diff --git a/SparkleLib/SparkleListener.cs b/SparkleLib/SparkleListener.cs
index 19c5b38c..fecf0f66 100644
--- a/SparkleLib/SparkleListener.cs
+++ b/SparkleLib/SparkleListener.cs
@@ -22,10 +22,12 @@ using System.Threading;
 
 namespace SparkleLib {
 
+	// A persistent connection to the server that
+	// listens for change notifications
 	public class SparkleListener
 	{
 
-		// FIXME: The irc client is a public property because
+		// FIXME: The IrcClient is a public property because
 		// extending it causes crashes
 		public IrcClient Client;
 		private Thread Thread;
@@ -49,9 +51,12 @@ namespace SparkleLib {
 			Server  = "irc.gnome.org";
 
 			Client = new IrcClient () {
-				PingTimeout = 90,
-				SocketSendTimeout = 90,
-				SocketReceiveTimeout = 90
+				PingTimeout          = 60,
+				SocketSendTimeout    = 60,
+				SocketReceiveTimeout = 60,
+				AutoRetry            = true,
+				AutoReconnect        = true,
+				AutoRejoin           = true
 			};
 
 		}
@@ -93,6 +98,7 @@ namespace SparkleLib {
 		}
 
 
+		// Frees all resources for this Listener
 		public void Dispose ()
 		{
 
diff --git a/SparkleLib/SparkleRepo.cs b/SparkleLib/SparkleRepo.cs
index bcde2e02..4b4ead33 100644
--- a/SparkleLib/SparkleRepo.cs
+++ b/SparkleLib/SparkleRepo.cs
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ namespace SparkleLib {
 
 			_UserName           = GetUserName ();
 			_UserEmail          = GetUserEmail ();
-			_CurrentHash         = GetCurrentHash ();
+			_CurrentHash        = GetCurrentHash ();
 			_HasUnsyncedChanges = false;
 			_IsSyncing          = false;
 			_IsBuffering        = false;
@@ -297,6 +297,10 @@ namespace SparkleLib {
 				Interval = 60000
 			};
 
+
+			// Listen to the irc channel on the server
+			Listener = new SparkleListener (Domain, "#" + RemoteName, _UserEmail);
+
 			RemoteTimer.Elapsed += delegate { 
 
 				CheckForRemoteChanges ();
@@ -304,10 +308,14 @@ namespace SparkleLib {
 				if (_HasUnsyncedChanges)
 					Push ();
 
-			};
+				if (!Listener.Client.IsConnected) {
 
-			// Listen to the irc channel on the server
-			Listener = new SparkleListener (Domain, "#" + RemoteName, _UserEmail);
+					SparkleHelpers.DebugInfo ("Irc", "[" + Name + "] Trying to reconnect...");
+					Listener.Client.Reconnect (true, true);
+
+				}
+
+			};
 
 			// Stop polling when the connection to the irc channel is succesful
 			Listener.Client.OnConnected += delegate {
diff --git a/SparkleShare/SparkleStatusIcon.cs b/SparkleShare/SparkleStatusIcon.cs
index 70c32aec..c0e7a907 100644
--- a/SparkleShare/SparkleStatusIcon.cs
+++ b/SparkleShare/SparkleStatusIcon.cs
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ using System.Timers;
 
 namespace SparkleShare {
 
+	// The statusicon that stays in the
+	// user's notification area
 	public class SparkleStatusIcon : StatusIcon
 	{