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
@@ -42,6 +42,9 @@
   const socket = React.useRef<?WebSocket>(null);
   const heartbeatTimeoutID = React.useRef<?TimeoutID>();
 
+  const previousIdentitySearchAuthMessage =
+    React.useRef<?IdentitySearchAuthMessage>(identitySearchAuthMessage);
+
   const stopHeartbeatTimeout = React.useCallback(() => {
     if (heartbeatTimeoutID.current) {
       clearTimeout(heartbeatTimeoutID.current);
@@ -65,6 +68,22 @@
   }, [getIdentitySearchAuthMessage]);
 
   React.useEffect(() => {
+    const isSocketActive =
+      socket.current?.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN ||
+      socket.current?.readyState === WebSocket.CONNECTING;
+
+    const identitySearchAuthMessageChanged =
+      identitySearchAuthMessage !== previousIdentitySearchAuthMessage.current;
+    previousIdentitySearchAuthMessage.current = identitySearchAuthMessage;
+
+    if (
+      (!identitySearchAuthMessage || identitySearchAuthMessageChanged) &&
+      isSocketActive
+    ) {
+      socket.current?.close();
+      return;
+    }
+
     if (connected || !identitySearchAuthMessage) {
       return;
     }