diff --git a/packages/websocket-plugin/src/symbols.ts b/packages/websocket-plugin/src/symbols.ts
index 5a4849a9c..dea63cc67 100644
--- a/packages/websocket-plugin/src/symbols.ts
+++ b/packages/websocket-plugin/src/symbols.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
 import { InjectionToken } from '@angular/core';
 
-export const NGXS_WEBSOCKET_OPTIONS = new InjectionToken('NGXS_WEBSOCKET_OPTIONS');
+declare const ngDevMode: boolean;
+
+const NG_DEV_MODE = typeof ngDevMode === 'undefined' || ngDevMode;
+
+export const NGXS_WEBSOCKET_OPTIONS = new InjectionToken<NgxsWebsocketPluginOptions>(
+  NG_DEV_MODE ? 'NGXS_WEBSOCKET_OPTIONS' : ''
+);
 
 export interface NgxsWebsocketPluginOptions {
   /**
@@ -52,10 +58,6 @@ export interface NgxsWebsocketPluginOptions {
   deserializer?: (e: MessageEvent) => any;
 }
 
-export function noop(..._args: any[]) {
-  return function() {};
-}
-
 /**
  * Action to connect to the websocket. Optionally pass a URL.
  */
diff --git a/packages/websocket-plugin/src/websocket-handler.ts b/packages/websocket-plugin/src/websocket-handler.ts
index 04ee2bba9..8eef65d96 100644
--- a/packages/websocket-plugin/src/websocket-handler.ts
+++ b/packages/websocket-plugin/src/websocket-handler.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
-import { Injectable, Inject, OnDestroy } from '@angular/core';
+import { Injectable, Inject, OnDestroy, NgZone } from '@angular/core';
 import { Actions, Store, getValue, ofActionDispatched } from '@ngxs/store';
-import { Subscription } from 'rxjs';
-
-import { WebSocketSubject, WebSocketSubjectConfig } from 'rxjs/webSocket';
+import { Subject, fromEvent } from 'rxjs';
+import { takeUntil } from 'rxjs/operators';
 
 import {
   ConnectWebSocket,
@@ -17,157 +16,156 @@ import {
   WebSocketConnected
 } from './symbols';
 
-@Injectable()
+@Injectable({ providedIn: 'root' })
 export class WebSocketHandler implements OnDestroy {
-  private socket: WebSocketSubject<any> | null = null;
-
-  private config: WebSocketSubjectConfig<any> = {
-    url: this.options.url!,
-    protocol: this.options.protocol,
-    // Default binary type is `blob` for the global `WebSocket`
-    binaryType: this.options.binaryType,
-    serializer: this.options.serializer,
-    deserializer: this.options.deserializer,
-    closeObserver: {
-      next: () => {
-        // ATTENTION!
-        // See https://github.com/ReactiveX/rxjs/blob/master/src/internal/observable/dom/WebSocketSubject.ts#L340
-        // RxJS socket emits `onComplete` event only if `event.wasClean` is truthy
-        // and doesn't complete socket subject if it's falsy
-        this.disconnect();
-      }
-    },
-    openObserver: {
-      next: () => this.store.dispatch(new WebSocketConnected())
-    }
-  };
+  private _socket: WebSocket | null = null;
 
-  private typeKey = this.options.typeKey!;
+  private readonly _socketClosed$ = new Subject<void>();
 
-  private subscription = new Subscription();
+  private readonly _typeKey = this._options.typeKey!;
+
+  private readonly _destroy$ = new Subject<void>();
 
   constructor(
-    private store: Store,
-    private actions$: Actions,
-    @Inject(NGXS_WEBSOCKET_OPTIONS) private options: NgxsWebsocketPluginOptions
+    private _store: Store,
+    private _ngZone: NgZone,
+    private _actions$: Actions,
+    @Inject(NGXS_WEBSOCKET_OPTIONS) private _options: NgxsWebsocketPluginOptions
   ) {
-    this.setupActionsListeners();
+    this._setupActionsListeners();
   }
 
   ngOnDestroy(): void {
-    this.closeConnection();
-    this.subscription.unsubscribe();
+    this._disconnect(/* forcelyCloseSocket */ true);
+    this._destroy$.next();
   }
 
-  private setupActionsListeners(): void {
-    this.subscription.add(
-      this.actions$.pipe(ofActionDispatched(ConnectWebSocket)).subscribe(({ payload }) => {
+  private _setupActionsListeners(): void {
+    this._actions$
+      .pipe(ofActionDispatched(ConnectWebSocket), takeUntil(this._destroy$))
+      .subscribe(({ payload }) => {
         this.connect(payload);
-      })
-    );
+      });
 
