diff --git a/nostr/relay.py b/nostr/relay.py
index db9cacf..7fb4baa 100644
--- a/nostr/relay.py
+++ b/nostr/relay.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ class Relay:
         self.reconnect: bool = True
         self.shutdown: bool = False
         self.error_counter: int = 0
-        self.error_threshold: int = 0
+        self.error_threshold: int = 100
         self.num_received_events: int = 0
         self.num_sent_events: int = 0
         self.num_subscriptions: int = 0
@@ -43,8 +43,10 @@ class Relay:
         self.proxy: dict = {}
         self.lock = Lock()
         self.queue = Queue()
+
+    def connect(self, ssl_options: dict = None, proxy: dict = None):
         self.ws = WebSocketApp(
-            url,
+            self.url,
             on_open=self._on_open,
             on_message=self._on_message,
             on_error=self._on_error,
@@ -52,8 +54,6 @@ class Relay:
             on_ping=self._on_ping,
             on_pong=self._on_pong,
         )
-
-    def connect(self, ssl_options: dict = None, proxy: dict = None):
         self.ssl_options = ssl_options
         self.proxy = proxy
         if not self.connected:
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ class Relay:
             pass
         self.connected = False
         if self.reconnect:
-            time.sleep(1)
+            time.sleep(self.error_counter**2)
             self.connect(self.ssl_options, self.proxy)
 
     @property
@@ -129,6 +129,10 @@ class Relay:
 
     def _on_close(self, class_obj, status_code, message):
         self.connected = False
+        if self.error_threshold and self.error_counter > self.error_threshold:
+            pass
+        else:
+            self.check_reconnect()
         pass
 
     def _on_message(self, class_obj, message: str):
@@ -139,10 +143,6 @@ class Relay:
     def _on_error(self, class_obj, error):
         self.connected = False
         self.error_counter += 1
-        if self.error_threshold and self.error_counter > self.error_threshold:
-            pass
-        else:
-            self.check_reconnect()
 
     def _on_ping(self, class_obj, message):
         return