diff --git a/src/NATS.Client/Connection.cs b/src/NATS.Client/Connection.cs
index 2a306bc8..8eda1de1 100644
--- a/src/NATS.Client/Connection.cs
+++ b/src/NATS.Client/Connection.cs
@@ -1250,6 +1250,7 @@ internal void connect(bool reconnectOnConnect)
                 {
                     if (reconnectOnConnect)
                     {
+                        status = ConnState.DISCONNECTED; // comes in as CLOSED, but reconnect doesn't work when closed
                         doReconnect();
                     }
                     else