diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 25a54d5..4d9783c 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # chromote (development version)
 
+* `Chromote` gains a new `is_alive()` method equivalent to the old `is_active()` method; i.e. it reports on if there is an active chrome process running in the background.
+
+* Breaking change: `Chromote$is_active()` method now reports if there is an active connection to the underlying chrome instance, rather than whether or not that instance is alive (#94).
+
 * `--disable-gpu` is no longer included in the default Chrome arguments.
 
 * `ChromoteSession` now records the `targetId`. This eliminates one round-trip to the browser when viewing or closing a session. You can now call the `$respawn()` method if a session terminates and you want to reconnect to the same target (#94).
diff --git a/R/browser.R b/R/browser.R
index a32a1c9..37d5004 100644
--- a/R/browser.R
+++ b/R/browser.R
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ Browser <- R6Class("Browser",
     #' @description Browser process
     get_process = function() private$process,
 
+    #' @description Is the process alive?
+    is_alive = function() private$process$is_alive(),
+
     #' @description Browser Host
     get_host = function() private$host,
 
diff --git a/R/chromote.R b/R/chromote.R
index de2ac85..754d0d9 100644
--- a/R/chromote.R
+++ b/R/chromote.R
@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@ Chromote <- R6Class(
       list2env(self$protocol, self)
 
       private$event_manager <- EventManager$new(self)
-      private$is_active_ <- TRUE
 
       self$wait_for(p)
 
@@ -174,6 +173,7 @@ Chromote <- R6Class(
     #'   `ChromoteSession` object. Otherwise, block during initialization, and
     #'   return a `ChromoteSession` object directly.
     new_session = function(width = 992, height = 1323, targetId = NULL, wait_ = TRUE) {
+      self$check_active()
       create_session(
         chromote = self,
         width = width,
@@ -213,9 +213,7 @@ Chromote <- R6Class(
     #' @param sessionId Determines which [`ChromoteSession`] with the
     #' corresponding to send the command to.
     send_command = function(msg, callback = NULL, error = NULL, timeout = NULL, sessionId = NULL) {
-      if (!private$is_active_) {
-        stop("Chromote object is closed.")
-      }
+      self$check_active()
 
       private$last_msg_id <- private$last_msg_id + 1
       msg$id <- private$last_msg_id
@@ -320,11 +318,40 @@ Chromote <- R6Class(
       paste0("http://", private$browser$get_host(), ":", private$browser$get_port(), path)
     },
 
-    #' @description Retrieve active status
-    #' Once initialized, the value returned is `TRUE`. If `$close()` has been
-    #' called, this value will be `FALSE`.
+    #' @description
+    #' Is there an active websocket connection to the browser process?
     is_active = function() {
-      private$is_active_
+      self$is_alive() && private$ws$readyState() %in% c(0L, 1L)
+    },
+
+    #' @description
+    #' Is the underlying browser process running?
+    is_alive = function() {
+      private$browser$is_alive()
+    },
+
+    #' @description Check that a chromote instance is active and alive.
+    #'  Will automatically reconnect if browser process is alive, but
+    #'  there's no active web socket connection.
+    check_active = function() {
+      if (!self$is_alive()) {
+        stop("Chromote has been closed.")
+      }
+
+      if (!self$is_active()) {
+        inform(c(
+          "!" = "Reconnecting to chrome process.",
+          i = "All active sessions will be need to be respawned.")
+        )
+        self$connect()
+
+        # Mark all sessions as closed
+        for (session in private$sessions) {
+          session$mark_closed(FALSE)
+        }
+        private$sessions <- list()
+      }
+      invisible(self)
     },
 
     #' @description Retrieve [`Browser`]` object
@@ -335,13 +362,24 @@ Chromote <- R6Class(
 
     #' @description Close the [`Browser`] object
     close = function() {
-      if (private$is_active_) {
-        self$Browser$close()
-        private$is_active_ <- FALSE
-        return(TRUE)
-      } else {
-        FALSE
+      # Must be alive to be active so we cache value before closing process
+      is_active <- self$is_active()
+
+      if (self$is_alive()) {
+        if (is_active) {
+          # send a message to the browser requesting that it close
+          self$Browser$close()
+        } else {
+          # terminate the process
+          private$browser$close()
+        }
       }
+
+      if (is_active) {
+        private$ws$close()
+      }
+
+      invisible()
     },
 
