diff --git a/lib/identity-search/identity-search-context.js b/lib/identity-search/identity-search-context.js
--- a/lib/identity-search/identity-search-context.js
+++ b/lib/identity-search/identity-search-context.js
@@ -38,6 +38,13 @@
   const socket = React.useRef<?WebSocket>(null);
   const heartbeatTimeoutID = React.useRef<?TimeoutID>();
 
+  const previousAuthMessage = React.useRef<?AuthMessage>(null);
+  const memoizedAuthMessage = React.useMemo(
+    () => authMessage,
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+    [authMessage?.deviceID, authMessage?.accessToken, authMessage?.userID],
+  );
+
   const stopHeartbeatTimeout = React.useCallback(() => {
     if (heartbeatTimeoutID.current) {
       clearTimeout(heartbeatTimeoutID.current);
@@ -54,6 +61,21 @@
   }, [stopHeartbeatTimeout]);
 
   React.useEffect(() => {
+    const isSocketActive =
+      socket.current?.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN ||
+      socket.current?.readyState === WebSocket.CONNECTING;
+
+    const authMessageChanged =
+      memoizedAuthMessage !== previousAuthMessage.current;
+    if (authMessageChanged) {
+      previousAuthMessage.current = memoizedAuthMessage;
+    }
+
+    if ((!authMessage || authMessageChanged) && isSocketActive) {
+      socket.current?.close();
+      return;
+    }
+
     if (connected || !authMessage) {
       return;
     }
@@ -127,7 +149,13 @@
     };
 
     socket.current = identitySearchSocket;
-  }, [connected, authMessage, resetHeartbeatTimeout, stopHeartbeatTimeout]);
+  }, [
+    connected,
+    authMessage,
+    resetHeartbeatTimeout,
+    stopHeartbeatTimeout,
+    memoizedAuthMessage,
+  ]);
 
   const addListener = React.useCallback(
     (listener: IdentitySearchSocketListener) => {