diff --git a/src/generator.c b/src/generator.c
index e5ba4b59..c1286974 100644
--- a/src/generator.c
+++ b/src/generator.c
@@ -1472,6 +1472,7 @@ static void *passthrough_recv(void *arg)
 			LOGWARNING("Proxy %d:%s failed to read_socket_line in proxy_recv, attempting reconnect",
 				   proxi->id, proxi->si->url);
 			proxi->alive = false;
+			send_proc(ckp->generator, "reconnect");
 			continue;
 		}
 		/* Simply forward the message on, as is, to the connector to
@@ -1561,7 +1562,6 @@ static void *proxy_recv(void *arg)
 		} while (ret == 0 && ++retries < 120);
 
 		if (ret < 1) {
-			/* Send ourselves a reconnect message */
 			LOGWARNING("Proxy %d:%s failed to read_socket_line in proxy_recv, attempting reconnect",
 				   proxi->id, proxi->si->url);
 			continue;
@@ -1577,12 +1577,10 @@ static void *proxy_recv(void *arg)
 				proxi->diffed = false;
 			}
 			if (proxi->reconnect) {
-				proxi->alive = false;
 				proxi->reconnect = false;
 				LOGWARNING("Proxy %d:%s reconnect issue, dropping existing connection",
 					   proxi->id, proxi->si->url);
 				Close(cs->fd);
-				send_proc(ckp->generator, "reconnect");
 				break;
 			}
 			continue;
@@ -1677,7 +1675,9 @@ reconnect:
 			connsock_t *cs = proxi->cs;
 			LOGWARNING("Successfully connected to %s:%s as proxy",
 				cs->url, cs->port);
-			send_proc(ckp->stratifier, "reconnect");
+			dealloc(buf);
+			ASPRINTF(&buf, "proxy=%d", proxi->id);
+			send_proc(ckp->stratifier, buf);
 		}
 	}
 retry:
diff --git a/src/stratifier.c b/src/stratifier.c
index bc1e6945..d8a0df36 100644
--- a/src/stratifier.c
+++ b/src/stratifier.c
@@ -987,21 +987,26 @@ static proxy_t *__generate_proxy(sdata_t *sdata, const int id)
 }
 
 /* Find proxy by id number, generate one if none exist yet by that id */
-static proxy_t *proxy_by_id(sdata_t *sdata, const int id)
+static proxy_t *__proxy_by_id(sdata_t *sdata, const int id)
 {
-	bool new_proxy = false;
 	proxy_t *proxy;
 
-	mutex_lock(&sdata->proxy_lock);
 	HASH_FIND_INT(sdata->proxies, &id, proxy);
 	if (unlikely(!proxy)) {
-		new_proxy = true;
 		proxy = __generate_proxy(sdata, id);
+		LOGINFO("Stratifier added new proxy %d", id);
 	}
-	mutex_unlock(&sdata->proxy_lock);
 
-	if (unlikely(new_proxy))
-		LOGINFO("Stratifier added new proxy %d", id);
+	return proxy;
+}
+
+static proxy_t *proxy_by_id(sdata_t *sdata, const int id)
+{
+	proxy_t *proxy;
+
+	mutex_lock(&sdata->proxy_lock);
+	proxy = __proxy_by_id(sdata, id);
+	mutex_unlock(&sdata->proxy_lock);
 
 	return proxy;
 }
@@ -1055,11 +1060,6 @@ static void update_subscribe(ckpool_t *ckp, const char *cmd)
 	proxy = proxy_by_id(sdata, id);
 	json_get_bool(&reconnect, val, "reconnect");
 
-	mutex_lock(&sdata->proxy_lock);
-	if (sdata->proxy != proxy)
-		sdata->proxy = proxy;
-	mutex_unlock(&sdata->proxy_lock);
-
 	ck_wlock(&sdata->workbase_lock);
 	proxy->subscribed = true;
 	proxy->diff = ckp->startdiff;
@@ -1092,7 +1092,7 @@ static void update_subscribe(ckpool_t *ckp, const char *cmd)
 	json_decref(val);
 	/* Notify implied required now too */
 	_update_notify(ckp, id);
-	if (reconnect || proxy == current_proxy(sdata))
+	if (reconnect)
 		reconnect_clients(sdata, "");
 }
 
@@ -1114,6 +1114,10 @@ static void _update_notify(ckpool_t *ckp, const int id)
 		LOGINFO("No valid proxy subscription to update notify yet");
 		return;
 	}
+	if (proxy != current_proxy(sdata)) {
+		LOGINFO("Notify from backup proxy");
+		return;
+	}
 
 	ASPRINTF(&msg, "getnotify=%d", id);
 	buf = send_recv_proc(ckp->generator, msg);
@@ -1809,6 +1813,22 @@ static char *stratifier_stats(ckpool_t *ckp, sdata_t *sdata)
 	return buf;
 }
 
+/* Sets the currently active proxy */
+static void set_proxy(sdata_t *sdata, const char *buf)
+{
+	proxy_t *proxy;
+	int id = 0;
+
+	sscanf(buf, "proxy=%d", &id);
+
+	mutex_lock(&sdata->proxy_lock);
+	proxy = __proxy_by_id(sdata, id);
+	sdata->proxy = proxy;
+	mutex_unlock(&sdata->proxy_lock);
+
+	reconnect_clients(sdata, "");
+}
+
 static int stratum_loop(ckpool_t *ckp, proc_instance_t *pi)
 {
 	int sockd, ret = 0, selret = 0;
@@ -1915,6 +1935,8 @@ retry:
 		block_reject(sdata, buf + 8);
 	} else if (cmdmatch(buf, "reconnect")) {
 		reconnect_clients(sdata, buf);
+	} else if (cmdmatch(buf, "proxy")) {
+		set_proxy(sdata, buf);
 	} else if (cmdmatch(buf, "loglevel")) {
 		sscanf(buf, "loglevel=%d", &ckp->loglevel);
 	} else