-    this.subscription.add(
-      this.actions$.pipe(ofActionDispatched(DisconnectWebSocket)).subscribe(() => {
-        this.disconnect();
-      })
-    );
+    this._actions$
+      .pipe(ofActionDispatched(DisconnectWebSocket), takeUntil(this._destroy$))
+      .subscribe(() => {
+        this._disconnect(/* forcelyCloseSocket */ true);
+      });
 
-    this.subscription.add(
-      this.actions$.pipe(ofActionDispatched(SendWebSocketMessage)).subscribe(({ payload }) => {
+    this._actions$
+      .pipe(ofActionDispatched(SendWebSocketMessage), takeUntil(this._destroy$))
+      .subscribe(({ payload }) => {
         this.send(payload);
-      })
-    );
+      });
   }
 
   private connect(options?: NgxsWebsocketPluginOptions): void {
-    this.updateConnection();
+    if (this._socket) {
+      this._closeConnection(/* forcelyCloseSocket */ true);
+      this._store.dispatch(new WebSocketConnectionUpdated());
+    }
 
-    // Users can pass the options in the connect method so
-    // if options aren't available at DI bootstrap they have access
-    // to pass them here
+    // TODO(arturovt): we should not override default config values because this breaks support for having multiple socket connections.
     if (options) {
-      this.mergeConfigWithOptions(options);
+      if (options.serializer) {
+        this._options.serializer = options.serializer;
+      }
+
+      if (options.deserializer) {
+        this._options.deserializer = options.deserializer;
+      }
     }
 
-    this.socket = new WebSocketSubject(this.config);
-
-    this.socket.subscribe({
-      next: (message: any) => {
-        const type = getValue(message, this.typeKey);
-        if (!type) {
-          throw new TypeKeyPropertyMissingError(this.typeKey);
-        }
-        this.store.dispatch({ ...message, type });
-      },
-      error: (error: any) => {
-        if (error instanceof CloseEvent) {
-          this.dispatchWebSocketDisconnected();
-        } else {
-          this.store.dispatch(new WebsocketMessageError(error));
-        }
+    this._ngZone.runOutsideAngular(() => {
+      // We either use options provided in the `ConnectWebSocket` action
+      // or fallback to default config values.
+      const url = options?.url || this._options.url!;
+      const protocol = options?.protocol || this._options.protocol;
+      const binaryType = options?.binaryType || this._options.binaryType;
+
+      const socket = (this._socket = protocol
+        ? new WebSocket(url, protocol)
+        : new WebSocket(url));
+
+      if (binaryType) {
+        socket.binaryType = binaryType;
       }
+
+      fromEvent(socket, 'open')
+        .pipe(takeUntil(this._socketClosed$))
+        .subscribe(() => this._store.dispatch(new WebSocketConnected()));
+
+      fromEvent<MessageEvent>(socket, 'message')
+        .pipe(takeUntil(this._socketClosed$))
+        .subscribe(event => {
+          const message = this._options.deserializer!(event);
+          const type = getValue(message, this._typeKey);
+          if (!type) {
+            throw new TypeKeyPropertyMissingError(this._typeKey);
+          }
+          this._store.dispatch({ ...message, type });
+        });
+
+      fromEvent(socket, 'error')
+        .pipe(takeUntil(this._socketClosed$))
+        .subscribe(error => {
+          // The error event indicates that an error has occurred during the
+          // WebSocket communication, and it is often appropriate to close the
+          // WebSocket connection when such an error occurs.
+          // We need to call `_disconnect()` after the error event has been fired.
+          // This ensures that the WebSocket connection is properly closed to prevent
+          // potential resource leaks.
+          this._disconnect(/* forcelyCloseSocket */ true);
+          this._store.dispatch(new WebsocketMessageError(error));
+        });
+
+      fromEvent<CloseEvent>(socket, 'close')
+        .pipe(takeUntil(this._socketClosed$))
+        .subscribe(event => {
+          if (event.wasClean) {
+            // It is not necessary to call `socket.close()` after the `close` event
+            // has been fired. In fact, calling `socket.close()` within the `close`
+            // event handler or immediately after the event has been fired can lead
+            // to unexpected behavior.
+            this._disconnect(/* forcelyCloseSocket */ false);
+          } else {
+            // If the WebSocket `close` event has been fired and its `wasClean`
+            // property is falsy, it indicates that the WebSocket connection was
+            // closed in an unexpected or abnormal manner.
+            // We should call `socket.close()` in this scenario, we can ensure that
+            // the WebSocket connection is properly closed.
+            this._disconnect(/* forcelyCloseSocket */ true);
+            this._store.dispatch(new WebsocketMessageError(event));
+          }
+        });
     });
   }
 
