diff --git a/gulp/res/js/forms.js b/gulp/res/js/forms.js
index 9e8f6ac5..8a7ed7ac 100644
--- a/gulp/res/js/forms.js
+++ b/gulp/res/js/forms.js
@@ -120,7 +120,8 @@ class formHandler {
 								return window.location = json.redirect;
 							}
 							setLocalStorage('myPostId', json.postId);
-							window.location.reload();
+							forceUpdate();
+//							window.location.reload();
 						}
 					}
 					this.form.reset();
diff --git a/gulp/res/js/live.js b/gulp/res/js/live.js
index afac32d7..feb945a8 100644
--- a/gulp/res/js/live.js
+++ b/gulp/res/js/live.js
@@ -1,30 +1,30 @@
 setDefaultLocalStorage('live', true);
 setDefaultLocalStorage('notifications', false);
 setDefaultLocalStorage('scroll', false);
-
-var socket;
+let liveEnabled = localStorage.getItem('live') == 'true';
+let notificationsEnabled = localStorage.getItem('notifications') == 'true';
+let scrollEnabled = localStorage.getItem('scroll') == 'true';
+let socket;
+let forceUpdate;
 
 window.addEventListener('settingsReady', function(event) { //after domcontentloaded
 
+	let supportsWebSockets = 'WebSocket' in window || 'MozWebSocket' in window;
 	const livecolor = document.getElementById('livecolor');
 	const livetext = isThread ? document.getElementById('livetext').childNodes[1] : null;
 	const updateButton = livetext ? livetext.nextSibling : null;
-	const updateLive = (message, color) => {
+	const updateLive = (message, color, showRelativeTime) => {
 		livecolor.style.backgroundColor = color;
-		livetext.nodeValue = message;
+		livetext.nodeValue = `${message}`;
 	}
-
 	let lastPostId;
+	let liveTimeout;
 	const anchors = document.getElementsByClassName('anchor');
-
-	let liveEnabled = localStorage.getItem('live') == 'true';
-	let notificationsEnabled = localStorage.getItem('notifications') == 'true';
-	let scrollEnabled = localStorage.getItem('scroll') == 'true';
-
 	if (anchors.length > 0) {
 		lastPostId = anchors[anchors.length - 1].id;
 	}
 	const thread = document.querySelector('.thread');
+
 	const newPost = (data) => {
 		console.log('got new post');
 		lastPostId = data.postId;
@@ -83,111 +83,132 @@ window.addEventListener('settingsReady', function(event) { //after domcontentloa
 		window.dispatchEvent(newPostEvent);
 	}
 
-
 	const jsonPath = window.location.pathname.replace(/\.html$/, '.json');
-	const jsonCatchup = async () => {
-		console.log('catching up after reconnect');
+	const fetchNewPosts = async () => {
+		console.log('fetching posts from api');
 		updateLive('Fetching posts...', 'yellow');
 		let json;
+		let newPosts = [];
 		try {
 			json = await fetch(jsonPath).then(res => res.json());
 		} catch (e) {
 			console.error(e);
 		}
 		if (json && json.replies && json.replies.length > 0) {
-			const newPosts = json.replies.filter(r => r.postId > lastPostId); //filter to only newer posts
+			newPosts = json.replies.filter(r => r.postId > lastPostId); //filter to only newer posts
 			if (newPosts.length > 0) {
 				for (let i = 0; i < newPosts.length; i++) {
 					newPost(newPosts[i]);
 				}
 			}
 		}
+		updateLive('Updated', 'green');
+		return newPosts.length;
 	}
 
-	const startLive = () => {
-		const roomParts = window.location.pathname.replace(/\.html$/, '').split('/');
-		const room = `${roomParts[1]}-${roomParts[3]}`;
-		socket = io({ transports: ['websocket'] });
-		socket.on('connect', () => {
-			updateButton.style.display = 'none';
-			console.log('joined room', room);
-			updateLive('Connected for live posts', '#0de600');
-			socket.emit('room', room);
-		});
-		socket.on('pong', (latency) => {
-			updateButton.style.display = 'none';
-			if (socket.connected) {
-				updateLive(`Connected for live posts (${latency}ms)`, '#0de600');
-			}
-		});
-		socket.on('reconnect_attempt', () => {
-			updateLive('Attempting to reconnect...', 'yellow');
-		});
-		socket.on('disconnect', () => {
-			updateButton.removeAttribute('style');
-			console.log('lost connection to room');
-			updateLive('Disconnected', 'red');
-		});
-		socket.on('reconnect', () => {
+	let interval = 5000;
+	forceUpdate = async () => {
+		updateButton.disabled = true;
+		clearTimeout(liveTimeout);
+		if ((await fetchNewPosts()) > 0) {
+			interval = 5000;
+		} else {
+			interval = Math.min(interval*2, 90000);
+		}
+		setTimeout(() => {
+			updateButton.disabled = false;
+		}, 10000);
+		if (liveEnabled) {
+			liveTimeout = setTimeout(forceUpdate, interval);
+		}
+	}
+
+	const enableLive = () => {
+		if (supportsWebSockets) {
 			updateButton.style.display = 'none';
-			console.log('reconnected to room');
-			jsonCatchup();
-		});
-		socket.on('error', (e) => {
-			updateButton.removeAttribute('style');
-			updateLive('Socket error', 'orange');
-			console.error(e);
-		});
-		socket.on('connect_error', (e) => {
-			updateButton.removeAttribute('style');
-			updateLive('Error connecting', 'orange');
-			console.error(e);
-		});
-		socket.on('reconnect_error', (e) => {
+			const roomParts = window.location.pathname.replace(/\.html$/, '').split('/');
+			const room = `${roomParts[1]}-${roomParts[3]}`;
+			socket = io({
+				transports: ['websocket'],
+				reconnectionAttempts: 5
+			});
+			socket.on('connect', async () => {
+				console.log('socket connected');
+				await fetchNewPosts();
+				socket.emit('room', room);
+			});
+			socket.on('message', (message) => {
+				console.log(message, room);
+				if (message === 'joined') {
+					updateLive('Connected for live posts', '#0de600');
+				}
+			});
+			socket.on('pong', (latency) => {
+				if (socket.connected) {
+					updateLive(`Connected for live posts (${latency}ms)`, '#0de600');
+				}
+			});
+			socket.on('reconnect_attempt', () => {
+				updateLive('Attempting to reconnect...', 'yellow');
+			});
+			socket.on('disconnect', () => {
+				console.log('lost connection to room');
+				updateLive('Disconnected', 'red');
+			});
+			socket.on('reconnect', () => {
+				console.log('reconnected to room');
+				fetchNewPosts();
+			});
+			socket.on('error', (e) => {
+				updateLive('Socket error', 'orange');
+				console.error(e);
+			});
+			socket.on('connect_error', (e) => {
+				updateLive('Error connecting', 'orange');
+				console.error(e);
+			});
+			socket.on('reconnect_error', (e) => {
+				updateLive('Error reconnecting', 'orange');
+				console.error(e);
+			});
+			socket.on('reconnect_failed', (e) => {
+				updateLive('Failed reconnecting', 'orange');
+				console.error(e);
+				console.log('failed to reconnnect, falling back to polling')
+				socket.close();
+				supportsWebSockets = false;
+				enableLive();
+
+			});
+			socket.on('newPost', newPost);
+		} else {
+			//websocket not supported, update with polling to api
 			updateButton.removeAttribute('style');
-			updateLive('Error reconnecting', 'orange');
-			console.error(e);
-		});
-		socket.on('newPost', newPost);
-	}
+			forceUpdate();
+		}
+	};
 
