diff --git a/replit_river/session.py b/replit_river/session.py
index 2be2b81..a321448 100644
--- a/replit_river/session.py
+++ b/replit_river/session.py
@@ -116,10 +116,15 @@ async def is_websocket_open(self) -> bool:
         async with self._ws_lock:
             return await self._ws_wrapper.is_open()
 
-    async def _begin_close_session_countdown(self) -> None:
-        """Begin the countdown to close session, this should be called when
-        websocket is closed.
+    async def _handle_connection_closed(self) -> None:
         """
+        Handle the WebSocket connection being closing.
+        This will trigger connection retries, if enabled, and starts a
+        session reconnection timer.
+        If the timer expires before reconnection, the session will be closed.
+        """
+        # ensure websocket is closed and initiate connection retries if applicable.
+        await self.close_websocket(self._ws_wrapper, not self._is_server)
         # calculate the value now before establishing it so that there are no
         # await points between the check and the assignment to avoid a TOCTOU
         # race.
@@ -145,12 +150,7 @@ async def serve(self) -> None:
                 try:
                     await self._handle_messages_from_ws(tg)
                 except ConnectionClosed:
-                    if self._retry_connection_callback:
-                        self._task_manager.create_task(
-                            self._retry_connection_callback()
-                        )
-
-                    await self._begin_close_session_countdown()
+                    await self._handle_connection_closed()
                     logger.debug("ConnectionClosed while serving", exc_info=True)
                 except FailedSendingMessageException:
                     # Expected error if the connection is closed.
@@ -310,10 +310,7 @@ async def _heartbeat(
                         "%r closing websocket because of heartbeat misses",
                         self.session_id,
                     )
-                    await self.close_websocket(
-                        self._ws_wrapper, should_retry=not self._is_server
-                    )
-                    await self._begin_close_session_countdown()
+                    await self._handle_connection_closed()
                     continue
             except FailedSendingMessageException:
                 # this is expected during websocket closed period
@@ -344,9 +341,7 @@ async def _send_transport_message(
         websocket: websockets.WebSocketCommonProtocol,
     ) -> None:
         try:
-            await send_transport_message(
-                msg, websocket, self._begin_close_session_countdown
-            )
+            await send_transport_message(msg, websocket, self._handle_connection_closed)
         except WebsocketClosedException as e:
             raise e
         except FailedSendingMessageException as e: