diff --git a/services/tunnelbroker/src/amqp.rs b/services/tunnelbroker/src/amqp.rs
--- a/services/tunnelbroker/src/amqp.rs
+++ b/services/tunnelbroker/src/amqp.rs
@@ -166,6 +166,18 @@
     self.inner.read().unwrap().get_channel(id_hash)
   }
 
+  /// Triggers reconnecting in background, without awaiting
+  pub fn trigger_reconnect(&self) {
+    if !self.is_connected() && !self.is_connecting() {
+      let this = self.clone();
+      tokio::spawn(async move {
+        if let Err(err) = this.reset_conn().await {
+          tracing::warn!("AMQP background reconnect failed: {:?}", err);
+        }
+      });
+    }
+  }
+
   async fn reset_conn(&self) -> Result<(), lapin::Error> {
     if let Ok(false) = self.is_connecting.compare_exchange(
       false,
diff --git a/services/tunnelbroker/src/websockets/session.rs b/services/tunnelbroker/src/websockets/session.rs
--- a/services/tunnelbroker/src/websockets/session.rs
+++ b/services/tunnelbroker/src/websockets/session.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use crate::amqp::AmqpConnection;
+use crate::amqp::{is_connection_error, AmqpConnection};
 use crate::constants::{
   error_types, CLIENT_RMQ_MSG_PRIORITY, DDB_RMQ_MSG_PRIORITY,
   MAX_RMQ_MSG_PRIORITY, RMQ_CONSUMER_TAG,
@@ -756,10 +756,15 @@
       )
       .await
     {
-      error!(
-        errorType = error_types::AMQP_ERROR,
-        "Failed to cancel consumer: {}", e
-      );
+      if is_connection_error(&e) {
+        warn!("AMQP connection dead when closing WS session.");
+        self.amqp.trigger_reconnect();
+      } else {
+        error!(
+          errorType = error_types::AMQP_ERROR,
+          "Failed to cancel consumer: {}", e
+        );
+      }
     }
 
     if let Err(e) = self
@@ -770,10 +775,15 @@
       )
       .await
     {
-      error!(
-        errorType = error_types::AMQP_ERROR,
-        "Failed to delete queue: {}", e
-      );
+      if is_connection_error(&e) {
+        warn!("AMQP connection dead when closing WS session.");
+        self.amqp.trigger_reconnect();
+      } else {
+        error!(
+          errorType = error_types::AMQP_ERROR,
+          "Failed to delete queue: {}", e
+        );
+      }
     }
   }