     #' @field default_timeout Default timeout in seconds for \pkg{chromote} to
@@ -354,7 +392,6 @@ Chromote <- R6Class(
   private = list(
     browser = NULL,
     ws = NULL,
-    is_active_ = NULL,
 
     # =========================================================================
     # Browser commands
@@ -400,9 +437,7 @@ Chromote <- R6Class(
     event_manager = NULL,
 
     register_event_listener = function(event, callback = NULL, timeout = NULL) {
-      if (!private$is_active_) {
-        stop("Chromote object is closed.")
-      }
+      self$check_active()
       private$event_manager$register_event_listener(event, callback, timeout)
     },
 
@@ -416,7 +451,7 @@ Chromote <- R6Class(
           return()
 
         private$sessions[[sid]] <- NULL
-        session$mark_closed()
+        session$mark_closed(TRUE)
       })
     },
 
@@ -496,7 +531,7 @@ default_chromote_object <- function() {
 #' @rdname default_chromote_object
 #' @export
 has_default_chromote_object <- function() {
-  !is.null(globals$default_chromote) && globals$default_chromote$is_active()
+  !is.null(globals$default_chromote) && globals$default_chromote$is_alive()
 }
 
 #' @param x A \code{\link{Chromote}} object.
diff --git a/R/chromote_session.R b/R/chromote_session.R
index 6ccbc4a..51d1141 100644
--- a/R/chromote_session.R
+++ b/R/chromote_session.R
@@ -98,7 +98,8 @@ ChromoteSession <- R6Class(
 
       private$auto_events <- auto_events
       private$event_manager <- EventManager$new(self)
-      private$is_active_ <- TRUE
+      private$session_is_active <- TRUE
+      private$target_is_active <- TRUE
 
       # Find pixelRatio for screenshots
       p <- p$
@@ -117,7 +118,7 @@ ChromoteSession <- R6Class(
               warning("Chromote has received a Inspector.targetCrashed event. This means that the ChromoteSession has probably crashed.")
               # Even if no targetId nor sessionId is returned by Inspector.targetCashed
               # mark the session as closed. This will close all sessions..
-              self$mark_closed()
+              self$mark_closed(TRUE)
             })
           })
       }
@@ -184,6 +185,10 @@ ChromoteSession <- R6Class(
     #' when the `ChromoteSession` is closed. Otherwise, block until the
     #' `ChromoteSession` has closed.
     close = function(wait_ = TRUE) {
+      if (!private$target_is_active) {
+        return(invisible())
+      }
+
       # Even if this session calls Target.closeTarget, the response from
       # the browser is sent without a sessionId. In order to wait for the
       # correct browser response, we need to invoke this from the parent's
@@ -192,7 +197,7 @@ ChromoteSession <- R6Class(
 
       p <- p$then(function(value) {
         if (isTRUE(value$success)) {
-          self$mark_closed()
+          self$mark_closed(TRUE)
         }
         invisible(value$success)
       })
@@ -429,7 +434,7 @@ ChromoteSession <- R6Class(
     #' as this session. This is useful if the session has been closed but the target still
     #' exists.
     respawn = function() {
-      if (!private$is_active_) {
+      if (!private$target_is_active) {
         stop("Can't respawn session; target has been closed.")
       }
 
@@ -507,9 +512,7 @@ ChromoteSession <- R6Class(
     #' @param timeout Number of milliseconds for Chrome DevTools Protocol
     #' execute a method.
     send_command = function(msg, callback = NULL, error = NULL, timeout = NULL) {
-      if (!private$is_active_) {
-        stop("Session ", private$session_id, " is closed.")
-      }
+      self$check_active()
       self$parent$send_command(msg, callback, error, timeout, sessionId = private$session_id)
     },
 
@@ -535,19 +538,36 @@ ChromoteSession <- R6Class(
       private$event_manager$invoke_event_callbacks(event, params)
     },
 
