diff --git a/packages/stream/stream_client.js b/packages/stream/stream_client.js
index 0ed28e0e83..f461e594d0 100644
--- a/packages/stream/stream_client.js
+++ b/packages/stream/stream_client.js
@@ -4,23 +4,69 @@ if (typeof Sky === "undefined") Sky = {};
 
   ////////// Internals //////////
 
-  var socket = io.connect();
+  // socket.io reconnect is broken and doesn't tell us when it gives up:
+  // https://github.com/LearnBoost/socket.io/issues/652
+  //
+  // we wanted our own logic on top of socket.io anyway, since their
+  // reconnect is a little gimpy. So this just means we have to do it
+  // all ourselves instead of allowing socket.io to handle the
+  // short-term transient reconnects.
+
+  var socket = io.connect('/', { reconnect: false} );
 
 
+  //// reactive status stuff
+  var status = {its_all_a_lie: true};
+  var status_listeners = [];
+  var status_changed = function () {
+    // XXX does _.each do the right thing if the list is modified out
+    // from under it? The list will be modified out from under it until
+    // Geoff's flush changes land (and even then, may still be modified
+    // out from under us?).
+    _.each(status_listeners, function (x) { x(); });
+  };
+
+
+  //// callbacks from socket.io
 
   socket.on('connect', function () {
-    // XXX
+    var old_connected = status.connected;
+    status.connected = true;
+    if (old_connected !== status.connected)
+      status_changed();
+
+    // XXX implement
   });
   socket.on('disconnect', function () {
-    // XXX reconnect
+    var old_connected = status.connected;
+    status.connected = false;
+    if (old_connected !== status.connected)
+      status_changed();
+
+    // XXX implement
+  });
+
+  socket.on('connect_failed', function () {
+    var old_connected = status.connected;
+    status.connected = false;
+    if (old_connected !== status.connected)
+      status_changed();
+
+    // XXX implement
   });
 
 
   ////////// User facing API //////////
 
   Sky.status = function () {
-    // XXX implement
-    return {connected: true, its_all_a_lie: true};
+    if (Sky.deps.monitoring) {
+      var invalidate = Sky.deps.getInvalidate();
+      status_listeners.push(invalidate);
+      Sky.deps.cleanup(function () {
+        status_listeners = _.without(status_listeners, invalidate);
+      });
+    }
+    return status;
   };
 
   Sky.reconnect = function () {