diff --git a/comprl/client/networking.py b/comprl/client/networking.py
index 236c40b..d9a14ee 100644
--- a/comprl/client/networking.py
+++ b/comprl/client/networking.py
@@ -155,9 +155,15 @@ def connect_agent(agent: IAgent, host: str = "localhost", port: int = 65335):
         None
 
     """
+
+    def __on_error(reason):
+        agent.on_error(f"Connection to the server failed: {reason}.")
+        if reactor.running:
+            reactor.stop()
+
     connectProtocol(
-        TCP4ClientEndpoint(reactor, host, port),
+        TCP4ClientEndpoint(reactor, host, port, timeout=30),
         ClientProtocol(agent),
         # we lose the protocol here, is this a problem?
-    )
+    ).addErrback(__on_error)
     reactor.run()  # type: ignore[attr-defined]
diff --git a/examples/hockey/weak_hockey_agent.py b/examples/hockey/weak_hockey_agent.py
index 1a64726..3bf0898 100644
--- a/examples/hockey/weak_hockey_agent.py
+++ b/examples/hockey/weak_hockey_agent.py
@@ -26,3 +26,6 @@ def on_end_game(result, stats):
 
 
 Weak_Hockey_Agent.run("token" + str(input("enter 1, 2, 3 or 4 to choose token: ")))
+
+# restarting the reactor is not easy. This might work:
+# https://www.blog.pythonlibrary.org/2016/09/14/restarting-a-twisted-reactor/