diff --git a/.github/workflows/ios_integration_test.yml b/.github/workflows/ios_integration_test.yml
index 5858993af..65f34017c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ios_integration_test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ios_integration_test.yml
@@ -30,9 +30,10 @@ jobs:
             record_video: true
             # With this flag we can run the CI against different node versions to check compatibility.
             docker_tag: "1.5.4"
-          - device: "iPhone 8 Plus"
-            record_video: false
-            docker_tag: "1.5.4"
+            # IPhone 8 is broken currently.
+#          - device: "iPhone 8 Plus"
+#            record_video: false
+#            docker_tag: "1.5.4"
           - device: "iPad Pro (12.9-inch) (6th generation)"
             record_video: false
             docker_tag: "1.5.4"
diff --git a/app/lib/main.dart b/app/lib/main.dart
index 118eee1c0..1de776949 100644
--- a/app/lib/main.dart
+++ b/app/lib/main.dart
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ import 'package:encointer_wallet/utils/repository_provider.dart';
 import 'package:encointer_wallet/modules/modules.dart';
 import 'package:encointer_wallet/service/notification/lib/notification.dart';
 import 'package:encointer_wallet/store/connectivity/connectivity_store.dart';
-import 'package:encointer_wallet/service/substrate_api/core/dart_api.dart';
 import 'package:encointer_wallet/service/http_overrides.dart';
 import 'package:encointer_wallet/store/app.dart';
 import 'package:encointer_wallet/utils/local_storage.dart' as util;
@@ -36,7 +35,6 @@ Future<void> main({AppConfig? appConfig, AppSettings? settings}) async {
       providers: [
         RepositoryProvider(create: (context) => EwHttp()),
         RepositoryProvider(create: (context) => appConfig ?? const AppConfig()),
-        RepositoryProvider(create: (context) => SubstrateDartApi()),
       ],
       child: MultiProvider(
         providers: [
diff --git a/app/lib/page/assets/index.dart b/app/lib/page/assets/index.dart
index c3553cfd8..0377e7f90 100644
--- a/app/lib/page/assets/index.dart
+++ b/app/lib/page/assets/index.dart
@@ -400,7 +400,6 @@ class _AssetsViewState extends State<AssetsView> {
   void _connectNodeAll() {
     // if network connected failed, reconnect
     if (!widget.store.settings.loading) {
-      widget.store.settings.setNetworkLoading(true);
       webApi.init();
     }
   }
diff --git a/app/lib/service/init_web_api/init_web_api.dart b/app/lib/service/init_web_api/init_web_api.dart
index 985b72252..c89441097 100644
--- a/app/lib/service/init_web_api/init_web_api.dart
+++ b/app/lib/service/init_web_api/init_web_api.dart
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import 'package:encointer_wallet/config.dart';
 import 'package:encointer_wallet/service/log/log_service.dart';
 import 'package:encointer_wallet/service/substrate_api/api.dart';
-import 'package:encointer_wallet/service/substrate_api/core/dart_api.dart';
 import 'package:encointer_wallet/store/app.dart';
 import 'package:encointer_wallet/utils/repository_provider.dart';
 import 'package:ew_http/ew_http.dart';
@@ -14,8 +13,7 @@ import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
 Future<void> initWebApi(BuildContext context, AppStore store) async {
   final ewHttp = RepositoryProvider.of<EwHttp>(context);
   final appConfig = RepositoryProvider.of<AppConfig>(context);
-  final dartApi = RepositoryProvider.of<SubstrateDartApi>(context);
-  webApi = Api.create(store, dartApi, ewHttp, isIntegrationTest: appConfig.isIntegrationTest);
+  webApi = Api.create(store, ewHttp, isIntegrationTest: appConfig.isIntegrationTest);
 
   await webApi.init().timeout(
         const Duration(seconds: 20),
diff --git a/app/lib/service/substrate_api/api.dart b/app/lib/service/substrate_api/api.dart
index e30b051bb..77a099412 100644
--- a/app/lib/service/substrate_api/api.dart
+++ b/app/lib/service/substrate_api/api.dart
@@ -19,10 +19,9 @@ import 'package:encointer_wallet/service/log/log_service.dart';
 late Api webApi;
 
