diff --git a/lymph/core/connection.py b/lymph/core/connection.py
index bc52947..011f300 100644
--- a/lymph/core/connection.py
+++ b/lymph/core/connection.py
@@ -31,12 +31,12 @@ def __init__(self, server, endpoint, heartbeat_interval=1, timeout=1, idle_timeo
 
         now = time.monotonic()
         self.last_seen = 0
-        self.idle_since = 0
         self.last_message = now
         self.created_at = now
         self.heartbeat_samples = SampleWindow(100, factor=1000)  # milliseconds
         self.explicit_heartbeat_count = 0
         self.status = UNKNOWN
+        self.last_status_change = now
 
         self.received_message_count = 0
         self.sent_message_count = 0
@@ -60,10 +60,13 @@ def phi(self):
         return -math.log10(p)
 
     def set_status(self, status):
+        if status != self.status:
+            self.last_status_change = time.monotonic()
+
         self.status = status
 
     def heartbeat_loop(self):
-        while True:
+        while self.status != CLOSED:
             start = time.monotonic()
             channel = self.server.ping(self.endpoint)
             try:
@@ -76,7 +79,7 @@ def heartbeat_loop(self):
             gevent.sleep(self.heartbeat_interval)
 
     def live_check_loop(self):
-        while True:
+        while self.status != CLOSED:
             self.update_status()
             self.log_stats()
             gevent.sleep(self.timeout)
@@ -84,11 +87,16 @@ def live_check_loop(self):
     def update_status(self):
         if self.last_seen:
             now = time.monotonic()
-            if now - self.last_seen >= self.timeout:
+
+            if self.status == UNRESPONSIVE and now - self.last_status_change >= self.unresponsive_disconnect:
+                logger.debug("disconnecting from unresponsive endpoint %s" % (self.endpoint))
+                self.close()
+            elif now - self.last_seen >= self.timeout:
                 self.set_status(UNRESPONSIVE)
+            elif self.status == IDLE and now - self.last_status_change >= self.idle_disconnect:
+                self.close()
             elif now - self.last_message >= self.idle_timeout:
                 self.set_status(IDLE)
-                self.idle_since = now
             else:
                 self.set_status(RESPONSIVE)
 
@@ -108,8 +116,6 @@ def close(self):
         if self.status == CLOSED:
             return
         self.status = CLOSED
-        self.heartbeat_loop_greenlet.kill()
-        self.live_check_loop_greenlet.kill()
         self.server.disconnect(self.endpoint)
 
     def on_recv(self, msg):