diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1a2097dd3..ff1b482bb 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -110,8 +110,10 @@ const { data, error, isValidating, revalidate } = useSWR(key, fetcher, options)
 - `fetcher = undefined`: the default fetcher function
 - `initialData`: initial data to be returned (note: This is per-hook)
 - `revalidateOnFocus = true`: auto revalidate when window gets focused
+- `revalidateOnReconnect = true`: automatically revalidate when the browser regains a network connection (via `navigator.onLine`)
 - `refreshInterval = 0`: polling interval (disabled by default)
 - `refreshWhenHidden = false`: polling when the window is invisible (if `refreshInterval` is enabled)
+- `refreshWhenOffline = false`: polling when the browser is offline (determined by `navigator.onLine`)
 - `shouldRetryOnError = true`: retry when fetcher has an error [(details)](#error-retries)
 - `dedupingInterval = 2000`: dedupe requests with the same key in this time span
 - `focusThrottleInterval = 5000`: only revalidate once during a time span
diff --git a/src/config.ts b/src/config.ts
index fc20b95ea..f395cf764 100644
--- a/src/config.ts
+++ b/src/config.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
 import isDocumentVisible from './libs/is-document-visible'
 import isOnline from './libs/is-online'
-
 import {
   ConfigInterface,
-  revalidateType,
-  RevalidateOptionInterface
+  RevalidateOptionInterface,
+  revalidateType
 } from './types'
 
 // Cache
@@ -65,7 +64,9 @@ const defaultConfig: ConfigInterface = {
 
   refreshInterval: 0,
   revalidateOnFocus: true,
+  revalidateOnReconnect: true,
   refreshWhenHidden: false,
+  refreshWhenOffline: false,
   shouldRetryOnError: true,
   suspense: false
 }
diff --git a/src/types.ts b/src/types.ts
index 23c29b3d0..9a1487efa 100644
--- a/src/types.ts
+++ b/src/types.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@ export interface ConfigInterface<
 
   refreshInterval?: number
   refreshWhenHidden?: boolean
+  refreshWhenOffline?: boolean
   revalidateOnFocus?: boolean
+  revalidateOnReconnect?: boolean
   shouldRetryOnError?: boolean
   fetcher?: Fn
   suspense?: boolean
diff --git a/src/use-swr.ts b/src/use-swr.ts
index 0a373a390..9c9e510b1 100644
--- a/src/use-swr.ts
+++ b/src/use-swr.ts
@@ -1,40 +1,39 @@
+import deepEqual from 'fast-deep-equal'
 import {
+  useCallback,
+  useContext,
   useEffect,
   useLayoutEffect,
-  useRef,
-  useContext,
-  useCallback,
-  useReducer
+  useReducer,
+  useRef
 } from 'react'
-import deepEqual from 'fast-deep-equal'
-
-import {
-  keyInterface,
-  ConfigInterface,
-  RevalidateOptionInterface,
-  updaterInterface,
-  triggerInterface,
-  mutateInterface,
-  broadcastStateInterface,
-  responseInterface,
-  fetcherFn,
-  reducerType,
-  actionType
-} from './types'
-
 import defaultConfig, {
+  cacheGet,
+  cacheSet,
+  CACHE_REVALIDATORS,
   CONCURRENT_PROMISES,
   CONCURRENT_PROMISES_TS,
   FOCUS_REVALIDATORS,
-  CACHE_REVALIDATORS,
-  MUTATION_TS,
-  cacheGet,
-  cacheSet
+  MUTATION_TS
 } from './config'
-import SWRConfigContext from './swr-config-context'
+import hash from './libs/hash'
 import isDocumentVisible from './libs/is-document-visible'
+import isOnline from './libs/is-online'
 import throttle from './libs/throttle'
-import hash from './libs/hash'
+import SWRConfigContext from './swr-config-context'
+import {
+  actionType,
+  broadcastStateInterface,
+  ConfigInterface,
+  fetcherFn,
+  keyInterface,
+  mutateInterface,
+  reducerType,
+  responseInterface,
+  RevalidateOptionInterface,
+  triggerInterface,
+  updaterInterface
+} from './types'
 
 const IS_SERVER = typeof window === 'undefined'
 
@@ -459,7 +458,8 @@ function useSWR<Data = any, Error = any>(
       const tick = async () => {
         if (
           !errorRef.current &&
-          (config.refreshWhenHidden || isDocumentVisible())
+          (config.refreshWhenHidden || isDocumentVisible()) &&
+          (!config.refreshWhenOffline && isOnline())
         ) {
           // only revalidate when the page is visible
           // if API request errored, we stop polling in this round
@@ -473,6 +473,12 @@ function useSWR<Data = any, Error = any>(
       timeout = setTimeout(tick, config.refreshInterval)
     }
 
+    // set up reconnecting when the browser regains network connection
+    let reconnect = null
+    if (config.revalidateOnReconnect) {
+      reconnect = addEventListener('online', softRevalidate)
+    }
+
     return () => {
       // cleanup
       dispatch = () => null
@@ -502,6 +508,10 @@ function useSWR<Data = any, Error = any>(
       if (timeout !== null) {
         clearTimeout(timeout)
       }
+
+      if (reconnect !== null) {
+        removeEventListener('online', reconnect)
+      }
     }
   }, [key, config.refreshInterval, revalidate])