diff --git a/lib/nsq/client_base.rb b/lib/nsq/client_base.rb
index 09e3e1a..f5de6e5 100644
--- a/lib/nsq/client_base.rb
+++ b/lib/nsq/client_base.rb
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ def discover_repeatedly(opts = {})
             # We can't connect to any nsqlookupds. That's okay, we'll just
             # leave our current nsqd connections alone and try again later.
             warn 'Could not connect to any nsqlookupd instances in discovery loop'
+          rescue StandardError => e
+            
           end
           sleep opts[:interval]
         end
@@ -63,24 +65,34 @@ def nsqds_from_lookupd(topic = nil)
 
 
     def drop_and_add_connections(nsqds)
+      has_connections_changed = false
+      @connections.each_pair {|k, nsqd|
+        unless nsqd.connected?
+          drop_connection(k, nsqd)
+          has_connections_changed = true
+        end
+
+      }
       # drop nsqd connections that are no longer in lookupd
       missing_nsqds = @connections.keys - nsqds
       missing_nsqds.each do |nsqd|
         drop_connection(nsqd)
+        has_connections_changed = true
       end
 
       # add new ones
       new_nsqds = nsqds - @connections.keys
       new_nsqds.each do |nsqd|
         begin
-          add_connection(nsqd)
-        rescue Exception => ex
+          add_connection(nsqd, connected_through_lookupd: true)
+          has_connections_changed = true
+        rescue StandardError => ex
           error "Failed to connect to nsqd @ #{nsqd}: #{ex}"
         end
       end
 
       # balance RDY state amongst the connections
-      connections_changed
+      connections_changed if has_connections_changed
     end
 
 
@@ -98,10 +110,19 @@ def add_connection(nsqd, options = {})
     end
 
 
-    def drop_connection(nsqd)
+    def drop_connection(nsqd, instance = nil)
       info "- Dropping connection #{nsqd}"
-      connection = @connections.delete(nsqd)
-      connection.close if connection
+      if instance
+        instance.close
+        connection = @connections.delete(nsqd)
+        if connection != instance
+          connection.close if connection
+        end
+      else
+        connection = @connections.delete(nsqd)
+        connection.close if connection
+      end
+      
       connections_changed
     end
 
diff --git a/lib/nsq/connection.rb b/lib/nsq/connection.rb
index e142f6c..901f88e 100644
--- a/lib/nsq/connection.rb
+++ b/lib/nsq/connection.rb
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ def initialize(opts = {})
       @max_in_flight = opts[:max_in_flight] || 1
       @tls_options = opts[:tls_options]
       @max_attempts = opts[:max_attempts]
+      @connected_through_lookupd = false
+      @last_heartbeat = nil
       if opts[:ssl_context]
         if @tls_options
           warn 'ssl_context and tls_options both set. Using tls_options. Ignoring ssl_context.'
@@ -55,6 +57,10 @@ def initialize(opts = {})
         raise ArgumentError, 'msg_timeout cannot be less than 1000. it\'s in milliseconds.'
       end
 
+      if opts[:connected_through_lookupd]
+        @connected_through_lookupd = opts[:connected_through_lookupd]
+      end
+
       # for outgoing communication
       @write_queue = SizedQueue.new(10000)
 
@@ -70,12 +76,18 @@ def initialize(opts = {})
       start_monitoring_connection
     end
 
-
     def connected?
-      @connected
+      if @connected
+        if !@last_heartbeat.nil? && @last_heartbeat > Time.now - 40
+          true
+        else
+          false
+        end
+      else
+        false
+      end
     end
 
-
     # close the connection and don't try to re-open it
     def close
       stop_monitoring_connection
@@ -156,7 +168,16 @@ def write(raw)
 
     def write_to_socket(raw)
       debug ">>> #{raw.inspect}"
-      @socket.write(raw)
+      begin
+        @socket.write_nonblock(raw)
+      rescue Errno::EWOULDBLOCK, OpenSSL::SSL::SSLErrorWaitWritable
+        if connected?
+          sleep 0.01
+          retry
+        else
+          raise "timeout"
+        end
+      end
     end
 
 
@@ -179,9 +200,9 @@ def identify
       write_to_socket ["IDENTIFY\n", metadata.length, metadata].pack('a*l>a*')
 
       # Now wait for the response!
-      frame = receive_frame
+      frame = receive_frame(5)  # timeout after 5 seconds to avoid hung servers
       server = JSON.parse(frame.data)
-
+      @last_heartbeat = Time.now
       if @max_in_flight > server['max_rdy_count']
         raise "max_in_flight is set to #{@max_in_flight}, server only supports #{server['max_rdy_count']}"
       end
@@ -193,6 +214,7 @@ def identify
     def handle_response(frame)
       if frame.data == RESPONSE_HEARTBEAT
         debug 'Received heartbeat'
+        @last_heartbeat = Time.now
         nop
       elsif frame.data == RESPONSE_OK
         debug 'Received OK'
@@ -202,13 +224,33 @@ def handle_response(frame)
     end
 