-	const liveSetting = document.getElementById('live-setting');
-	const notificationSetting = document.getElementById('notification-setting');
-	const scrollSetting = document.getElementById('scroll-setting');
+	const disableLive = () => {
+		updateButton.removeAttribute('style');
+		clearTimeout(liveTimeout);
+		if (socket && supportsWebSockets) {
+			socket.disconnect();
+		}
+		updateLive('Live posts off', 'darkgray');
+	};
 
+	const liveSetting = document.getElementById('live-setting');
 	const toggleLive = () => {
-		if (isThread) {
-			if (socket && liveEnabled) {
-				socket.disconnect();
-				updateLive('Live posts disabled', 'red');
-			} else {
-				if (!socket) {
-					startLive();
-				} else {
-					socket.connect();
-				}
-				jsonCatchup();
-			}
-		}
 		liveEnabled = !liveEnabled;
-		if (!liveEnabled) {
-			//disable notifications and scroll when live off because they wont work
-			if (notificationsEnabled) {
-				notificationSetting.checked = false;
-				toggleNotifications(null, true);
-			}
-			if (scrollEnabled) {
-				scrollSetting.checked = false;
-				toggleScroll(null, true);
-			}
-		}
+		liveEnabled ? enableLive() : disableLive();
 		console.log('toggling live posts', liveEnabled);
 		setLocalStorage('live', liveEnabled);
 	}
 	liveSetting.checked = liveEnabled;
 	liveSetting.addEventListener('change', toggleLive, false);
 
-	const toggleNotifications = async (change, changeFromConflict) => {
+	const notificationSetting = document.getElementById('notification-setting');
+	const toggleNotifications = async () => {
 		notificationsEnabled = !notificationsEnabled;
 		if (notificationsEnabled) {
 			const result = await Notification.requestPermission()
@@ -200,42 +221,22 @@ window.addEventListener('settingsReady', function(event) { //after domcontentloa
 		}
 		console.log('toggling notifications', notificationsEnabled);
 		setLocalStorage('notifications', notificationsEnabled);
-		if (!liveEnabled && !changeFromConflict) {
-			liveSetting.checked = true;
-			toggleLive();
-		}
 	}
 	notificationSetting.checked = notificationsEnabled;
 	notificationSetting.addEventListener('change', toggleNotifications, false);
 
-	const toggleScroll = (change, changeFromConflict) => {
+	const scrollSetting = document.getElementById('scroll-setting');
+	const toggleScroll = () => {
 		scrollEnabled = !scrollEnabled;
 		console.log('toggling post scrolling', scrollEnabled);
 		setLocalStorage('scroll', scrollEnabled);
-		if (!liveEnabled && !changeFromConflict) {
-			liveSetting.checked = true;
-			toggleLive();
-		}
 	}
 	scrollSetting.checked = scrollEnabled;
 	scrollSetting.addEventListener('change', toggleScroll, false);
 
 	if (isThread) {
-		const forceUpdate = async () => {
-			updateButton.disabled = true;
-			await jsonCatchup();
-			updateLive('Updated', 'green');
-			setTimeout(() => {
-				updateButton.disabled = false;
-			}, 10000);
-		}
 		updateButton.addEventListener('click', forceUpdate);
-		if (liveEnabled) {
-			updateButton.style.display = 'none';
-			startLive();
-		} else {
-			updateLive('Live posts disabled', 'red');
-		}
+		liveEnabled ? enableLive() : disableLive();
 	}
 
 });
diff --git a/socketio.js b/socketio.js
index 0e382a3a..cebc21d3 100644
--- a/socketio.js
+++ b/socketio.js
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ module.exports = {
 			socket.on('room', room => {
 //TODO: add some validation here that rooms exist or AT LEAST a regex for valid thread rooms
 				socket.join(room);
+				socket.send('joined');
 			});
 		});
 	},