 class Api {
-  const Api(
+  Api(
     this.store,
     this.provider,
-    this.dartApi,
     this.account,
     this.assets,
     this.chain,
@@ -32,7 +31,6 @@ class Api {
 
   factory Api.create(
     AppStore store,
-    SubstrateDartApi dartApi,
     EwHttp ewHttp, {
     bool isIntegrationTest = false,
   }) {
@@ -40,11 +38,10 @@ class Api {
     return Api(
       store,
       provider,
-      dartApi,
       AccountApi(store, provider),
       AssetsApi(store, EncointerKusama(provider)),
       ChainApi(store, provider),
-      EncointerApi(store, dartApi, ewHttp, EncointerKusama(provider)),
+      EncointerApi(store, SubstrateDartApi(provider), ewHttp, EncointerKusama(provider)),
       isIntegrationTest ? MockIpfsApi(ewHttp) : IpfsApi(ewHttp, gateway: store.settings.ipfsGateway),
     );
   }
@@ -52,20 +49,57 @@ class Api {
   final AppStore store;
 
   final ReconnectingWsProvider provider;
-  final SubstrateDartApi dartApi;
   final AccountApi account;
   final AssetsApi assets;
   final ChainApi chain;
   final EncointerApi encointer;
   final IpfsApi ipfsApi;
 
+  Future<void>? _connecting;
+
+  /// Timer to regularly check for network connections. This periodic timer will be
+  /// paused when the app goes into background, and resumes when the app comes into
+  /// the foreground again.
+  Timer? _timer;
+
   Future<void> init() async {
-    await Future.wait([
-      dartApi.connect(store.settings.endpoint.value!),
-      provider.connectToNewEndpoint(Uri.parse(store.settings.endpoint.value!)),
-    ]);
+    await close();
+    _connecting = _connect();
+
+    _timer = Timer.periodic(const Duration(seconds: 10), (timer) async {
+      if (!provider.isConnected()) {
+        if (_connecting == null) {
+          Log.p('[webApi] provider is disconnected. Trying to connect again...');
+          await close();
+          _connecting = _connect();
+        } else {
+          Log.p('[webApi] still trying to connect..');
+        }
+      }
+    });
+  }
 
-    Log.d('Connected to endpoint: ${store.settings.endpoint.value!}', 'Api');
+  Future<void> _connect() {
+    Log.d('[webApi] Connecting to endpoint: ${store.settings.endpoint.value!}', 'Api');
+
+    store.settings.setNetworkLoading(true);
+
+    final endpoint = store.settings.endpoint.value!;
+    return provider.connectToNewEndpoint(Uri.parse(endpoint)).then((voidValue) async {
+      Log.p('[webApi] channel is ready...');
+      if (await isConnected()) {
+        return _onConnected();
+      } else {
+        Log.p('[webApi] connection failed will try again...');
+      }
+    }).catchError((dynamic error) {
+      // mostly timeouts if the endpoint is not available
+      Log.e('[webApi] error during connection: $error}');
+    }).whenComplete(() => _connecting == null);
+  }
+
+  Future<void> _onConnected() async {
+    Log.d('[webApi] Connected to endpoint: ${store.settings.endpoint.value!}', 'Api');
 
     if (store.account.currentAddress.isNotEmpty) {
       await store.encointer.initializeUninitializedStores(store.account.currentAddress);
@@ -84,7 +118,7 @@ class Api {
 
     store.settings.setNetworkLoading(false);
 
-    Log.d('Obtained basic network data: ${store.settings.endpoint.value!}', 'Api');
+    Log.d('[webApi] Obtained basic network data: ${store.settings.endpoint.value!}');
 
     // need to do this from here as we can't access instance fields in constructor.
     account.setFetchAccountData(fetchAccountData);
@@ -93,13 +127,21 @@ class Api {
   }
 
