diff --git a/amqp-worker.cabal b/amqp-worker.cabal
--- a/amqp-worker.cabal
+++ b/amqp-worker.cabal
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 -- documentation, see http://haskell.org/cabal/users-guide/
 
 name:                amqp-worker
-version:             0.2.2
+version:             0.2.3
 synopsis:            High level functions for working with message queues
 description:         High level functions for working with message queues
 license:             BSD3
diff --git a/src/Network/AMQP/Worker/Connection.hs b/src/Network/AMQP/Worker/Connection.hs
--- a/src/Network/AMQP/Worker/Connection.hs
+++ b/src/Network/AMQP/Worker/Connection.hs
@@ -6,48 +6,73 @@
   , withChannel
   ) where
 
+import Control.Concurrent.MVar (MVar, putMVar, newEmptyMVar, readMVar, takeMVar)
+import Control.Monad.Catch (throwM, catch)
 import Data.Pool (Pool)
 import qualified Data.Pool as Pool
 import qualified Network.AMQP as AMQP
-import Network.AMQP (Channel)
+import Network.AMQP (Channel, AMQPException(..))
 import Control.Monad.Trans.Control (MonadBaseControl)
 
 data Connection =
-  Connection AMQP.Connection (Pool Channel)
+  Connection (MVar AMQP.Connection) (Pool Channel)
 
--- | Connect to the AMQP server. This returns a connection pool which will automatically re-open the connection as needed if an exception occurs.
+-- | Connect to the AMQP server.
 --
 -- > conn <- connect (fromURI "amqp://guest:guest@localhost:5672")
 --
 connect :: AMQP.ConnectionOpts -> IO Connection
 connect opts = do
 
-    -- open one connection
-    conn <- AMQP.openConnection'' opts
+    -- create a single connection in an mvar
+    cvar <- newEmptyMVar
+    openConnection cvar
 
     -- open a shared pool for channels
-    chans <- Pool.createPool (create conn) destroy numStripes openTime numChans
+    chans <- Pool.createPool (create cvar) destroy numStripes openTime numChans
 
-    pure $ Connection conn chans
+
+    pure $ Connection cvar chans
   where
     numStripes = 1
     openTime = 10
     numChans = 4
 
-    create conn =
-      AMQP.openChannel conn
+    openConnection cvar = do
+      -- open a connection and store in the mvar
+      conn <- AMQP.openConnection'' opts
+      putMVar cvar conn
 
-    destroy chan =
+    reopenConnection cvar = do
+      -- clear the mvar and reopen
+      _ <- takeMVar cvar
+      openConnection cvar
+
+
+    create cvar = do
+      conn <- readMVar cvar
+      chan <- catch (AMQP.openChannel conn) (createEx cvar)
+      return chan
+
+    createEx cvar (ConnectionClosedException _) = do
+      reopenConnection cvar
+      create cvar
+
+    createEx _ ex = throwM ex
+
+    destroy chan = do
       AMQP.closeChannel chan
 
 
 disconnect :: Connection -> IO ()
 disconnect (Connection c p) = do
+    conn <- readMVar c
     Pool.destroyAllResources p
-    AMQP.closeConnection c
+    AMQP.closeConnection conn
 
 
 
 withChannel :: MonadBaseControl IO m => Connection -> (Channel -> m b) -> m b
 withChannel (Connection _ p) action = do
     Pool.withResource p action
+