diff --git a/web/Gemfile b/web/Gemfile
index 14a1de9c0..79d35c7d5 100644
--- a/web/Gemfile
+++ b/web/Gemfile
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ gem 'rest_client'
 gem 'iso-639'
 gem 'language_list'
 gem 'rubyzip'
+gem 'slim'
 
 group :development, :test do
   gem 'rspec-rails', '2.14.2'
@@ -87,7 +88,6 @@ group :development, :test do
   gem 'execjs', '1.4.0'
   gem 'factory_girl_rails', '4.1.0' # in dev because in use by rake task
   gem 'database_cleaner', '1.3.0' #in dev because in use by rake task
-  gem 'slim'
 end
 group :unix do
   gem 'therubyracer' #, '0.11.0beta8'
diff --git a/web/app/assets/javascripts/JamServer.js b/web/app/assets/javascripts/JamServer.js
index cce25f6da..7460a0238 100644
--- a/web/app/assets/javascripts/JamServer.js
+++ b/web/app/assets/javascripts/JamServer.js
@@ -394,6 +394,16 @@
 
     function attemptReconnect() {
 
+      if(server.connecting) {
+        logger.warn("attemptReconnect called when already connecting");
+        return;
+      }
+
+      if(server.connected) {
+        logger.warn("attemptReconnect called when already connected");
+        return;
+      }
+
       var start = new Date().getTime();
 
       renderReconnecting();
@@ -489,12 +499,6 @@
     };
 
     server.connect = function () {
-      if(!clientType) {
-        clientType = context.JK.clientType();
-      }
-      if(!mode) {
-        mode = context.jamClient.getOperatingMode ? context.jamClient.getOperatingMode() : 'client';
-      }
 
       if(server.connecting) {
         logger.error("server.connect should never be called if we are already connecting. cancelling.")
@@ -504,6 +508,13 @@
         logger.error("server.connect should never be called if we are already connected. cancelling.")
         return;
       }
+      
+      if(!clientType) {
+        clientType = context.JK.clientType();
+      }
+      if(!mode) {
+        mode = context.jamClient.getOperatingMode ? context.jamClient.getOperatingMode() : 'client';
+      }
 
       connectDeferred = new $.Deferred();
       channelId = context.JK.generateUUID(); // create a new channel ID for every websocket connection