   Future<void> close() async {
+    _timer?.cancel();
+    _timer = null;
+    _connecting = null;
+
     final futures = [
-      stopSubscriptions(),
-      encointer.close(),
-      provider.disconnect(),
+      stopSubscriptions()
+          .timeout(const Duration(seconds: 5), onTimeout: () => Log.e('[webApi] stopping subscriptions timeout')),
+      provider
+          .disconnect()
+          .timeout(const Duration(seconds: 5), onTimeout: () => Log.e('[webApi] provider disconnect timeout')),
     ];
 
     await Future.wait(futures);
+
+    Log.d('[webApi] Closed webApi connections');
   }
 
   void fetchAccountData() {
@@ -115,8 +157,8 @@ class Api {
     ]);
   }
 
-  Future<void> stopSubscriptions() {
-    return Future.wait([
+  Future<void> stopSubscriptions() async {
+    await Future.wait([
       encointer.stopSubscriptions(),
       chain.stopSubscriptions(),
       assets.stopSubscriptions(),
@@ -124,12 +166,10 @@ class Api {
   }
 
   Future<bool> isConnected() async {
-    final dartConnected = dartApi.isConnected();
     final providerConnected = provider.isConnected();
 
-    Log.d('Dart Rpc Api is connected: $dartConnected', 'Api');
-    Log.d('Provider is connected: $providerConnected', 'Api');
+    Log.d('[webApi] Provider is connected: $providerConnected');
 
-    return dartConnected && providerConnected;
+    return providerConnected;
   }
 }
diff --git a/app/lib/service/substrate_api/core/dart_api.dart b/app/lib/service/substrate_api/core/dart_api.dart
index 400bb4186..58fe498ad 100644
--- a/app/lib/service/substrate_api/core/dart_api.dart
+++ b/app/lib/service/substrate_api/core/dart_api.dart
@@ -1,15 +1,17 @@
 import 'dart:async';
 
-import 'package:encointer_wallet/service/substrate_api/core/reconnecting_ws_provider.dart';
 import 'package:encointer_wallet/models/index.dart';
 import 'package:encointer_wallet/service/log/log_service.dart';
+import 'package:ew_polkadart/ew_polkadart.dart';
 
 /// Api to talk to an substrate node via the websocket protocol.
 ///
 /// Once connected, a websocket channel is maintained until closed by either side.
 class SubstrateDartApi {
+  SubstrateDartApi(this._provider);
+
   /// Websocket client used to connect to the node.
-  ReconnectingWsProvider? _provider;
+  final Provider _provider;
 
   /// The rpc methods exposed by the connected node.
   RpcMethods? _rpc;
@@ -18,16 +20,14 @@ class SubstrateDartApi {
   String? _endpoint;
 
   /// Returns the rpc nodes of the connected node or an empty list otherwise.
-  List<String>? get rpcMethods {
-    return _rpc != null ? _rpc!.methods : <String>[];
+  Future<RpcMethods> rpcMethods() async {
+    return rpc<Map<String, dynamic>>('rpc_methods', []).then(RpcMethods.fromJson);
   }
 
   /// Gets address of the node we connect to including ws(s).
   String? get endpoint => _endpoint;
 
   Future<void> connect(String endpoint) async {
-    _connectAndListen(endpoint);
-
     try {
       _rpc = await rpc<Map<String, dynamic>>('rpc_methods', []).then(RpcMethods.fromJson);
 
@@ -44,48 +44,16 @@ class SubstrateDartApi {
     }
   }
 
-  /// Closes the websocket connection.
-  Future<void> close() async {
-    if (_provider != null) {
-      await _provider!.disconnect();
-    } else {
-      Log.d('no connection to be closed.', 'SubstrateDartApi');
-    }
-  }
-
   /// Queries the rpc of the node.
   ///
   /// Hints:
   /// * account ids must be passed as SS58.
   Future<T> rpc<T>(String method, List<dynamic> params) async {
-    if (_provider == null) {
-      throw Exception("[dartApi] Can't call an rpc method because we are not connected to an endpoint");
-    }
-    if (!_provider!.isConnected()) {
-      Log.d('[dartApi] not connected. trying to reconnect to $endpoint', 'SubstrateDartApi');
-      reconnect();
-      Log.d('[dartApi] connection status: isConnected? ${_provider?.isConnected()}', 'SubstrateDartApi');
-    }
-    final response = await _provider!.send(method, params);
+    final response = await _provider.send(method, params);
 
     if (response.error != null) throw Exception(response.error);
 
