diff --git a/client/client.go b/client/client.go
index 6d0c916..b58a086 100644
--- a/client/client.go
+++ b/client/client.go
@@ -2,11 +2,12 @@ package client
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"errors"
 	"log"
 	"net/url"
 	"sync"
 
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+
 	"github.com/gorilla/websocket"
 )
 
@@ -35,36 +36,28 @@ type Client struct {
 	ctx     context.Context
 	cancel  context.CancelFunc
 	initMsg BaseMessage // used to resend the initialization msg if connection drops
-	apiKey  string
+	opts    Opts
+	history *MsgHistory
 }
 
-// New returns a new blocknative websocket client
+// New returns a new blocknative websocket client caller must make sure to initialize afterwards
 func New(ctx context.Context, opts Opts) (*Client, error) {
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
-	u := url.URL{
+	client := &Client{
+		ctx:     ctx,
+		cancel:  cancel,
+		opts:    opts,
+		history: &MsgHistory{},
+	}
+	if err := client.doConnect(ctx, url.URL{
 		Scheme: opts.Scheme,
 		Host:   opts.Host,
 		Path:   opts.Path,
-	}
-	c, _, err := websocket.DefaultDialer.DialContext(ctx, u.String(), nil)
-	if err != nil {
-		cancel()
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	// this checks out connection to blocknative's api and makes sure that we connected properly
-	var out ConnectResponse
-	if err := c.ReadJSON(&out); err != nil {
+	}); err != nil {
 		cancel()
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	if out.Status != "ok" {
-		cancel()
-		return nil, errors.New("failed to initialize websockets api connection")
-	}
-	if opts.PrintConnectResponse {
-		log.Printf("%+v\n", out)
-	}
-	return &Client{conn: c, ctx: ctx, cancel: cancel, apiKey: opts.APIKey}, nil
+	return client, nil
 }
 
 // Initialize is used to handle blocknative websockets api initialization
@@ -84,6 +77,8 @@ func (c *Client) Initialize(msg BaseMessage) error {
 }
 
 // ReadJSON is a wrapper around Conn:ReadJSON
+// You should provide a pointer otherwise you will likely
+// encounter a nil interface type as the returned value
 func (c *Client) ReadJSON(out interface{}) error {
 	c.mx.RLock()
 	defer c.mx.RUnlock()
@@ -91,15 +86,20 @@ func (c *Client) ReadJSON(out interface{}) error {
 }
 
 // WriteJSON is a wrapper around Conn:WriteJSON
+// Do not provide a pointer as this could cause problems
+// with the message history buffer if the provided value
+// becomes garbage collected
 func (c *Client) WriteJSON(out interface{}) error {
 	c.mx.Lock()
 	defer c.mx.Unlock()
+	// push the message into the history buffer
+	c.history.Push(out)
 	return c.conn.WriteJSON(out)
 }
 
 // APIKey returns the api key being used by the client
 func (c *Client) APIKey() string {
-	return c.apiKey
+	return c.opts.APIKey
 }
 
 // Close is used to terminate our websocket client
@@ -113,6 +113,75 @@ func (c *Client) Close() error {
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Println("failed to send close message: ", err)
 	}
+	// close the underlying connection
+	c.conn.Close()
 	c.cancel()
 	return err
 }
+
+// ReInit should only be used in the event that we receive an unexpected
+// error and allows us to replay previous messages
+func (c *Client) ReInit() error {
+	c.mx.Lock()
+	defer c.mx.Unlock()
+	c.doConnect(c.ctx, url.URL{
+		Scheme: c.opts.Scheme,
+		Host:   c.opts.Host,
+		Path:   c.opts.Path,
+	})
+	// dont empty the buffer such that future errors
+	// can reuse the message history
+	msgs := c.history.CopyAll()
+	// send the initialize messsage
+	// we do not store this in the message history buffer
+	if err := c.conn.WriteJSON(c.initMsg); err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "fatal error received")
+	}
+	// drain
+	_ = c.conn.ReadJSON(nil)
+	for _, msg := range msgs {
+		if err := c.conn.WriteJSON(&msg); err != nil {
+			// TODO(bonedaddy): figure out how to properly handle
+			log.Println("receive error during reinitialization: ", err)
+			return err
+		}
+		// drain
+		_ = c.conn.ReadJSON(nil)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// ShouldReInit is used to check the given error
+// and return whether or not we should reinitialize the connection
+func (c *Client) ShouldReInit(err error) bool {
+	if websocket.IsUnexpectedCloseError(err, websocket.CloseGoingAway) {
+		return false
+	}
+	return true
+}
+
+// doConnect should only be used during creation of the initial client object or during reinitialization
+// caller must take care of locking
+func (c *Client) doConnect(ctx context.Context, u url.URL) error {
+	// close the previous connection if it exists
+	if c.conn != nil {
+		c.conn.Close()
+	}
+	conn, _, err := websocket.DefaultDialer.DialContext(ctx, u.String(), nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	c.conn = conn
+	// this checks out connection to blocknative's api and makes sure that we connected properly
+	var out ConnectResponse
+	if err := c.conn.ReadJSON(&out); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if out.Status != "ok" {
+		return errors.New("failed to initialize websockets api connection")
+	}
+	if c.opts.PrintConnectResponse {
+		log.Printf("%+v\n", out)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/client/client_test.go b/client/client_test.go
index cfff32b..7068342 100644
--- a/client/client_test.go
+++ b/client/client_test.go
@@ -22,6 +22,12 @@ func TestClient(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Log("reading message...")
 	var out interface{}
 	require.NoError(t, client.ReadJSON(&out))
+  /*
+	t.Log("message: ", out)
+	// test reinitialization
+	t.Log("testing reinit")
+	require.NoError(t, client.ReInit())
+	t.Log("closing")
 	t.Log(out)
 	require.NoError(t, client.WriteJSON(
 		NewConfiguration(
@@ -38,6 +44,7 @@ func TestClient(t *testing.T) {
 	)
 	require.NoError(t, client.ReadJSON(&out))
 	t.Log(out)
+  */
 	require.NoError(t, client.Close())
 }
 
