diff --git a/gateway/gateway_impl.go b/gateway/gateway_impl.go
index d6a0d09a..4d1169d6 100644
--- a/gateway/gateway_impl.go
+++ b/gateway/gateway_impl.go
@@ -92,8 +92,8 @@ func (g *gatewayImpl) open(ctx context.Context) error {
 	g.config.Logger.Debug(g.formatLogs("opening gateway connection"))
 
 	g.connMu.Lock()
-	defer g.connMu.Unlock()
 	if g.conn != nil {
+		g.connMu.Unlock()
 		return discord.ErrGatewayAlreadyConnected
 	}
 	g.status = StatusConnecting
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ func (g *gatewayImpl) open(ctx context.Context) error {
 		}
 
 		g.config.Logger.Error(g.formatLogsf("error connecting to the gateway. url: %s, error: %s, body: %s", gatewayURL, err, body))
+		g.connMu.Unlock()
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -128,13 +129,27 @@ func (g *gatewayImpl) open(ctx context.Context) error {
 	})
 
 	g.conn = conn
+	g.connMu.Unlock()
 
 	// reset rate limiter when connecting
 	g.config.RateLimiter.Reset()
 
 	g.status = StatusWaitingForHello
 
-	go g.listen(conn)
+	readyChan := make(chan error)
+	go g.listen(conn, readyChan)
+
+	select {
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		closeCtx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 5*time.Second)
+		defer cancel()
+		g.Close(closeCtx)
+		return ctx.Err()
+	case err = <-readyChan:
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to open gateway connection: %w", err)
+		}
+	}
 
 	return nil
 }
@@ -226,6 +241,13 @@ func (g *gatewayImpl) reconnectTry(ctx context.Context, try int) error {
 	}
 
 	if err := g.open(ctx); err != nil {
+		var closeError *websocket.CloseError
+		if errors.As(err, &closeError) {
+			closeCode := CloseEventCodeByCode(closeError.Code)
+			if !closeCode.Reconnect {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
 		if errors.Is(err, discord.ErrGatewayAlreadyConnected) {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -279,7 +301,7 @@ func (g *gatewayImpl) sendHeartbeat() {
 	g.lastHeartbeatSent = time.Now().UTC()
 }
 
-func (g *gatewayImpl) identify() {
+func (g *gatewayImpl) identify() error {
 	g.status = StatusIdentifying
 	g.config.Logger.Debug(g.formatLogs("sending Identify command..."))
 
@@ -298,12 +320,13 @@ func (g *gatewayImpl) identify() {
 	}
 
 	if err := g.Send(context.TODO(), OpcodeIdentify, identify); err != nil {
-		g.config.Logger.Error(g.formatLogs("error sending Identify command err: ", err))
+		return err
 	}
 	g.status = StatusWaitingForReady
+	return nil
 }
 
-func (g *gatewayImpl) resume() {
+func (g *gatewayImpl) resume() error {
 	g.status = StatusResuming
 	resume := MessageDataResume{
 		Token:     g.token,
@@ -313,16 +336,22 @@ func (g *gatewayImpl) resume() {
 
 	g.config.Logger.Debug(g.formatLogs("sending Resume command..."))
 	if err := g.Send(context.TODO(), OpcodeResume, resume); err != nil {
-		g.config.Logger.Error(g.formatLogs("error sending resume command err: ", err))
+		return err
 	}
+	return nil
 }
 
-func (g *gatewayImpl) listen(conn *websocket.Conn) {
+func (g *gatewayImpl) listen(conn *websocket.Conn, readyChan chan<- error) {
 	defer g.config.Logger.Debug(g.formatLogs("exiting listen goroutine..."))
 loop:
 	for {
 		mt, data, err := conn.ReadMessage()
 		if err != nil {
+			if g.status != StatusReady {
+				readyChan <- err
+				close(readyChan)
+				break loop
+			}
 			g.connMu.Lock()
 			sameConnection := g.conn == conn
 			g.connMu.Unlock()
@@ -382,9 +411,14 @@ loop:
 			go g.heartbeat()
 
 			if g.config.LastSequenceReceived == nil || g.config.SessionID == nil {
-				g.identify()
+				err = g.identify()
 			} else {
-				g.resume()
+				err = g.resume()
+			}
+			if err != nil {
+				readyChan <- err
+				close(readyChan)
+				return
 			}
 
 		case OpcodeDispatch:
@@ -418,6 +452,10 @@ loop:
 				})
 			}
 			g.eventHandlerFunc(message.T, message.S, g.config.ShardID, eventData)
+			if _, ok = eventData.(EventReady); ok {
+				readyChan <- nil
+				close(readyChan)
+			}
 
 		case OpcodeHeartbeat:
 			g.sendHeartbeat()