 
-    def receive_frame
-      if buffer = @socket.read(8)
-        size, type = buffer.unpack('l>l>')
-        size -= 4 # we want the size of the data part and type already took up 4 bytes
-        data = @socket.read(size)
-        frame_class = frame_class_for_type(type)
-        return frame_class.new(data, self)
+    def receive_frame(max_receive_time = nil)
+      break_after = nil
+      break_after = Time.now + max_receive_time if max_receive_time
+      begin
+        if buffer = @socket.read_nonblock(8)
+          size, type = buffer.unpack('l>l>')
+          size -= 4 # we want the size of the data part and type already took up 4 bytes
+          begin
+            data = @socket.read_nonblock(size)
+            frame_class = frame_class_for_type(type)
+            return frame_class.new(data, self)
+          rescue Errno::EWOULDBLOCK, OpenSSL::SSL::SSLErrorWaitReadable
+            if break_after.nil? || break_after > Time.now
+              sleep 0.01
+              retry
+            else
+              raise Errno::ECONNREFUSED
+            end
+          end
+        end
+      rescue Errno::EWOULDBLOCK, OpenSSL::SSL::SSLErrorWaitReadable
+        if break_after.nil? || break_after > Time.now
+          sleep 0.01
+          retry
+        else
+          raise Errno::ECONNREFUSED
+        end
       end
     end
 
@@ -260,7 +302,7 @@ def read_loop
           raise 'No data from socket'
         end
       end
-    rescue Exception => ex
+    rescue StandardError => ex
       die(ex)
     end
 
@@ -286,7 +328,7 @@ def write_loop
         break if data == :stop_write_loop
         write_to_socket(data)
       end
-    rescue Exception => ex
+    rescue StandardError => ex
       # requeue PUB and MPUB commands
       if data =~ /^M?PUB/
         debug "Requeueing to write_queue: #{data.inspect}"
@@ -404,19 +446,18 @@ def openssl_context
     # https://github.com/ooyala/retries/blob/master/lib/retries.rb
     def with_retries(&block)
       base_sleep_seconds = 0.5
-      max_sleep_seconds = 300 # 5 minutes
+      max_sleep_seconds = 30 # 30 seconds
 
       # Let's do this thing
       attempts = 0
-
+      max_attempts = @connected_through_lookupd ? 10 : 100
       begin
         attempts += 1
         return block.call(attempts)
 
       rescue Errno::ECONNREFUSED, Errno::ECONNRESET, Errno::EHOSTUNREACH,
              Errno::ENETDOWN, Errno::ENETUNREACH, Errno::ETIMEDOUT, Timeout::Error => ex
-
-        raise ex if attempts >= 100
+        raise ex if attempts >= max_attempts
 
         # The sleep time is an exponentially-increasing function of base_sleep_seconds.
         # But, it never exceeds max_sleep_seconds.
diff --git a/lib/nsq/discovery.rb b/lib/nsq/discovery.rb
index 2009b58..069c9a2 100644
--- a/lib/nsq/discovery.rb
+++ b/lib/nsq/discovery.rb
@@ -65,8 +65,8 @@ def gather_nsqds_from_all_lookupds
     # If there's an error, return nil
     def get_nsqds(lookupd, topic = nil)
       uri_scheme = 'http://' unless lookupd.match(%r(https?://))
-      uri = URI.parse("#{uri_scheme}#{lookupd}")
-
+      uri = URI("#{uri_scheme}#{lookupd}")
+      
       uri.query = "ts=#{Time.now.to_i}"
       if topic
         uri.path = '/lookup'
@@ -76,19 +76,29 @@ def get_nsqds(lookupd, topic = nil)
       end
 
       begin
-        body = Net::HTTP.get(uri)
-        data = JSON.parse(body)
-        producers = data['producers'] || # v1.0.0-compat
-                      (data['data'] && data['data']['producers'])
+        
+        Net::HTTP.start(uri.host, uri.port, :use_ssl => uri.scheme == 'https') do |client|
+          client.open_timeout = 10
+          client.read_timeout = 10
+          response = client.get(uri.path + "?" + uri.query)
+          if response.code == "200"
+            body = response.body
+            data = JSON.parse(body)
+            producers = data['producers'] || # v1.0.0-compat
+                          (data['data'] && data['data']['producers'])
 
