diff --git a/src/NATS.Client.Core/Internal/NatsReadProtocolProcessor.cs b/src/NATS.Client.Core/Internal/NatsReadProtocolProcessor.cs
index c0d426d15..b82498adf 100644
--- a/src/NATS.Client.Core/Internal/NatsReadProtocolProcessor.cs
+++ b/src/NATS.Client.Core/Internal/NatsReadProtocolProcessor.cs
@@ -297,7 +297,9 @@ await _connection.PublishToClientHandlersAsync(subject, replyTo, sid, headerSlic
             }
             catch (SocketClosedException e)
             {
+                _logger.LogDebug(NatsLogEvents.Protocol, e, "Socket closed during read loop");
                 _waitForInfoSignal.TrySetException(e);
+                _waitForPongOrErrorSignal.TrySetException(e);
                 return;
             }
             catch (Exception ex)
diff --git a/src/NATS.Client.Core/NatsConnection.cs b/src/NATS.Client.Core/NatsConnection.cs
index 267dc7238..dfbf7b36f 100644
--- a/src/NATS.Client.Core/NatsConnection.cs
+++ b/src/NATS.Client.Core/NatsConnection.cs
@@ -496,7 +496,17 @@ private async ValueTask SetupReaderWriterAsync(bool reconnect)
                 }
 
                 // receive COMMAND response (PONG or ERROR)
-                await waitForPongOrErrorSignal.Task.ConfigureAwait(false);
+                try
+                {
+                    await waitForPongOrErrorSignal.Task
+                        .WaitAsync(Opts.ConnectTimeout)
+                        .ConfigureAwait(false);
+                }
+                catch (TimeoutException)
+                {
+                    _logger.LogDebug(NatsLogEvents.Connection, "Timeout waiting for initial pong");
+                    throw;
+                }
 
                 if (reconnectTask != null)
                 {