-    #' @description
-    #' Disable callbacks for a given session.
-    #'
-    #' For internal use only.
-    mark_closed = function() {
-      private$is_active_ <- FALSE
+    #' @description Mark a session, and optionally, the underlying target,
+    #'   as closed. For internal use only.
+    #' @param target_closed Has the underlying target been closed as well as the
+    #'   active debugging session?
+    mark_closed = function(target_closed) {
+      private$session_is_active <- FALSE
+      private$target_is_active <- target_closed
     },
 
     #' @description Retrieve active status
     #' Once initialized, the value returned is `TRUE`. If `$close()` has been
     #' called, this value will be `FALSE`.
     is_active = function() {
-      private$is_active_
+      private$session_is_active && private$target_is_active && self$parent$is_active()
+    },
+
+    #' @description Check that a session is active, erroring if not.
+    check_active = function() {
+      if (self$is_active()) {
+        return()
+      }
+
+      if (private$target_is_active) {
+        abort(c(
+          "Session has been closed.",
+          i = "Call session$respawn() to create a new session that connects to the same target."
+        ))
+      } else {
+        abort("Session and underlying target have been closed.")
+      }
     },
 
     #' @description Initial promise
@@ -569,16 +589,15 @@ ChromoteSession <- R6Class(
   private = list(
     session_id = NULL,
     target_id = NULL,
-    is_active_ = NULL,
+    session_is_active = NULL,
+    target_is_active = NULL,
     event_manager = NULL,
     pixel_ratio = NULL,
     auto_events = NULL,
     init_promise_ = NULL,
 
     register_event_listener = function(event, callback = NULL, timeout = NULL) {
-      if (!private$is_active_) {
-        stop("Session ", private$session_id, " is closed.")
-      }
+      self$check_active()
       private$event_manager$register_event_listener(event, callback, timeout)
     }
   )
diff --git a/man/Browser.Rd b/man/Browser.Rd
index 1f6338c..998424d 100644
--- a/man/Browser.Rd
+++ b/man/Browser.Rd
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ should also set private$process.
 \itemize{
 \item \href{#method-Browser-is_local}{\code{Browser$is_local()}}
 \item \href{#method-Browser-get_process}{\code{Browser$get_process()}}
+\item \href{#method-Browser-is_alive}{\code{Browser$is_alive()}}
 \item \href{#method-Browser-get_host}{\code{Browser$get_host()}}
 \item \href{#method-Browser-get_port}{\code{Browser$get_port()}}
 \item \href{#method-Browser-close}{\code{Browser$close()}}
@@ -44,6 +45,16 @@ Browser process
 \if{html}{\out{<div class="r">}}\preformatted{Browser$get_process()}\if{html}{\out{</div>}}
 }
 
