ void QAmqpClientPrivate::_q_disconnect()
 // private slots
 void QAmqpClientPrivate::_q_socketConnected()
 {
+    if (reconnectTimer)
+        reconnectTimer->stop();
     if(reconnectFixedTimeout == false)
-    {
         timeout = 0;
-    }
     char header[8] = {'A', 'M', 'Q', 'P', 0, 0, 9, 1};
     socket->write(header, 8);
 }
@@ -188,7 +197,6 @@ void QAmqpClientPrivate::_q_heartbeat()
 
 void QAmqpClientPrivate::_q_socketError(QAbstractSocket::SocketError error)
 {
-    Q_Q(QAmqpClient);
     if(reconnectFixedTimeout == false)
     {
         if (timeout <= 0) {
@@ -223,9 +231,9 @@ void QAmqpClientPrivate::_q_socketError(QAbstractSocket::SocketError error)
 
     errorString = socket->errorString();
 
-    if (autoReconnect) {
+    if (autoReconnect && reconnectTimer) {
         qAmqpDebug() << "trying to reconnect after: " << timeout << "ms";
-        QTimer::singleShot(timeout, q, SLOT(_q_connect()));
+        reconnectTimer->start(timeout);
     }
 }
 
@@ -336,6 +344,18 @@ void QAmqpClientPrivate::sendFrame(const QAmqpFrame &frame)
     stream << frame;
 }
 
+void QAmqpClientPrivate::closeConnection()
+{
+    qAmqpDebug("AMQP: closing connection");
+
+    connected = false;
+    if (reconnectTimer)
+        reconnectTimer->stop();
+    if (heartbeatTimer)
+        heartbeatTimer->stop();
+    socket->disconnectFromHost();
+}
+
 bool QAmqpClientPrivate::_q_method(const QAmqpMethodFrame &frame)
 {
     Q_ASSERT(frame.methodClass() == QAmqpFrame::Connection);
@@ -453,11 +473,7 @@ void QAmqpClientPrivate::closeOk(const QAmqpMethodFrame &frame)
 {
     Q_UNUSED(frame)
     qAmqpDebug("-> connection#closeOk()");
-
-    connected = false;
-    if (heartbeatTimer)
-        heartbeatTimer->stop();
-    socket->disconnectFromHost();
+    closeConnection();
 }
 
 void QAmqpClientPrivate::close(const QAmqpMethodFrame &frame)
@@ -482,7 +498,7 @@ void QAmqpClientPrivate::close(const QAmqpMethodFrame &frame)
 
         // if it was a force disconnect, simulate receiving a closeOk
         if (checkError == QAMQP::ConnectionForcedError) {
-          closeOk(QAmqpMethodFrame());
+          closeConnection();
           if (autoReconnect) {
             qAmqpDebug() << "trying to reconnect after: " << timeout << "ms";
             QTimer::singleShot(timeout, q, SLOT(_q_connect()));
@@ -499,6 +515,7 @@ void QAmqpClientPrivate::close(const QAmqpMethodFrame &frame)
     QAmqpMethodFrame closeOkFrame(QAmqpFrame::Connection, QAmqpClientPrivate::miCloseOk);
     qAmqpDebug("<- connection#closeOk()");
     sendFrame(closeOkFrame);
+    closeConnection();
 }
 
 void QAmqpClientPrivate::startOk()
@@ -921,4 +938,11 @@ void QAmqpClient::disconnectFromHost()
     d->_q_disconnect();
 }
 
+void QAmqpClient::forceDisconnectFromHost()
+{
+    Q_D(QAmqpClient);
+    d->_q_disconnect();
+    d->closeConnection();
+}
+
 #include "moc_qamqpclient.cpp"
diff --git a/src/qamqpclient.h b/src/qamqpclient.h
index 0bd8943..283394e 100644
--- a/src/qamqpclient.h
+++ b/src/qamqpclient.h
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ public:
     void connectToHost(const QString &uri = QString());
     void connectToHost(const QHostAddress &address, quint16 port = AMQP_PORT);
     void disconnectFromHost();
+    void forceDisconnectFromHost();
 
 Q_SIGNALS:
     void connected();
diff --git a/src/qamqpclient_p.h b/src/qamqpclient_p.h
index 2de4a86..397e426 100644
--- a/src/qamqpclient_p.h
+++ b/src/qamqpclient_p.h
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ public:
     void parseConnectionString(const QString &uri);
     void sendFrame(const QAmqpFrame &frame);
 
+    void closeConnection();
+
     // private slots
     void _q_socketConnected();
     void _q_socketDisconnected();
@@ -95,6 +97,7 @@ public:
     bool closed;
     bool connected;
     QPointer<QTimer> heartbeatTimer;
+    QPointer<QTimer> reconnectTimer;
     QAmqpTable customProperties;
     qint16 channelMax;
     qint16 heartbeatDelay;