-  private disconnect(): void {
-    if (this.socket) {
-      this.closeConnection();
-      this.dispatchWebSocketDisconnected();
+  private _disconnect(forcelyCloseSocket: boolean): void {
+    if (this._socket) {
+      this._closeConnection(forcelyCloseSocket);
+      this._store.dispatch(new WebSocketDisconnected());
     }
   }
 
   private send(data: any): void {
-    if (!this.socket) {
+    if (!this._socket) {
       throw new Error('You must connect to the socket before sending any data');
     }
 
-    this.socket.next(data);
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Don't enlarge the `connect` method
-   */
-  private mergeConfigWithOptions(options: NgxsWebsocketPluginOptions): void {
-    if (options.url) {
-      this.config.url = options.url;
-    }
-
-    if (options.serializer) {
-      this.config.serializer = options.serializer;
-    }
-
-    if (options.deserializer) {
-      this.config.deserializer = options.deserializer;
+    try {
+      this._socket.send(this._options.serializer!(data));
+    } catch (error) {
+      this._store.dispatch(new WebsocketMessageError(error));
     }
   }
 
-  /**
-   * To ensure we don't have any memory leaks
-   * e.g. if the user occasionally dispatched `ConnectWebSocket` twice
-   * then the previous subscription will still live in the memory
-   * to prevent such behavior - we close the previous connection if it exists
-   */
-  private updateConnection(): void {
-    if (this.socket) {
-      this.closeConnection();
-      this.store.dispatch(new WebSocketConnectionUpdated());
-    }
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Used in many places so it's better to move the code into function
-   */
-  private dispatchWebSocketDisconnected(): void {
-    this.store.dispatch(new WebSocketDisconnected());
-  }
-
-  private closeConnection(): void {
-    // `socket.complete()` closes the connection
-    // also it doesn't invoke the `onComplete` callback that we passed
-    // into `socket.subscribe(...)`
-    if (this.socket !== null) {
-      this.socket.complete();
-      this.socket = null;
+  private _closeConnection(forcelyCloseSocket: boolean): void {
+    if (forcelyCloseSocket) {
+      this._socket?.close();
     }
+    this._socket = null;
+    this._socketClosed$.next();
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/websocket-plugin/src/websocket.module.ts b/packages/websocket-plugin/src/websocket.module.ts
index 0e251c0c1..5205699b6 100644
--- a/packages/websocket-plugin/src/websocket.module.ts
+++ b/packages/websocket-plugin/src/websocket.module.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
-import { NgModule, ModuleWithProviders, APP_INITIALIZER, InjectionToken } from '@angular/core';
+import { NgModule, ModuleWithProviders, InjectionToken } from '@angular/core';
 
 import { WebSocketHandler } from './websocket-handler';
-import { NgxsWebsocketPluginOptions, NGXS_WEBSOCKET_OPTIONS, noop } from './symbols';
+import { NgxsWebsocketPluginOptions, NGXS_WEBSOCKET_OPTIONS } from './symbols';
 
 export function websocketOptionsFactory(options: NgxsWebsocketPluginOptions) {
   return {
@@ -18,17 +18,22 @@ export function websocketOptionsFactory(options: NgxsWebsocketPluginOptions) {
   };
 }
 
-export const USER_OPTIONS = new InjectionToken('USER_OPTIONS');
+declare const ngDevMode: boolean;
+
+const NG_DEV_MODE = typeof ngDevMode === 'undefined' || ngDevMode;
+
+export const USER_OPTIONS = new InjectionToken(NG_DEV_MODE ? 'USER_OPTIONS' : '');
 
 @NgModule()
 export class NgxsWebsocketPluginModule {
+  constructor(_handler: WebSocketHandler) {}
+
   static forRoot(
     options?: NgxsWebsocketPluginOptions
   ): ModuleWithProviders<NgxsWebsocketPluginModule> {
     return {
       ngModule: NgxsWebsocketPluginModule,
       providers: [
-        WebSocketHandler,
         {
           provide: USER_OPTIONS,
           useValue: options
@@ -37,12 +42,6 @@ export class NgxsWebsocketPluginModule {
           provide: NGXS_WEBSOCKET_OPTIONS,
           useFactory: websocketOptionsFactory,
           deps: [USER_OPTIONS]
-        },
-        {
-          provide: APP_INITIALIZER,
-          useFactory: noop,
-          deps: [WebSocketHandler],
-          multi: true
         }
       ]
     };