+}
+\if{html}{\out{<hr>}}
+\if{html}{\out{<a id="method-Browser-is_alive"></a>}}
+\if{latex}{\out{\hypertarget{method-Browser-is_alive}{}}}
+\subsection{Method \code{is_alive()}}{
+Is the process alive?
+\subsection{Usage}{
+\if{html}{\out{<div class="r">}}\preformatted{Browser$is_alive()}\if{html}{\out{</div>}}
+}
+
 }
 \if{html}{\out{<hr>}}
 \if{html}{\out{<a id="method-Browser-get_host"></a>}}
diff --git a/man/Chrome.Rd b/man/Chrome.Rd
index f3a5180..f22af68 100644
--- a/man/Chrome.Rd
+++ b/man/Chrome.Rd
@@ -23,12 +23,13 @@ the browser's system process.
 }
 }
 \if{html}{\out{
-<details open><summary>Inherited methods</summary>
+<details><summary>Inherited methods</summary>
 <ul>
 <li><span class="pkg-link" data-pkg="chromote" data-topic="Browser" data-id="close"><a href='../../chromote/html/Browser.html#method-Browser-close'><code>chromote::Browser$close()</code></a></span></li>
 <li><span class="pkg-link" data-pkg="chromote" data-topic="Browser" data-id="get_host"><a href='../../chromote/html/Browser.html#method-Browser-get_host'><code>chromote::Browser$get_host()</code></a></span></li>
 <li><span class="pkg-link" data-pkg="chromote" data-topic="Browser" data-id="get_port"><a href='../../chromote/html/Browser.html#method-Browser-get_port'><code>chromote::Browser$get_port()</code></a></span></li>
 <li><span class="pkg-link" data-pkg="chromote" data-topic="Browser" data-id="get_process"><a href='../../chromote/html/Browser.html#method-Browser-get_process'><code>chromote::Browser$get_process()</code></a></span></li>
+<li><span class="pkg-link" data-pkg="chromote" data-topic="Browser" data-id="is_alive"><a href='../../chromote/html/Browser.html#method-Browser-is_alive'><code>chromote::Browser$is_alive()</code></a></span></li>
 <li><span class="pkg-link" data-pkg="chromote" data-topic="Browser" data-id="is_local"><a href='../../chromote/html/Browser.html#method-Browser-is_local'><code>chromote::Browser$is_local()</code></a></span></li>
 </ul>
 </details>
diff --git a/man/ChromeRemote.Rd b/man/ChromeRemote.Rd
index 0d5cc49..e77723c 100644
--- a/man/ChromeRemote.Rd
+++ b/man/ChromeRemote.Rd
@@ -17,12 +17,13 @@ Remote Chrome process
 }
 }
 \if{html}{\out{
-<details open><summary>Inherited methods</summary>
+<details><summary>Inherited methods</summary>
 <ul>
 <li><span class="pkg-link" data-pkg="chromote" data-topic="Browser" data-id="close"><a href='../../chromote/html/Browser.html#method-Browser-close'><code>chromote::Browser$close()</code></a></span></li>
 <li><span class="pkg-link" data-pkg="chromote" data-topic="Browser" data-id="get_host"><a href='../../chromote/html/Browser.html#method-Browser-get_host'><code>chromote::Browser$get_host()</code></a></span></li>
 <li><span class="pkg-link" data-pkg="chromote" data-topic="Browser" data-id="get_port"><a href='../../chromote/html/Browser.html#method-Browser-get_port'><code>chromote::Browser$get_port()</code></a></span></li>
 <li><span class="pkg-link" data-pkg="chromote" data-topic="Browser" data-id="get_process"><a href='../../chromote/html/Browser.html#method-Browser-get_process'><code>chromote::Browser$get_process()</code></a></span></li>
+<li><span class="pkg-link" data-pkg="chromote" data-topic="Browser" data-id="is_alive"><a href='../../chromote/html/Browser.html#method-Browser-is_alive'><code>chromote::Browser$is_alive()</code></a></span></li>
 <li><span class="pkg-link" data-pkg="chromote" data-topic="Browser" data-id="is_local"><a href='../../chromote/html/Browser.html#method-Browser-is_local'><code>chromote::Browser$is_local()</code></a></span></li>
 </ul>
 </details>
diff --git a/man/Chromote.Rd b/man/Chromote.Rd
index 66b8a8a..442cd2b 100644
--- a/man/Chromote.Rd
+++ b/man/Chromote.Rd
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ wait for a Chrome DevTools Protocol response.}
 \item \href{#method-Chromote-debug_log}{\code{Chromote$debug_log()}}
 \item \href{#method-Chromote-url}{\code{Chromote$url()}}
 \item \href{#method-Chromote-is_active}{\code{Chromote$is_active()}}
+\item \href{#method-Chromote-is_alive}{\code{Chromote$is_alive()}}
+\item \href{#method-Chromote-check_active}{\code{Chromote$check_active()}}
 \item \href{#method-Chromote-get_browser}{\code{Chromote$get_browser()}}
 \item \href{#method-Chromote-close}{\code{Chromote$close()}}
 }
@@ -339,13 +341,33 @@ Create url for a given path
 \if{html}{\out{<a id="method-Chromote-is_active"></a>}}
 \if{latex}{\out{\hypertarget{method-Chromote-is_active}{}}}
 \subsection{Method \code{is_active()}}{
-Retrieve active status
-Once initialized, the value returned is \code{TRUE}. If \verb{$close()} has been
-called, this value will be \code{FALSE}.
+Is there an active websocket connection to the browser process?
 \subsection{Usage}{
 \if{html}{\out{<div class="r">}}\preformatted{Chromote$is_active()}\if{html}{\out{</div>}}
 }
 
