diff --git a/ts/background.ts b/ts/background.ts
index 4a1f0c8585..4122510fa3 100644
--- a/ts/background.ts
+++ b/ts/background.ts
@@ -3417,26 +3417,6 @@ export async function startApp(): Promise<void> {
       return;
     }
 
-    if (
-      error instanceof HTTPError &&
-      (error.code === -1 || error.code === 502)
-    ) {
-      // Failed to connect to server
-      if (navigator.onLine) {
-        const timeout = reconnectBackOff.getAndIncrement();
-
-        log.info(`retrying in ${timeout}ms`);
-        reconnectTimer = Timers.setTimeout(connect, timeout);
-
-        window.Whisper.events.trigger('reconnectTimer');
-
-        // If we couldn't connect during startup - we should still switch SQL to
-        // the main process to avoid stalling UI.
-        window.Signal.Data.goBackToMainProcess();
-      }
-      return;
-    }
-
     log.warn('background onError: Doing nothing with incoming error');
   }
 
diff --git a/ts/services/networkObserver.ts b/ts/services/networkObserver.ts
index acaa4cf736..b375e0d672 100644
--- a/ts/services/networkObserver.ts
+++ b/ts/services/networkObserver.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import type {
 import { getSocketStatus } from '../shims/socketStatus';
 import * as log from '../logging/log';
 import { SECOND } from '../util/durations';
+import { SocketStatus } from '../types/SocketStatus';
 
 type NetworkActions = {
   checkNetworkStatus: (x: CheckNetworkStatusPayloadType) => NetworkActionType;
@@ -20,9 +21,17 @@ export function initializeNetworkObserver(
   log.info('Initializing network observer');
 
   const refresh = () => {
+    const socketStatus = getSocketStatus();
+
+    if (socketStatus === SocketStatus.CLOSED) {
+      // If we couldn't connect during startup - we should still switch SQL to
+      // the main process to avoid stalling UI.
+      window.Signal.Data.goBackToMainProcess();
+    }
+
     networkActions.checkNetworkStatus({
       isOnline: navigator.onLine,
-      socketStatus: getSocketStatus(),
+      socketStatus,
     });
   };