diff --git a/extension.js b/extension.js
index 75aad1d..e8815f2 100644
--- a/extension.js
+++ b/extension.js
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ function disable() {
         torButton = null;
     }
     if (torControlClient !== null) {
-        torControlClient.close();
+        torControlClient.closeConnection();
         torControlClient = null;
     }
 }
diff --git a/tor_control_client.js b/tor_control_client.js
index 2ec67d8..28f4688 100644
--- a/tor_control_client.js
+++ b/tor_control_client.js
@@ -23,40 +23,54 @@ const Gio = imports.gi.Gio;
 const Lang = imports.lang;
 const Signals = imports.signals;
 
+const TorProtocolError = new Lang.Class({
+    Name: 'TorProtocolError',
+    Extends: Error,
+
+    _init: function(message, statusCode) {
+        this.parent(message);
+        this.statusCode = statusCode;
+    }
+});
+
 const TorControlClient = new Lang.Class({
     Name: 'TorControlClient',
 
+    _init: function() {
+        this._fail_reason = null;
+    },
+
     openConnection: function() {
-        this._connect();
-        this._updateProtocolInfo();
-        this._ensureProtocolCompatibility();
-        this._authenticate();
-        this.emit('changed-connection-state', 'connected');
+        try {
+            this._connect();
+            this._updateProtocolInfo();
+            this._ensureProtocolCompatibility();
+            this._authenticate();
+            this.emit('changed-connection-state', 'connected');
+        } catch (e if (e instanceof Gio.IOErrorEnum || e instanceof TorProtocolError)) {
+            this.emit('changed-connection-state', 'disconnected', e.message);
+        }
     },
 
     closeConnection: function() {
-        if (this._connection.is_connected()) {
+        if (this._connection && this._connection.is_connected()) {
             this._outputStream.close(null);
             this._inputStream.close(null);
             this.emit('changed-connection-state', 'disconnected');
         }
     },
 
-    _authenticate: function() {
-        var cookie = this._readAuthCookie();
-        var reply = this._runCommand('AUTHENTICATE ' + cookie);
-
-        if (reply.statusCode != 250) {
-            throw 'Could not authenticate, reason: ' + reply.replyLines.join('\n');
-        }
-    },
-
     switchIdentity: function() {
         var reply = this._runCommand('SIGNAL NEWNYM');
 
         if (reply.statusCode != 250) {
-            this.emit('changed-connection-state', 'failed');
-            throw 'Could not change Tor identity, reason: ' + reply.replyLines.join('\n');
+            this.emit(
+                'protocol-error',
+                'Could not switch Tor identity: ' + reply.replyLines.join('\n'),
+                reply.statusCode
+            );
+        } else {
+            this.emit('switched-tor-identity');
         }
     },
 
@@ -71,7 +85,9 @@ const TorControlClient = new Lang.Class({
         var reply = this._runCommand('PROTOCOLINFO');
 
         if (reply.statusCode != 250) {
-            throw "Could not read protocol info";
+            throw new TorProtocolError(
+                    'Could not read protocol info, reason: ' + reply.replyLines.join('\n'),
+                    reply.statusCode);
         }
 
         var protocolInfoVersion;
@@ -106,7 +122,19 @@ const TorControlClient = new Lang.Class({
 
     _ensureProtocolCompatibility: function() {
         if (this._protocolInfo.protocolInfoVersion != 1) {
-            throw 'Cannot handle tor protocol version ' + this._protocolInfo.protocolInfoVersion;
+            throw new TorProtocolError('Cannot handle tor protocol version ' + this._protocolInfo.protocolInfoVersion);
+        }
+    },
+
+    _authenticate: function() {
+        var cookie = this._readAuthCookie();
+        var reply = this._runCommand('AUTHENTICATE ' + cookie);
+
+        if (reply.statusCode != 250) {
+            throw new TorProtocolError(
+                'Could not authenticate, reason: ' + reply.replyLines.join('\n'),
+                statusCode
+            );
         }
     },
 
diff --git a/ui/tor_button.js b/ui/tor_button.js
index f550dd8..4764355 100644
--- a/ui/tor_button.js
+++ b/ui/tor_button.js
@@ -22,9 +22,11 @@ along with gnome-shell-extension-tor.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/
 const Lang = imports.lang;
 const Main = imports.ui.main;
 const PanelMenu = imports.ui.panelMenu;
+const PopupMenu = imports.ui.popupMenu;
 const St = imports.gi.St;
 
 const Me = imports.misc.extensionUtils.getCurrentExtension();
+const TorDisconnectedMenu = Me.imports.ui.tor_disconnected_menu.TorDisconnectedMenu;
 const TorPopupMenu = Me.imports.ui.tor_popup_menu.TorPopupMenu;
 
 const TorConnectedIcon = 'tor-connected';
@@ -41,6 +43,8 @@ const TorButton = new Lang.Class({
 
         this._buildUi();
         this._bindEvents();
+
+        this._currentState = null;
     },
 
