diff --git a/sleekxmpp/clientxmpp.py b/sleekxmpp/clientxmpp.py
index 3f0f5e26..57dc2ec0 100644
--- a/sleekxmpp/clientxmpp.py
+++ b/sleekxmpp/clientxmpp.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import base64
 import sys
 import hashlib
 import random
+import threading
 
 from sleekxmpp import plugins
 from sleekxmpp import stanza
@@ -78,6 +79,9 @@ class ClientXMPP(BaseXMPP):
         self.plugin_whitelist = plugin_whitelist
         self.srv_support = SRV_SUPPORT
 
+        self.session_started_event = threading.Event()
+        self.session_started_event.clear()
+
         self.stream_header = "<stream:stream to='%s' %s %s version='1.0'>" % (
                 self.boundjid.host,
                 "xmlns:stream='%s'" % self.stream_ns,
@@ -124,6 +128,12 @@ class ClientXMPP(BaseXMPP):
         self.sessionstarted = False
         self.bound = False
         self.bindfail = False
+        self.schedule("session timeout checker", 15, self._session_timeout_check)
+
+    def _session_timeout_check(self):
+        if not self.session_started_event.isSet():
+            logging.debug("Session start has taken more than 15 seconds")
+            self.disconnect(reconnect=self.auto_reconnect)
 
     def connect(self, address=tuple()):
         """
@@ -136,6 +146,7 @@ class ClientXMPP(BaseXMPP):
         Arguments:
             address -- A tuple containing the server's host and port.
         """
+        self.session_started_event.clear()
         if not address or len(address) < 2:
             if not self.srv_support:
                 logging.debug("Did not supply (address, port) to connect" + \
@@ -374,6 +385,7 @@ class ClientXMPP(BaseXMPP):
         if "{%s}session" % session_ns not in self.features or self.bindfail:
             logging.debug("Established Session")
             self.sessionstarted = True
+            self.session_started_event.set()
             self.event("session_start")
 
     def _handle_start_session(self, xml):
@@ -388,6 +400,7 @@ class ClientXMPP(BaseXMPP):
             response = iq.send()
             logging.debug("Established Session")
             self.sessionstarted = True
+            self.session_started_event.set()
             self.event("session_start")
         else:
             # Bind probably hasn't happened yet.
diff --git a/sleekxmpp/thirdparty/statemachine.py b/sleekxmpp/thirdparty/statemachine.py
index 60ba792f..54070db1 100644
--- a/sleekxmpp/thirdparty/statemachine.py
+++ b/sleekxmpp/thirdparty/statemachine.py
@@ -82,18 +82,22 @@ class StateMachine(object):
         if not to_state in self.__states: 
             raise ValueError( "StateMachine does not contain to_state %s." % to_state )
 
-
         start = time.time()
         while not self.lock.acquire(False):
             time.sleep(.001)
             if (start + wait - time.time()) <= 0.0:
+                logging.debug("Could not acquire lock")
                 return False
 
         while not self.__current_state in from_states:
             # detect timeout:
             remainder = start + wait - time.time()
-            if remainder > 0: self.notifier.wait(remainder)
-            else: return False
+            if remainder > 0: 
+                self.notifier.wait(remainder)
+            else: 
+                logging.debug("State was not ready")
+                self.lock.release()
+                return False
 
         try: # lock is acquired; all other threads will return false or wait until notify/timeout
             if self.__current_state in from_states: # should always be True due to lock
diff --git a/sleekxmpp/xmlstream/scheduler.py b/sleekxmpp/xmlstream/scheduler.py
index b932b0a7..b1b81439 100644
--- a/sleekxmpp/xmlstream/scheduler.py
+++ b/sleekxmpp/xmlstream/scheduler.py
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ class Scheduler(object):
         """Process scheduled tasks."""
         self.run = True
         try:
-            while self.run:
+            while self.run and (self.parentstop is None or not self.parentstop.isSet()):
                     wait = 1
                     updated = False
                     if self.schedule:
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ class Scheduler(object):
         except KeyboardInterrupt:
             self.run = False
             if self.parentstop is not None:
+                logging.debug("stopping parent")
                 self.parentstop.set()
         except SystemExit:
             self.run = False
diff --git a/sleekxmpp/xmlstream/xmlstream.py b/sleekxmpp/xmlstream/xmlstream.py
index 41ee8329..c8280c33 100644
--- a/sleekxmpp/xmlstream/xmlstream.py
+++ b/sleekxmpp/xmlstream/xmlstream.py
@@ -275,6 +275,7 @@ class XMLStream(object):
                 self.socket = ssl_socket
 
         try:
+            logging.debug("Connecting to %s:%s" % self.address)
             self.socket.connect(self.address)
             self.set_socket(self.socket, ignore=True)
             #this event is where you should set your application state
@@ -328,10 +329,10 @@ class XMLStream(object):
         Reset the stream's state and reconnect to the server.
         """
         logging.debug("reconnecting...")
-        self.state.transition('connected', 'disconnected', wait=0.0,
+        self.state.transition('connected', 'disconnected', wait=2.0,
                               func=self._disconnect, args=(True,))
         return self.state.transition('disconnected', 'connected',
-                                     wait=0.0, func=self._connect)
+                                     wait=2.0, func=self._connect)
 
     def set_socket(self, socket, ignore=False):
         """
@@ -669,7 +670,7 @@ class XMLStream(object):
         # The body of this loop will only execute once per connection.
         # Additional passes will be made only if an error occurs and
         # reconnecting is permitted.
-        while not self.stop.isSet() and firstrun or self.auto_reconnect:
+        while firstrun or (self.auto_reconnect and not self.stop.isSet()):
             firstrun = False
             try:
                 if self.is_client: