diff --git a/src/commonMain/kotlin/spms/server/SpMs.kt b/src/commonMain/kotlin/spms/server/SpMs.kt
index ecdefa0..c4bf8a4 100644
--- a/src/commonMain/kotlin/spms/server/SpMs.kt
+++ b/src/commonMain/kotlin/spms/server/SpMs.kt
@@ -25,11 +25,12 @@ import kotlin.system.exitProcess
 import kotlin.system.getTimeMillis
 
 const val SEND_EVENTS_TO_INSTIGATING_CLIENT: Boolean = true
+private const val CLIENT_REPLY_TIMEOUT_MS: Long = 100
 
 @OptIn(ExperimentalForeignApi::class)
 class SpMs(
-    mem_scope: MemScope, 
-    val headless: Boolean = false, 
+    mem_scope: MemScope,
+    val headless: Boolean = false,
     enable_gui: Boolean = false,
     enable_media_session: Boolean = false
 ): ZmqRouter(mem_scope) {
@@ -86,7 +87,7 @@ class SpMs(
             )
         ) + clients.map { it.info.copy(is_caller = it.id == caller) }
 
-    fun poll(client_reply_timeout_ms: Long) {
+    fun poll(client_reply_attempts: Int) {
 
         // Process stray messages (hopefully client handshakes)
         while (true) {
@@ -126,7 +127,7 @@ class SpMs(
             }
 
             // Wait for client to reply
-            val wait_end: Long = getTimeMillis() + client_reply_timeout_ms
+            val wait_end: Long = getTimeMillis() + CLIENT_REPLY_TIMEOUT_MS
             var client_reply: Message? = null
 
             while (true) {
@@ -150,10 +151,14 @@ class SpMs(
 
             // Client did not reply to message within timeout
             if (client_reply == null) {
-                onClientTimedOut(client, client_reply_timeout_ms)
+                if (++client.failed_connection_attempts >= client_reply_attempts) {
+                    onClientTimedOut(client, client_reply_attempts)
+                }
                 continue
             }
 
+            client.failed_connection_attempts = 0
+
             check(executing_client_id == null)
             executing_client_id = client.id
 
@@ -351,9 +356,9 @@ class SpMs(
         }
     }
 
-    private fun onClientTimedOut(client: SpMsClient, failed_timeout_ms: Long) {
+    private fun onClientTimedOut(client: SpMsClient, attempts: Int) {
         clients.remove(client)
-        println("$client failed to respond within timeout (${failed_timeout_ms}ms)")
+        println("$client failed to respond after $attempts attempts")
 
         if (
             client.type == SpMsClientType.PLAYER
diff --git a/src/commonMain/kotlin/spms/server/SpMsClient.kt b/src/commonMain/kotlin/spms/server/SpMsClient.kt
index b53b8f8..310a891 100644
--- a/src/commonMain/kotlin/spms/server/SpMsClient.kt
+++ b/src/commonMain/kotlin/spms/server/SpMsClient.kt
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ internal class SpMsClient(
 
     val id: SpMsClientID = id_bytes.contentHashCode()
     var ready_to_play: Boolean = false
+    var failed_connection_attempts: Int = 0
 
     override fun toString(): String =
         "Client(id=$id, name=$name, type=$type, language=$language, event_head=$event_head)"
diff --git a/src/commonMain/kotlin/spms/server/SpMsCommand.kt b/src/commonMain/kotlin/spms/server/SpMsCommand.kt
index c189ab6..659ac55 100644
--- a/src/commonMain/kotlin/spms/server/SpMsCommand.kt
+++ b/src/commonMain/kotlin/spms/server/SpMsCommand.kt
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ const val BUG_REPORT_URL: String = PROJECT_URL + "/issues"
 
 const val DEFAULT_ADDRESS: String = "127.0.0.1"
 private const val POLL_INTERVAL_MS: Long = 100
-private const val CLIENT_REPLY_TIMEOUT_MS: Long = 10000
+private const val CLIENT_REPLY_ATTEMPTS: Int = 10
 
 @Suppress("OPT_IN_USAGE")
 @OptIn(ExperimentalForeignApi::class)
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ class SpMsCommand: Command(
 
                     println("--- ${localisation.server.polling_started} ---")
                     while (!stop) {
-                        server.poll(CLIENT_REPLY_TIMEOUT_MS)
+                        server.poll(CLIENT_REPLY_ATTEMPTS)
                         delay(POLL_INTERVAL_MS)
                     }
                     println("--- ${localisation.server.polling_ended} ---")