diff --git a/webapp/platform/client/src/websocket.test.ts b/webapp/platform/client/src/websocket.test.ts
index 47eb291629..98785fb237 100644
--- a/webapp/platform/client/src/websocket.test.ts
+++ b/webapp/platform/client/src/websocket.test.ts
@@ -109,9 +109,11 @@ describe('websocketclient', () => {
         const client = new WebSocketClient({
             newWebSocketFn: (url: string) => {
                 mockWebSocket.url = url;
-                if (mockWebSocket.onopen) {
-                    mockWebSocket.open();
-                }
+                setTimeout(() => {
+                    if (mockWebSocket.onopen) {
+                        mockWebSocket.open();
+                    }
+                }, 1);
                 return mockWebSocket;
             },
             minWebSocketRetryTime: 50,
@@ -120,7 +122,6 @@ describe('websocketclient', () => {
 
         const initializeSpy = jest.spyOn(client, 'initialize');
         client.initialize('mock.url');
-        mockWebSocket.open();
         mockWebSocket.close();
 
         jest.advanceTimersByTime(10);
@@ -145,9 +146,11 @@ describe('websocketclient', () => {
         const client = new WebSocketClient({
             newWebSocketFn: (url: string) => {
                 mockWebSocket.url = url;
-                if (mockWebSocket.onopen) {
-                    mockWebSocket.open();
-                }
+                setTimeout(() => {
+                    if (mockWebSocket.onopen) {
+                        mockWebSocket.open();
+                    }
+                }, 1);
                 return mockWebSocket;
             },
             minWebSocketRetryTime: 50,
@@ -156,7 +159,6 @@ describe('websocketclient', () => {
 
         const initializeSpy = jest.spyOn(client, 'initialize');
         client.initialize('mock.url');
-        mockWebSocket.open();
         mockWebSocket.close();
 
         jest.advanceTimersByTime(10);
@@ -183,9 +185,11 @@ describe('websocketclient', () => {
         const client = new WebSocketClient({
             newWebSocketFn: (url: string) => {
                 mockWebSocket.url = url;
-                if (mockWebSocket.onopen) {
-                    mockWebSocket.open();
-                }
+                setTimeout(() => {
+                    if (mockWebSocket.onopen) {
+                        mockWebSocket.open();
+                    }
+                }, 1);
                 return mockWebSocket;
             },
             minWebSocketRetryTime: 50,
@@ -194,7 +198,6 @@ describe('websocketclient', () => {
 
         const initializeSpy = jest.spyOn(client, 'initialize');
         client.initialize('mock.url');
-        mockWebSocket.open();
         mockWebSocket.close();
 
         jest.advanceTimersByTime(10);
@@ -217,9 +220,11 @@ describe('websocketclient', () => {
         const client = new WebSocketClient({
             newWebSocketFn: (url: string) => {
                 mockWebSocket.url = url;
-                if (mockWebSocket.onopen) {
-                    mockWebSocket.open();
-                }
+                setTimeout(() => {
+                    if (mockWebSocket.onopen) {
+                        mockWebSocket.open();
+                    }
+                }, 1);
                 return mockWebSocket;
             },
             minWebSocketRetryTime: 1,
@@ -252,7 +257,6 @@ describe('websocketclient', () => {
         const closeSpy = jest.spyOn(mockWebSocket, 'close');
 
         client.initialize('mock.url');
-        mockWebSocket.open();
 
         jest.advanceTimersByTime(30);
 
@@ -273,9 +277,11 @@ describe('websocketclient', () => {
         const client = new WebSocketClient({
             newWebSocketFn: (url: string) => {
                 mockWebSocket.url = url;
-                if (mockWebSocket.onopen) {
-                    mockWebSocket.open();
-                }
+                setTimeout(() => {
+                    if (mockWebSocket.onopen) {
+                        mockWebSocket.open();
+                    }
+                }, 1);
                 return mockWebSocket;
             },
             minWebSocketRetryTime: 1,
@@ -321,7 +327,6 @@ describe('websocketclient', () => {
         });
 
         client.initialize('mock.url');
-        mockWebSocket.open();
 
         jest.advanceTimersByTime(30);
 
@@ -342,9 +347,11 @@ describe('websocketclient', () => {
         const client = new WebSocketClient({
             newWebSocketFn: (url: string) => {
                 mockWebSocket.url = url;
-                if (mockWebSocket.onopen) {
-                    mockWebSocket.open();
-                }
+                setTimeout(() => {
+                    if (mockWebSocket.onopen) {
+                        mockWebSocket.open();
+                    }
+                }, 1);
                 return mockWebSocket;
             },
             minWebSocketRetryTime: 1,
@@ -362,8 +369,8 @@ describe('websocketclient', () => {
             }
             numPings++;
 
-            // don't respond to first ping
-            if (numPings === 1) {
+            // don't respond to second ping
+            if (numPings === 2) {
                 return;
             }
 
@@ -382,12 +389,20 @@ describe('websocketclient', () => {
         const closeSpy = jest.spyOn(mockWebSocket, 'close');
 
         client.initialize('mock.url');
-        mockWebSocket.open();
 
         // Let first ping happen
-        jest.advanceTimersByTime(25);
+        jest.advanceTimersByTime(10);
         expect(numPings).toBe(1);
-        expect(numPongs).toBe(0);
+        expect(numPongs).toBe(1);
+
+        // Let second ping happen
+        jest.advanceTimersByTime(10);
+        expect(numPings).toBe(2);
+        expect(numPongs).toBe(1);
+
+        // Ensure we've still only connected once, and haven't disconnected, yet
+        expect(openSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+        expect(closeSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(0);
 
         // Close and reopen connection before ping timeout
         mockWebSocket.close();
@@ -396,7 +411,7 @@ describe('websocketclient', () => {
         jest.advanceTimersByTime(100);
         client.close();
 
-        expect(numPings).toBe(7);
+        expect(numPings).toBe(9);
         expect(numPongs).toBe(numPings - 1); // Ensure we only skipped the first response
         expect(openSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2); // Initial open and one reconnect
         expect(closeSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2); // Manual close and final close
diff --git a/webapp/platform/client/src/websocket.ts b/webapp/platform/client/src/websocket.ts
index 6401670c0e..1a20161a0c 100644
--- a/webapp/platform/client/src/websocket.ts
+++ b/webapp/platform/client/src/websocket.ts
@@ -162,7 +162,15 @@ export default class WebSocketClient {
             }
 
             this.stopPingInterval();
-            var waitingForPong = false;
+
+            // Send a ping immediately to test the socket
+            var waitingForPong = true;
+            this.ping(() => {
+                waitingForPong = false;
+            });
+
+            // And every 30 seconds after, checking to ensure
+            // we're getting responses from the server
             this.pingInterval = setInterval(
                 () => {
                     if (!waitingForPong) {