diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 497b276..eaff1e4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -4,6 +4,11 @@ Grisp2 Seawater Client Library
 
 ## Application env options
 
+### connect
+
+This option is set to `true` as default. Set it to `false` to prevent automatic connection to GRiSP.io on boot.
+In such case the state machine that maintains the connection can be started manually using `grisp_io_connection:connect()`.
+
 ### ntp
 
 An optional NTP client can be started using option `{ntp, true}`.
diff --git a/src/grisp_io_connection.erl b/src/grisp_io_connection.erl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ae8af47
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/grisp_io_connection.erl
@@ -0,0 +1,133 @@
+%% @doc State machine to ensure connectivity with grisp.io
+-module(grisp_io_connection).
+
+% External API
+-export([start_link/0]).
+-export([connect/0]).
+
+% Internal API
+-export([disconnected/0]).
+
+-behaviour(gen_statem).
+-export([init/1, terminate/3, code_change/4, callback_mode/0, handle_event/4]).
+
+-include_lib("kernel/include/logger.hrl").
+
+-define(STD_TIMEOUT, 1000).
+
+% API
+
+start_link() ->
+    gen_statem:start_link({local, ?MODULE}, ?MODULE, [], []).
+
+connect() ->
+    gen_statem:cast(?MODULE, ?FUNCTION_NAME).
+
+disconnected() ->
+    gen_statem:castl(?MODULE, ?FUNCTION_NAME).
+
+% gen_statem CALLBACKS ---------------------------------------------------------
+
+init([]) ->
+    {ok, Connect} = application:get_env(grisp_seawater, connect),
+    NextState = case Connect of
+        true -> waiting_ip;
+        false -> idle
+    end,
+    {ok, NextState, []}.
+
+terminate(_Reason, _State, _Data) -> ok.
+
+code_change(_Vsn, State, Data, _Extra) -> {ok, State, Data}.
+
+callback_mode() -> [handle_event_function, state_enter].
+
+%%% STATE CALLBACKS ------------------------------------------------------------
+
+% IDLE
+handle_event(enter, _OldState, idle, _Data) ->
+    keep_state_and_data;
+handle_event(cast, connect, idle, Data) ->
+    {next_state, waiting_ip, Data};
+
+% WAITING_IP
+handle_event(enter, _OldState, waiting_ip, Data) ->
+    {next_state, waiting_ip, Data, [{state_timeout, 0, retry}]};
+handle_event(state_timeout, retry, waiting_ip, Data) ->
+    case check_inet_ipv4() of
+        {ok, IP} ->
+            ?LOG_INFO(#{event => checked_ip, ip => IP}),
+            {next_state, connecting, Data};
+        invalid ->
+            ?LOG_INFO(#{event => waiting_ip}),
+            {next_state, waiting_ip, Data, [{state_timeout, ?STD_TIMEOUT, retry}]}
+    end;
+
+% CONNECTING
+handle_event(enter, _OldState, connecting, _Data) ->
+    {ok, Domain} = application:get_env(grisp_seawater, seawater_domain),
+    {ok, Port} = application:get_env(grisp_seawater, seawater_port),
+    ?LOG_NOTICE(#{event => connecting, domain => Domain, port => Port}),
+    grisp_seawater_ws:connect(Domain, Port),
+    {keep_state_and_data, [{state_timeout, 0, retry}]};
+handle_event(state_timeout, retry, connecting, Data) ->
+    case grisp_seawater_ws:is_connected() of
+        true ->
+            ?LOG_NOTICE(#{event => connected}),
+            {next_state, connected, Data};
+        false ->
+            ?LOG_NOTICE(#{event => waiting_ws_connection}),
+            {keep_state_and_data, [{state_timeout, ?STD_TIMEOUT, retry}]}
+    end;
+
+% CONNECTED
+handle_event(enter, _OldState, connected, _Data) ->
+    keep_state_and_data;
+handle_event(cast, disconnected, connected, Data) ->
+    ?LOG_WARNING(#{event => disconnected}),
+    {next_state, waiting_ip, Data};
+
+handle_event(E, OldS, NewS, Data) ->
+    ?LOG_ERROR(#{event => unhandled_gen_statem_event,
+                 gen_statem_event => E,
+                 old_state => OldS,
+                 new_state => NewS}),
+    {keep_state, Data}.
+
+% INTERNALS --------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+check_inet_ipv4() ->
+    case get_ip_of_valid_interfaces() of
+        {IP1,_,_,_} = IP when IP1 =/= 127 -> {ok, IP};
+        _ -> invalid
+    end.
+
+get_ipv4_from_opts([]) ->
+    undefined;
+get_ipv4_from_opts([{addr, {_1, _2, _3, _4}} | _]) ->
+    {_1, _2, _3, _4};
+get_ipv4_from_opts([_ | TL]) ->
+    get_ipv4_from_opts(TL).
+
+has_ipv4(Opts) ->
+    get_ipv4_from_opts(Opts) =/= undefined.
+
+flags_are_ok(Flags) ->
+    lists:member(up, Flags) and
+        lists:member(running, Flags) and
+        not lists:member(loopback, Flags).
+
+get_valid_interfaces() ->
+    {ok, Interfaces} = inet:getifaddrs(),
+    [
+        Opts
+     || {_Name, [{flags, Flags} | Opts]} <- Interfaces,
+        flags_are_ok(Flags),
+        has_ipv4(Opts)
+    ].
+
+get_ip_of_valid_interfaces() ->
+    case get_valid_interfaces() of
+        [Opts | _] -> get_ipv4_from_opts(Opts);
+        _ -> undefined
+    end.
diff --git a/src/grisp_seawater.app.src b/src/grisp_seawater.app.src
index 76eff09..af9ba50 100644
--- a/src/grisp_seawater.app.src
+++ b/src/grisp_seawater.app.src
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
     {env, [
         {seawater_domain, "grisp.io"},
         {seawater_port, 7777},
+        {connect, true}, % keeps a constant connection with grisp.io
         {ntp, false}, % if set to true, starts the NTP client
         {ws_requests_timeout, 5_000}
     ]},
diff --git a/src/grisp_seawater_sup.erl b/src/grisp_seawater_sup.erl
index a045584..5eeeac4 100644
--- a/src/grisp_seawater_sup.erl
+++ b/src/grisp_seawater_sup.erl
@@ -38,7 +38,10 @@ init([]) ->
         {ok, true} -> [worker(grisp_seawater_ntp, [])];
         {ok, false} -> []
     end,
-    ChildSpecs = NTP ++ [worker(grisp_seawater_ws, [])],
+    ChildSpecs = NTP ++ [
+        worker(grisp_seawater_ws, []),
+        worker(grisp_io_connection, [])
+    ],
     {ok, {SupFlags, ChildSpecs}}.
 
 %% internal functions
diff --git a/src/grisp_seawater_ws.erl b/src/grisp_seawater_ws.erl
index 886784c..efb6daf 100644
--- a/src/grisp_seawater_ws.erl
+++ b/src/grisp_seawater_ws.erl
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ handle_info({gun_down, Pid, ws, closed, [Stream]},
         erlang:cancel_timer(Tref),
         gen_server:reply(Caller, {error, ws_closed})
      end || {Caller, Tref} <- maps:values(Requests)],
+    grisp_io_connection:disconnected(),
     {noreply, shutdown_gun(S#state{requests = #{}})};
 handle_info(M, S) ->
     ?LOG_WARNING(#{event => unhandled_info, info => M}),