diff --git a/lib/app.dart b/lib/app.dart
index bc7d9cd..00e3852 100644
--- a/lib/app.dart
+++ b/lib/app.dart
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ class _AppState extends State<App> with WidgetsBindingObserver {
 
   Future initAsync() async {
     setUserPlan();
-    await apiService.connect();
+    await apiService.connect(force: true);
     // call this function so invalid media files are get purged
     retryMediaUpload(true);
   }
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ class _AppState extends State<App> with WidgetsBindingObserver {
       if (wasPaused) {
         globalIsAppInBackground = false;
         twonlyDB.markUpdated();
-        apiService.connect();
+        apiService.connect(force: true);
       }
     } else if (state == AppLifecycleState.paused) {
       wasPaused = true;
diff --git a/lib/src/services/api.service.dart b/lib/src/services/api.service.dart
index fb5246f..d85efdc 100644
--- a/lib/src/services/api.service.dart
+++ b/lib/src/services/api.service.dart
@@ -142,6 +142,7 @@ class ApiService {
       String apiUrl = "ws$apiSecure://$apiHost/api/client";
 
       Log.info("connecting to $apiUrl");
+
       if (await _connectTo(apiUrl)) {
         await onConnected();
         return true;
diff --git a/lib/src/views/settings/subscription/subscription.view.dart b/lib/src/views/settings/subscription/subscription.view.dart
index ca9b617..028018e 100644
--- a/lib/src/views/settings/subscription/subscription.view.dart
+++ b/lib/src/views/settings/subscription/subscription.view.dart
@@ -561,7 +561,7 @@ Future redeemUserInviteCode(BuildContext context, String newPlan) async {
                 );
                 // reconnect to load new plan.
                 await apiService.close(() {});
-                await apiService.connect();
+                await apiService.connect(force: true);
               } else {
                 ScaffoldMessenger.of(context).showSnackBar(
                   SnackBar(content: Text(errorCodeToText(context, res.error))),