+}
+\if{html}{\out{<hr>}}
+\if{html}{\out{<a id="method-Chromote-is_alive"></a>}}
+\if{latex}{\out{\hypertarget{method-Chromote-is_alive}{}}}
+\subsection{Method \code{is_alive()}}{
+Is the underlying browser process running?
+\subsection{Usage}{
+\if{html}{\out{<div class="r">}}\preformatted{Chromote$is_alive()}\if{html}{\out{</div>}}
+}
+
+}
+\if{html}{\out{<hr>}}
+\if{html}{\out{<a id="method-Chromote-check_active"></a>}}
+\if{latex}{\out{\hypertarget{method-Chromote-check_active}{}}}
+\subsection{Method \code{check_active()}}{
+Check that a chromote instance is active and alive.
+Will automatically reconnect if browser process is alive, but
+there's no active web socket connection.
+\subsection{Usage}{
+\if{html}{\out{<div class="r">}}\preformatted{Chromote$check_active()}\if{html}{\out{</div>}}
+}
+
 }
 \if{html}{\out{<hr>}}
 \if{html}{\out{<a id="method-Chromote-get_browser"></a>}}
diff --git a/man/ChromoteSession.Rd b/man/ChromoteSession.Rd
index a2081f2..bb6b7d6 100644
--- a/man/ChromoteSession.Rd
+++ b/man/ChromoteSession.Rd
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ wait for a Chrome DevTools Protocol response.}
 \item \href{#method-ChromoteSession-invoke_event_callbacks}{\code{ChromoteSession$invoke_event_callbacks()}}
 \item \href{#method-ChromoteSession-mark_closed}{\code{ChromoteSession$mark_closed()}}
 \item \href{#method-ChromoteSession-is_active}{\code{ChromoteSession$is_active()}}
+\item \href{#method-ChromoteSession-check_active}{\code{ChromoteSession$check_active()}}
 \item \href{#method-ChromoteSession-get_init_promise}{\code{ChromoteSession$get_init_promise()}}
 }
 }
@@ -575,13 +576,20 @@ For internal use only.
 \if{html}{\out{<a id="method-ChromoteSession-mark_closed"></a>}}
 \if{latex}{\out{\hypertarget{method-ChromoteSession-mark_closed}{}}}
 \subsection{Method \code{mark_closed()}}{
-Disable callbacks for a given session.
-
-For internal use only.
+Mark a session, and optionally, the underlying target,
+as closed. For internal use only.
 \subsection{Usage}{
-\if{html}{\out{<div class="r">}}\preformatted{ChromoteSession$mark_closed()}\if{html}{\out{</div>}}
+\if{html}{\out{<div class="r">}}\preformatted{ChromoteSession$mark_closed(target_closed)}\if{html}{\out{</div>}}
 }
 
+\subsection{Arguments}{
+\if{html}{\out{<div class="arguments">}}
+\describe{
+\item{\code{target_closed}}{Has the underlying target been closed as well as the
+active debugging session?}
+}
+\if{html}{\out{</div>}}
+}
 }
 \if{html}{\out{<hr>}}
 \if{html}{\out{<a id="method-ChromoteSession-is_active"></a>}}
@@ -594,6 +602,16 @@ called, this value will be \code{FALSE}.
 \if{html}{\out{<div class="r">}}\preformatted{ChromoteSession$is_active()}\if{html}{\out{</div>}}
 }
 
+}
+\if{html}{\out{<hr>}}
+\if{html}{\out{<a id="method-ChromoteSession-check_active"></a>}}
+\if{latex}{\out{\hypertarget{method-ChromoteSession-check_active}{}}}
+\subsection{Method \code{check_active()}}{
+Check that a session is active, erroring if not.
+\subsection{Usage}{
+\if{html}{\out{<div class="r">}}\preformatted{ChromoteSession$check_active()}\if{html}{\out{</div>}}
+}
+
 }
 \if{html}{\out{<hr>}}
 \if{html}{\out{<a id="method-ChromoteSession-get_init_promise"></a>}}