     _buildUi: function() {
@@ -51,23 +55,45 @@ const TorButton = new Lang.Class({
 
         this.actor.add_child(this._icon);
 
-        this._menu = new TorPopupMenu(this.actor, this._torControlClient);
-        this.setMenu(this._menu);
+        //var dummyMenu = new PopupMenu.PopupDummyMenu(this.actor);
+        //this.setMenu(dummyMenu);
+        //Main.panel.menuManager.addMenu(dummyMenu);
     },
 
     _bindEvents: function() {
-        this._torControlClient.connect('changed-connection-state', Lang.bind(this, this._changedConnectionState));
+        this._torControlClient.connect('changed-connection-state', Lang.bind(this, this._onChangedConnectionState));
+        this._torControlClient.connect('switched-tor-identity', Lang.bind(this, this._onSwitchedTorIdentity));
+        this._torControlClient.connect('protocol-error', Lang.bind(this, this._onProtocolError));
     },
 
-    _changedConnectionState: function(source, state) {
-        log('NEW STATE: ' + state);
+    _onChangedConnectionState: function(source, state, message) {
+        if (this._currentState == state)
+            return;
+
+        this._currentState = state;
+
         switch (state) {
             case 'connected':
                 this._icon.icon_name = TorConnectedIcon;
+                this._menu = new TorPopupMenu(this.actor, this._torControlClient);
+                this.setMenu(this._menu);
+                Main.panel.menuManager.addMenu(this._menu);
                 break;
             case 'disconnected':
                 this._icon.icon_name = TorDisconnectedIcon;
+                this._menu = new TorDisconnectedMenu(this.actor, this._torControlClient);
+                this.setMenu(this._menu);
+                Main.panel.menuManager.addMenu(this._menu);
                 break;
         }
+    },
+
+    _onSwitchedTorIdentity: function() {
+        Main.notify('Switched to a new Tor identity!');
+    },
+
+    _onProtocolError: function(source, message, statusCode) {
+        Main.notifyError(message);
+        log('Tor control procotol error (status code ' + statusCode + '): ' + reason)
     }
 });
diff --git a/ui/tor_disconnected_menu.js b/ui/tor_disconnected_menu.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..45ba81b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/tor_disconnected_menu.js
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+// vim: set sw=4:ts=4
+/*
+Copyright 2015 Frank Ploss <frank@fqxp.de>.
+
+This file is part of gnome-shell-extension-tor.
+
+gnome-shell-extension-tor is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+(at your option) any later version.
+
+gnome-shell-extension-tor is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+along with gnome-shell-extension-tor.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>./
+*/
+'use strict';
+
+const Lang = imports.lang;
+const PopupMenu = imports.ui.popupMenu;
+const St = imports.gi.St;
+
+const TorDisconnectedMenu = new Lang.Class({
+    Name: 'TorDisconnectedMenu',
+    Extends: PopupMenu.PopupMenu,
+
+    _init: function(actor, torControlClient) {
+        this._torControlClient = torControlClient;
+        this.parent(actor, 0.25, St.Side.TOP);
+
+        this._addActions();
+    },
+
+    destroy: function() {
+        this.parent(arguments);
+    },
+
+    _addActions: function() {
+        var errorMessageMenuItem = new PopupMenu.PopupBaseMenuItem({reactive: false});
+        errorMessageMenuItem.setSensitive(false);
+        errorMessageMenuItem.actor.add_actor(new St.Label({
+            text: 'ERROR running'
+        }));
+        this.addMenuItem(errorMessageMenuItem);
+
+        this.addAction('Reconnect', Lang.bind(this, this._reconnect));
+    },
+
+    _reconnect: function() {
+        this._torControlClient.connect('changed-connection-state', function() {})
+        this._torControlClient.openConnection();
+    }
+});
diff --git a/ui/tor_popup_menu.js b/ui/tor_popup_menu.js
index 0f931ab..f0b648c 100644
--- a/ui/tor_popup_menu.js
+++ b/ui/tor_popup_menu.js
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ along with gnome-shell-extension-tor.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/
 'use strict';
 
 const Lang = imports.lang;
-const Main = imports.ui.main;
 const PopupMenu = imports.ui.popupMenu;
 const St = imports.gi.St;
 
@@ -40,12 +39,6 @@ const TorPopupMenu = new Lang.Class({
     },
 
     _switchTorIdentity: function() {
-        try {
-            this._torControlClient.switchIdentity();
-            Main.notify('Switched to a new Tor identity!');
-        } catch (e) {
-            log(e);
-            Main.notifyError('Could not switch Tor identity: ' + e);
-        }
+        this._torControlClient.switchIdentity();
     }
 });