diff --git a/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocket.cpp b/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocket.cpp
index 7582284d..3b6a81d0 100644
--- a/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocket.cpp
+++ b/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocket.cpp
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ namespace ix
     WebSocket::WebSocket() :
         _onMessageCallback(OnMessageCallback()),
         _stop(false),
-        _blocking(true),
+        _backgroundThreadRunning(false),
         _automaticReconnection(true),
         _handshakeTimeoutSecs(kDefaultHandShakeTimeoutSecs),
         _enablePong(kDefaultEnablePong),
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ namespace ix
     {
         if (_thread.joinable()) return; // we've already been started
 
-        _blocking = false;
+        _backgroundThreadRunning = true;
         _thread = std::thread(&WebSocket::run, this);
     }
 
@@ -157,8 +157,8 @@ namespace ix
 
         _stop = true;
         _thread.join();
+        _backgroundThreadRunning = false;
         _stop = false;
-        _blocking = true;
 
         _automaticReconnection = automaticReconnection;
     }
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ namespace ix
             //    an explicit disconnection from the callback, or by the remote end
             //    closing the connection, ie isConnected() == false.
             //    closing the connection, ie isConnectedOrClosing() == false.
-            if (_blocking && !isConnectedOrClosing() && !_automaticReconnection) return;
+            if (!_backgroundThreadRunning && !isConnected() && !_automaticReconnection) return;
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocket.h b/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocket.h
index a1fc86fa..d825a2d0 100644
--- a/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocket.h
+++ b/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocket.h
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ namespace ix
         static OnTrafficTrackerCallback _onTrafficTrackerCallback;
 
         std::atomic<bool> _stop;
-        std::atomic<bool> _blocking;
+        std::atomic<bool> _backgroundThreadRunning;
         std::atomic<bool> _automaticReconnection;
         std::thread _thread;
         std::mutex _writeMutex;