diff --git a/explorer/src/main.rs b/explorer/src/main.rs
index 1fdfb9e234..0d11cbba1f 100644
--- a/explorer/src/main.rs
+++ b/explorer/src/main.rs
@@ -51,12 +51,12 @@ async fn main() {
         .to_owned();
 
     let public_path = std::env::current_exe()
-    .expect("Failed to evaluate current exe path")
-    .parent()
-    .expect("the binary itself has no parent path?!")
-    .join("public");
+        .expect("Failed to evaluate current exe path")
+        .parent()
+        .expect("the binary itself has no parent path?!")
+        .join("public");
 
-    tokio::task::spawn_blocking(|| {
+    std::thread::spawn(|| {
         rocket::ignite()
             .mount("/", StaticFiles::from(public_path))
             .launch()
diff --git a/explorer/src/websockets/client.rs b/explorer/src/websockets/client.rs
index b258afc6bc..4eeb8663a0 100644
--- a/explorer/src/websockets/client.rs
+++ b/explorer/src/websockets/client.rs
@@ -2,18 +2,24 @@ use log::*;
 use tokio::net::TcpStream;
 use tokio::stream::StreamExt;
 use tokio::sync::broadcast;
+use tokio::time::{delay_for, Duration};
 use tokio_native_tls::TlsStream;
 use tokio_tungstenite::tungstenite::{Error as WsError, Message};
 use tokio_tungstenite::WebSocketStream;
 use tokio_tungstenite::{connect_async, stream::Stream};
 
 pub(crate) type WsItem = Result<Message, WsError>;
+const MAX_RECONNECTION_ATTEMPTS: u32 = 10;
+const RECONNECTION_BACKOFF: Duration = Duration::from_secs(10);
 
 /// A websocket client which subscribes to the metrics centrally collected by the metrics server.
 /// All metrics messages get copied out to this dashboard instance's clients.
 pub(crate) struct MetricsWebsocketClient {
+    metrics_address: String,
     metrics_upstream: WebSocketStream<Stream<TcpStream, TlsStream<TcpStream>>>,
     broadcaster: broadcast::Sender<Message>,
+
+    reconnection_attempt: u32,
 }
 
 impl MetricsWebsocketClient {
@@ -30,33 +36,68 @@ impl MetricsWebsocketClient {
         info!("Subscribed to metrics websocket at {}", metrics_address);
 
         Ok(MetricsWebsocketClient {
+            metrics_address: metrics_address.into(),
             metrics_upstream: ws_stream,
             broadcaster,
+            reconnection_attempt: 0,
         })
     }
 
-    /// When the metrics server sends a message, it should be copied out to the server and distributed
-    /// to all connected clients.
-    fn on_message(&self, item: WsItem) {
-        let ws_message = match item {
-            Ok(message) => message,
+    async fn attempt_reconnection(&mut self) {
+        info!("attempting reconnection to metrics websocket...");
+        if self.reconnection_attempt >= MAX_RECONNECTION_ATTEMPTS {
+            // kill the process and reset everything when service restarts
+            error!("failed to re-establish websocket connection to metrics server");
+            std::process::exit(1)
+        }
+
+        // use linear backoff to try to reconnect asap
+        delay_for(RECONNECTION_BACKOFF * self.reconnection_attempt).await;
+
+        let ws_stream = match connect_async(&self.metrics_address).await {
+            Ok((ws_stream, _)) => ws_stream,
             Err(err) => {
-                error!("failed to obtain valid websocket message - {}", err);
+                self.reconnection_attempt += 1;
+                info!("reconnection failed... - {}", err);
                 return;
             }
         };
 
+        info!("reconnected!");
+
+        self.reconnection_attempt = 0;
+        self.metrics_upstream = ws_stream;
+    }
+
+    /// When the metrics server sends a message, it should be copied out to the server and distributed
+    /// to all connected clients.
+    fn on_message(&self, item: WsItem) -> Result<(), WsError> {
+        let ws_message = match item {
+            Ok(message) => message,
+            Err(err) => {
+                error!("failed to obtain valid websocket message - {}", err);
+                return Err(err);
+            }
+        };
+
         match self.broadcaster.send(ws_message) {
-            Ok(received) => info!("broadcasted websocket metrics data to {} clients", received),
-            Err(_) => info!("no clients are currently subscribed"),
+            Ok(received) => debug!("broadcasted websocket metrics data to {} clients", received),
+            Err(_) => debug!("no clients are currently subscribed"),
         }
+
+        Ok(())
     }
 
     pub(crate) async fn run(&mut self) {
-        while let Some(incoming) = self.metrics_upstream.next().await {
-            self.on_message(incoming)
+        loop {
+            if let Some(incoming) = self.metrics_upstream.next().await {
+                if let Err(_) = self.on_message(incoming) {
+                    self.attempt_reconnection().await;
+                }
+            } else {
+                self.attempt_reconnection().await;
+            }
         }
-        info!("Our metrics server subscriber is finished!")
     }
 }