diff --git a/client/history.go b/client/history.go
index 7e8effc..04b2529 100644
--- a/client/history.go
+++ b/client/history.go
@@ -44,6 +44,15 @@ func (mg *MsgHistory) PopAll() []interface{} {
 	return copied
 }
 
+// CopyAll is like PopAll except it does not clear the buffer
+func (mg *MsgHistory) CopyAll() []interface{} {
+	mg.mx.Lock()
+	defer mg.mx.Unlock()
+	copied := make([]interface{}, len(mg.buffer))
+	copy(copied, mg.buffer)
+	return copied
+}
+
 // Len returns the length of the msg history buffewr
 func (mg *MsgHistory) Len() int {
 	mg.mx.RLock()
diff --git a/client/history_test.go b/client/history_test.go
index 51ba9c2..8959060 100644
--- a/client/history_test.go
+++ b/client/history_test.go
@@ -43,7 +43,20 @@ func TestMsgHistory(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Equal(t, nil, hist.Pop())
 	// set msg history again
 	set()
-	all := hist.PopAll()
+	all := hist.CopyAll()
+	require.Equal(t, 3, hist.Len())
+	for i := 0; i < len(all); i++ {
+		item = all[i].(arg)
+		switch i {
+		case 0:
+			require.Equal(t, 1, item.num)
+		case 1:
+			require.Equal(t, 2, item.num)
+		case 2:
+			require.Equal(t, 3, item.num)
+		}
+	}
+	all = hist.PopAll()
 	require.Equal(t, 0, hist.Len())
 	for i := 0; i < len(all); i++ {
 		item = all[i].(arg)
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 8b0b181..756a6d9 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@ go 1.15
 require (
 	github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.1 // indirect
 	github.com/gorilla/websocket v1.4.2
-	github.com/kr/pretty v0.1.0 // indirect
+	github.com/kr/pretty v0.2.1 // indirect
+	github.com/pkg/errors v0.9.1
 	github.com/stretchr/testify v1.7.0
 	github.com/urfave/cli/v2 v2.3.0
 	gopkg.in/check.v1 v1.0.0-20180628173108-788fd7840127 // indirect
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 787c806..b005980 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -7,11 +7,13 @@ github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.1 h1:vj9j/u1bqnvCEfJOwUhtlOARqs3+rkHYY13jYWTU97c
 github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.1/go.mod h1:J7Y8YcW2NihsgmVo/mv3lAwl/skON4iLHjSsI+c5H38=
 github.com/gorilla/websocket v1.4.2 h1:+/TMaTYc4QFitKJxsQ7Yye35DkWvkdLcvGKqM+x0Ufc=
 github.com/gorilla/websocket v1.4.2/go.mod h1:YR8l580nyteQvAITg2hZ9XVh4b55+EU/adAjf1fMHhE=
-github.com/kr/pretty v0.1.0 h1:L/CwN0zerZDmRFUapSPitk6f+Q3+0za1rQkzVuMiMFI=
-github.com/kr/pretty v0.1.0/go.mod h1:dAy3ld7l9f0ibDNOQOHHMYYIIbhfbHSm3C4ZsoJORNo=
+github.com/kr/pretty v0.2.1 h1:Fmg33tUaq4/8ym9TJN1x7sLJnHVwhP33CNkpYV/7rwI=
+github.com/kr/pretty v0.2.1/go.mod h1:ipq/a2n7PKx3OHsz4KJII5eveXtPO4qwEXGdVfWzfnI=
 github.com/kr/pty v1.1.1/go.mod h1:pFQYn66WHrOpPYNljwOMqo10TkYh1fy3cYio2l3bCsQ=
 github.com/kr/text v0.1.0 h1:45sCR5RtlFHMR4UwH9sdQ5TC8v0qDQCHnXt+kaKSTVE=
 github.com/kr/text v0.1.0/go.mod h1:4Jbv+DJW3UT/LiOwJeYQe1efqtUx/iVham/4vfdArNI=
+github.com/pkg/errors v0.9.1 h1:FEBLx1zS214owpjy7qsBeixbURkuhQAwrK5UwLGTwt4=
+github.com/pkg/errors v0.9.1/go.mod h1:bwawxfHBFNV+L2hUp1rHADufV3IMtnDRdf1r5NINEl0=
 github.com/pmezard/go-difflib v1.0.0 h1:4DBwDE0NGyQoBHbLQYPwSUPoCMWR5BEzIk/f1lZbAQM=
 github.com/pmezard/go-difflib v1.0.0/go.mod h1:iKH77koFhYxTK1pcRnkKkqfTogsbg7gZNVY4sRDYZ/4=
 github.com/russross/blackfriday/v2 v2.0.1 h1:lPqVAte+HuHNfhJ/0LC98ESWRz8afy9tM/0RK8m9o+Q=