-        if producers
-          producers.map do |producer|
-            "#{producer['broadcast_address']}:#{producer['tcp_port']}"
+            if producers
+              producers.map do |producer|
+                "#{producer['broadcast_address']}:#{producer['tcp_port']}"
+              end
+            else
+              []
+            end
+          else
+            []
           end
-        else
-          []
         end
-      rescue Exception => e
+      rescue StandardError => e
         error "Error during discovery for #{lookupd}: #{e}"
         nil
       end
diff --git a/lib/nsq/exceptions.rb b/lib/nsq/exceptions.rb
index e641d1c..20f144b 100644
--- a/lib/nsq/exceptions.rb
+++ b/lib/nsq/exceptions.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 module Nsq
   # Raised when nsqlookupd discovery fails
-  class DiscoveryException < Exception; end
+  class DiscoveryException < StandardError; end
 end
 
diff --git a/spec/lib/nsq/consumer_with_pausing_spec.rb b/spec/lib/nsq/consumer_with_pausing_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bd7c567
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/lib/nsq/consumer_with_pausing_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+require_relative '../../spec_helper'
+require 'json'
+require 'timeout'
+
+describe Nsq::Consumer do
+  before do
+    @cluster = NsqCluster.new(nsqd_count: 2, nsqlookupd_count: 1)
+  end
+
+  after do
+    @cluster.destroy
+  end
+
+
+  describe 'when connecting to nsqd directly' do
+    before do
+      @nsqd = @cluster.nsqd.first
+      @consumer = new_consumer(nsqlookupd: nil, nsqd: "#{@nsqd.host}:#{@nsqd.tcp_port}", max_in_flight: 10)
+    end
+    after do
+      @consumer.terminate
+    end
+
+    describe '::new that is paused' do
+      it 'should throw an exception when trying to connect to a server that\'s paused' do
+        @nsqd.pause_process
+
+        expect{
+          new_consumer(nsqlookupd: nil, nsqd: "#{@nsqd.host}:#{@nsqd.tcp_port}")
+        }.to raise_error(Errno::ECONNREFUSED)
+
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe '::new that is later paused should show as unhealty due to missing keepalives' do
+      it 'should show as unhealthy' do
+        puts "\nlong running test"
+        consumer = new_consumer(nsqlookupd: nil, nsqd: "#{@nsqd.host}:#{@nsqd.tcp_port}")
+        expect(consumer.connected?).to eq(true)
+        @nsqd.pause_process
+        sleep 50  # need to be able to configure this through opts to lower this.
+        expect(consumer.connected?).to eq(false)
+      end
+    end
+
+
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/lib/nsq/discovery_with_pausing_spec.rb b/spec/lib/nsq/discovery_with_pausing_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..131c7ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/lib/nsq/discovery_with_pausing_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+require_relative '../../spec_helper'
+
+NSQD_COUNT = 5
+
+describe Nsq::Discovery do
+  before do
+    @cluster = NsqCluster.new(nsqd_count: NSQD_COUNT, nsqlookupd_count: 2)
+    @topic = 'some-topic'
+
+    # make sure each nsqd has a message for this topic
+    # leave the last nsqd without this topic for testing
+    @cluster.nsqd.take(NSQD_COUNT-1).each do |nsqd|
+      nsqd.pub(@topic, 'some-message')
+    end
+    @cluster.nsqd.last.pub('some-other-topic', 'some-message')
+
+    @expected_topic_lookup_nsqds = @cluster.nsqd.take(NSQD_COUNT-1).map{|d|"#{d.host}:#{d.tcp_port}"}.sort
+    @expected_all_nsqds = @cluster.nsqd.map{|d|"#{d.host}:#{d.tcp_port}"}.sort
+  end
+
+  after do
+    @cluster.destroy
+  end
+
+
+  def new_discovery(cluster_lookupds)
+    lookupds = cluster_lookupds.map do |lookupd|
+      "#{lookupd.host}:#{lookupd.http_port}"
+    end
+
+    # one lookupd has scheme and one does not
+    lookupds.last.prepend 'http://'
+
+    Nsq::Discovery.new(lookupds)
+  end
+
+  describe 'multiple nsqlookupds, but one is paused' do
+    before do
+      @downed_nsqlookupd = @cluster.nsqlookupd.first
+      @downed_nsqlookupd.pause_process
+
+      @discovery = new_discovery(@cluster.nsqlookupd)
+    end
+
+    describe '#nsqds_for_topic' do
+      it 'returns all nsqds' do
+        puts "\nlong running test"
+        nsqds = @discovery.nsqds_for_topic(@topic)
+        expect(nsqds.sort).to eq(@expected_topic_lookup_nsqds)
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+
+  describe 'when all lookupds are paused' do
+    before do
+      @cluster.nsqlookupd.each(&:pause_process)
+      @discovery = new_discovery(@cluster.nsqlookupd)
+    end
+
+    describe '#nsqds' do
+      it 'throws an exception' do
+        puts "\nlong running test"
+        expect {
+          @discovery.nsqds
+        }.to raise_error(Nsq::DiscoveryException)
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe '#nsqds_for_topic' do
+      it 'throws an exception' do
+        puts "\nlong running test"
+        expect {
+          @discovery.nsqds_for_topic(@topic)
+        }.to raise_error(Nsq::DiscoveryException)
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end