     final data = response.result! as T;
     return data;
   }
-
-  bool isConnected() {
-    return _provider!.isConnected();
-  }
-
-  /// Reconnect to the same endpoint if the connection was closed.
-  void reconnect() {
-    if (endpoint != null) _connectAndListen(endpoint!);
-  }
-
-  /// Connects to and endpoint and starts listening on the input stream.
-  void _connectAndListen(String endpoint) {
-    _endpoint = endpoint;
-    _provider = ReconnectingWsProvider(Uri.parse(endpoint));
-  }
 }
diff --git a/app/lib/service/substrate_api/core/reconnecting_ws_provider.dart b/app/lib/service/substrate_api/core/reconnecting_ws_provider.dart
index b1c694578..ab4aaa7c1 100644
--- a/app/lib/service/substrate_api/core/reconnecting_ws_provider.dart
+++ b/app/lib/service/substrate_api/core/reconnecting_ws_provider.dart
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ class ReconnectingWsProvider extends Provider {
   Future<void> connectToNewEndpoint(Uri url) async {
     await disconnect();
     provider = WsProvider(url);
+    await provider.ready();
   }
 
   @override
@@ -39,7 +40,9 @@ class ReconnectingWsProvider extends Provider {
       return Future.value();
     } else {
       try {
-        await provider.disconnect();
+        // Disconnect runs into a timeout if our endpoint doesn't exist for some reason.
+        await provider.disconnect().timeout(const Duration(seconds: 3),
+            onTimeout: () => Log.e('Timeout in disconnecting', 'ReconnectingWsProvider'));
       } catch (e) {
         Log.e('Error disconnecting websocket: $e', 'ReconnectingWsProvider');
         return Future.value();
diff --git a/app/lib/service/substrate_api/encointer/encointer_api.dart b/app/lib/service/substrate_api/encointer/encointer_api.dart
index 56b40180d..235d800d3 100644
--- a/app/lib/service/substrate_api/encointer/encointer_api.dart
+++ b/app/lib/service/substrate_api/encointer/encointer_api.dart
@@ -84,11 +84,6 @@ class EncointerApi {
     await _businessRegistry?.cancel();
   }
 
-  Future<void> close() async {
-    Log.d('[EncointerApi: closing', 'EncointerApi');
-    return _dartApi.close();
-  }
-
   void getCommunityData() {
     getBusinesses();
     getCommunityMetadata();
diff --git a/app/lib/service/substrate_api/encointer/encointer_dart_api.dart b/app/lib/service/substrate_api/encointer/encointer_dart_api.dart
index 659dab003..41c9ec4dd 100644
--- a/app/lib/service/substrate_api/encointer/encointer_dart_api.dart
+++ b/app/lib/service/substrate_api/encointer/encointer_dart_api.dart
@@ -20,11 +20,6 @@ class EncointerDartApi {
 
   final SubstrateDartApi _dartApi;
 
-  Future<void> close() async {
-    Log.d('[EncointerDartApi: closing', 'EncointerDartApi');
-    return _dartApi.close();
-  }
-
   /// Queries the rpc 'encointer_getAggregatedAccountData'.
   ///
   Future<AggregatedAccountData> getAggregatedAccountData(CommunityIdentifier cid, String account, {BlockHash? at}) {
diff --git a/app/lib/store/settings.dart b/app/lib/store/settings.dart
index 338dbbd02..9d03581f4 100644
--- a/app/lib/store/settings.dart
+++ b/app/lib/store/settings.dart
@@ -169,8 +169,6 @@ abstract class _SettingsStore with Store {
   }
 
   Future<void> reloadNetwork(EndpointData network) async {
-    setNetworkLoading(true);
-
     // Stop networking before loading cache
     await webApi.close();
 
diff --git a/app/test/mock/api/mock_api.dart b/app/test/mock/api/mock_api.dart
index 6ab753850..d11fb350f 100644
--- a/app/test/mock/api/mock_api.dart
+++ b/app/test/mock/api/mock_api.dart
@@ -15,19 +15,18 @@ import 'mock_polkadart_provider.dart';
 import 'mock_substrate_dart_api.dart';
 
