diff --git a/src/client.rs b/src/client.rs
index ece24c8..985a2fe 100644
--- a/src/client.rs
+++ b/src/client.rs
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ pub const DEFAULT_RECONNECT_INTERVAL: Duration = Duration::new(5, 0);
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub struct ClientConfig {
     url: Url,
-    reconnect_interval: Option<Duration>,
+    reconnect_interval: Duration,
     headers: http::HeaderMap,
 }
 
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ impl ClientConfig {
         let url = url.try_into().expect("invalid URL");
         Self {
             url,
-            reconnect_interval: Some(DEFAULT_RECONNECT_INTERVAL),
+            reconnect_interval: DEFAULT_RECONNECT_INTERVAL,
             headers: http::HeaderMap::new(),
         }
     }
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ impl ClientConfig {
     }
 
     pub fn reconnect_interval(mut self, reconnect_interval: Duration) -> Self {
-        self.reconnect_interval = Some(reconnect_interval);
+        self.reconnect_interval = reconnect_interval;
         self
     }
 
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ pub trait ClientExt: Send {
     ///
     /// By default, the client will try to reconnect. Return [`ClientCloseMode::Close`] here to fully close instead.
     ///
-    /// For reconnections, use `ClientConfig::reconnect_interval`(enabled by default).
+    /// For reconnections, use `ClientConfig::reconnect_interval`.
     async fn on_close(&mut self, _frame: Option<CloseFrame>) -> Result<ClientCloseMode, Error> {
         Ok(ClientCloseMode::Reconnect)
     }
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ pub trait ClientExt: Send {
     ///
     /// By default, the client will try to reconnect. Return [`ClientCloseMode::Close`] here to fully close instead.
     ///
-    /// For reconnections, use `ClientConfig::reconnect_interval`(enabled by default).
+    /// For reconnections, use `ClientConfig::reconnect_interval`.
     async fn on_disconnect(&mut self) -> Result<ClientCloseMode, Error> {
         Ok(ClientCloseMode::Reconnect)
     }
@@ -382,13 +382,7 @@ impl<E: ClientExt> ClientActor<E> {
     }
 
     async fn try_reconnect(&mut self) -> bool {
-        let Some(reconnect_interval) = self.config.reconnect_interval else {
-            tracing::warn!("no reconnect interval set, aborting reconnect attempt");
-            return false;
-        };
-        tracing::info!("reconnecting in {}s", reconnect_interval.as_secs());
         for i in 1.. {
-            tokio::time::sleep(reconnect_interval).await;
             tracing::info!("reconnecting attempt no: {}...", i);
             let connect_http_request = self.config.connect_http_request();
             let result = tokio_tungstenite::connect_async(connect_http_request).await;
@@ -407,10 +401,26 @@ impl<E: ClientExt> ClientActor<E> {
                     tracing::warn!(
                         "reconnecting failed due to {}. will retry in {}s",
                         err,
-                        reconnect_interval.as_secs()
+                        self.config.reconnect_interval.as_secs()
                     );
                 }
             };
+            // discard messages until either the reconnect interval passes or the socket receiver disconnects
+            let sleep = tokio::time::sleep(self.config.reconnect_interval);
+            tokio::pin!(sleep);
+            loop {
+                tokio::select! {
+                    _ = &mut sleep => break,
+                    Some(_) = self.to_socket_receiver.recv() => {
+                        tracing::warn!("client is reconnecting, discarding message from user");
+                        continue
+                    },
+                    else => {
+                        tracing::warn!("client is dead, aborting reconnect");
+                        return false;
+                    },
+                }
+            }
         }
 
         false