 MockApi getMockApi(AppStore store) {
-  return MockApi(store, MockSubstrateDartApi(), EwHttp());
+  return MockApi(store, EwHttp());
 }
 
 class MockApi extends Api {
-  MockApi(AppStore store, MockSubstrateDartApi dartApi, EwHttp ewHttp)
+  MockApi(AppStore store, EwHttp ewHttp)
       : super(
           store,
           MockPolkadartProvider(),
-          dartApi,
           MockAccountApi(store, MockPolkadartProvider()),
           MockAssetsApi(store, MockEncointerKusamaApi()),
           MockChainApi(store, MockPolkadartProvider()),
-          MockEncointerApi(store, dartApi, ewHttp, MockEncointerKusamaApi()),
+          MockEncointerApi(store, MockSubstrateDartApi(MockPolkadartProvider()), ewHttp, MockEncointerKusamaApi()),
           MockIpfsApi(ewHttp),
         );
 
diff --git a/app/test/mock/api/mock_substrate_dart_api.dart b/app/test/mock/api/mock_substrate_dart_api.dart
index 032e311e0..7e442b4ae 100644
--- a/app/test/mock/api/mock_substrate_dart_api.dart
+++ b/app/test/mock/api/mock_substrate_dart_api.dart
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
 import 'package:encointer_wallet/service/substrate_api/core/dart_api.dart';
 
-class MockSubstrateDartApi extends SubstrateDartApi {}
+class MockSubstrateDartApi extends SubstrateDartApi {
+  MockSubstrateDartApi(super.provider);
+}
diff --git a/app/test/service/substrate_api/core/dart_api_test.dart b/app/test/service/substrate_api/core/dart_api_test.dart
index 8b7111b4d..793386003 100644
--- a/app/test/service/substrate_api/core/dart_api_test.dart
+++ b/app/test/service/substrate_api/core/dart_api_test.dart
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import 'package:encointer_wallet/service/substrate_api/core/reconnecting_ws_provider.dart';
 import 'package:flutter_test/flutter_test.dart';
 
 import 'package:encointer_wallet/service/substrate_api/core/dart_api.dart';
@@ -7,13 +8,13 @@ import '../../../utils/test_tags.dart';
 void main() {
   group('can connect', () {
     test('rpc methods contains getAggregatedAccountData', () async {
-      final encointerApi = SubstrateDartApi();
+      final provider = ReconnectingWsProvider(Uri.parse('ws://localhost:9944'));
 
-      await encointerApi.connect('ws://localhost:9944');
+      final encointerApi = SubstrateDartApi(provider);
 
-      expect(encointerApi.rpcMethods?.contains('encointer_getAggregatedAccountData'), true);
+      expect((await encointerApi.rpcMethods()).methods!.contains('encointer_getAggregatedAccountData'), true);
 
-      await encointerApi.close();
+      await provider.disconnect();
     }, tags: encointerNodeE2E);
   });
 }
diff --git a/app/test/service/substrate_api/encointer/encointer_dart_api_test.dart b/app/test/service/substrate_api/encointer/encointer_dart_api_test.dart
index ae76d60b4..00c32b555 100644
--- a/app/test/service/substrate_api/encointer/encointer_dart_api_test.dart
+++ b/app/test/service/substrate_api/encointer/encointer_dart_api_test.dart
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import 'package:encointer_wallet/service/substrate_api/core/reconnecting_ws_provider.dart';
 import 'package:flutter_test/flutter_test.dart';
 
 import 'package:encointer_wallet/service/substrate_api/core/dart_api.dart';
@@ -9,8 +10,9 @@ import '../../../utils/test_utils.dart';
 void main() {
   group('encointerDartApi', () {
     test('gets aggregated account data', () async {
-      final substrateDartApi = SubstrateDartApi();
-      await substrateDartApi.connect('ws://localhost:9944');
+      final provider = ReconnectingWsProvider(Uri.parse('ws://localhost:9944'));
+
+      final substrateDartApi = SubstrateDartApi(provider);
 
       final encointerDartApi = EncointerDartApi(substrateDartApi);
 
@@ -18,7 +20,7 @@ void main() {
       // ignore: avoid_print
       print('data: $data');
 
-      await substrateDartApi.close();
+      await provider.disconnect();
     }, tags: encointerNodeE2E);
   });
 }