diff --git a/lib/message_bus.rb b/lib/message_bus.rb
index cb927a5c..866fc973 100644
--- a/lib/message_bus.rb
+++ b/lib/message_bus.rb
@@ -752,6 +752,11 @@ def new_subscriber_thread
         publish("/__mb_keepalive__/", Process.pid, user_ids: [-1])
         if (Time.now - (@last_message || Time.now)) > keepalive_interval * 3
           logger.warn "Global messages on #{Process.pid} timed out, message bus is no longer functioning correctly"
+          # Close the subscriber connection cooperatively so the blocked read
+          # errors and the backend's rescue/retry reconnects on a fresh socket.
+          # Reset @last_message to avoid cascade-triggering during the 1s reconnect window.
+          @last_message = Time.now
+          backend_instance.request_reconnect
         end
 
         timer.queue(keepalive_interval, &blk) if keepalive_interval > MIN_KEEPALIVE
diff --git a/lib/message_bus/backends/base.rb b/lib/message_bus/backends/base.rb
index be83e5f6..08481e63 100644
--- a/lib/message_bus/backends/base.rb
+++ b/lib/message_bus/backends/base.rb
@@ -175,6 +175,12 @@ def global_unsubscribe
         raise ConcreteClassMustImplementError
       end
 
+      # Closes the subscriber's connection so its blocked read returns an error
+      # and the backend's own rescue/retry re-establishes it cooperatively.
+      # Backends that cannot get a stuck connection may leave this as a no-op.
+      def request_reconnect
+      end
+
       # Subscribe to messages on all channels. Each message since the last ID
       # specified will be delivered by yielding to the passed block as soon as
       # it is available. This will block until subscription is terminated.
diff --git a/lib/message_bus/backends/postgres.rb b/lib/message_bus/backends/postgres.rb
index dc9cc2f2..ef05746d 100644
--- a/lib/message_bus/backends/postgres.rb
+++ b/lib/message_bus/backends/postgres.rb
@@ -180,6 +180,10 @@ def unsubscribe
           sync { @listening_on.clear }
         end
 
+        def close_subscribe_connection
+          @subscribe_connection&.close
+        end
+
         private
 
         def exec_prepared(conn, *a)
@@ -378,6 +382,11 @@ def global_unsubscribe
         @subscribed = false
       end
 
+      # (see Base#request_reconnect)
+      def request_reconnect
+        client.close_subscribe_connection
+      end
+
       # (see Base#global_subscribe)
       def global_subscribe(last_id = nil)
         raise ArgumentError unless block_given?
diff --git a/lib/message_bus/backends/redis.rb b/lib/message_bus/backends/redis.rb
index dabcd742..41f5e655 100644
--- a/lib/message_bus/backends/redis.rb
+++ b/lib/message_bus/backends/redis.rb
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ def initialize(config = {}, max_backlog_size = 1000)
         @flush_backlog_thread = nil
         @pub_redis = nil
         @subscribed = false
+        @subscriber_connection = nil
         # after 7 days inactive backlogs will be removed
         @max_backlog_age = 604_800
       end
@@ -286,7 +287,7 @@ def global_subscribe(last_id = nil, &blk)
           end
 
         begin
-          global_redis = new_redis_connection
+          global_redis = @subscriber_connection = new_redis_connection
 
           clear_backlog.call(&blk) if highest_id
 
@@ -327,9 +328,15 @@ def global_subscribe(last_id = nil, &blk)
           retry
         ensure
           global_redis&.disconnect!
+          @subscriber_connection = nil
         end
       end
 
+      # (see Base#request_reconnect)
+      def request_reconnect
+        @subscriber_connection&.disconnect!
+      end
+
       private
 
       def new_redis_connection
diff --git a/spec/lib/message_bus/backend_spec.rb b/spec/lib/message_bus/backend_spec.rb
index 794d4fee..21b580dd 100644
--- a/spec/lib/message_bus/backend_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/message_bus/backend_spec.rb
@@ -392,4 +392,96 @@
     got.map { |m| m.data }.must_equal ["12"]
   end
 
+  it "retries global_subscribe after a redis subscribe failure" do
+    skip "Redis backend only" unless CURRENT_BACKEND == :redis
+
+    log_output = StringIO.new
+    @bus.instance_variable_set(:@logger, Logger.new(log_output))
+
+    fail_first_subscribe = true
+    real_new_redis_connection = @bus.method(:new_redis_connection)
+
+    @bus.define_singleton_method(:new_redis_connection) do
+      redis = real_new_redis_connection.call
+
+      if fail_first_subscribe
+        fail_first_subscribe = false
+        redis.define_singleton_method(:subscribe) do |_channel, &_blk|
+          raise IOError, "forced subscribe failure"
+        end
+      end
+
+      redis
+    end
+
+    got = []
+
+    t = Thread.new do
+      @bus.global_subscribe(0) do |msg|
+        got << msg
+      end
+    end
+
+    wait_for(4000) { log_output.string.include?("forced subscribe failure") }
+    wait_for(5000) { @bus.subscribed }
+
+    @bus.publish("/redis-retry", "delivered-after-retry")
+    wait_for(3000) { got.any? { |m| m.data == "delivered-after-retry" } }
+
+    @bus.global_unsubscribe
+    t.join(2)
+    t.kill if t.alive?
+
+    log_output.string.must_include "subscribe failed, reconnecting in 1 second"
+    got.map(&:data).must_include "delivered-after-retry"
+  end
+
+  it "retries global_subscribe after request_reconnect disconnects redis" do
+    skip "Redis backend only" unless CURRENT_BACKEND == :redis
+
+    log_output = StringIO.new
+    @bus.instance_variable_set(:@logger, Logger.new(log_output))
+    subscribe_attempts = 0
+    real_new_redis_connection = @bus.method(:new_redis_connection)
+
+    @bus.define_singleton_method(:new_redis_connection) do
+      redis = real_new_redis_connection.call
+      real_subscribe = redis.method(:subscribe)
+      redis.define_singleton_method(:subscribe) do |*args, &blk|
+        subscribe_attempts += 1
+        real_subscribe.call(*args, &blk)
+      end
+      redis
+    end
+
+    got = []
+
+    t = Thread.new do
+      @bus.global_subscribe(0) do |msg|
+        got << msg
+      end
+    end
+
+    wait_for(5000) { @bus.subscribed }
+    wait_for(5000) { subscribe_attempts >= 1 }
+
+    @bus.publish("/redis-reconnect", "before-reconnect")
+    wait_for(3000) { got.any? { |m| m.data == "before-reconnect" } }
+
+    @bus.request_reconnect
+
+    wait_for(7000) { log_output.string.include?("subscribe failed, reconnecting in 1 second") }
+    wait_for(7000) { subscribe_attempts >= 2 }
+
+    @bus.publish("/redis-reconnect", "after-reconnect")
+    wait_for(5000) { got.any? { |m| m.data == "after-reconnect" } }
+
+    @bus.global_unsubscribe
+    t.join(2)
+    t.kill if t.alive?
+
+    got.map(&:data).must_include "after-reconnect"
+    subscribe_attempts.must_be :>=, 2
+  end
+
 end
diff --git a/spec/lib/message_bus_spec.rb b/spec/lib/message_bus_spec.rb
index 5c7a6c0a..8ceac36a 100644
--- a/spec/lib/message_bus_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/message_bus_spec.rb
@@ -398,4 +398,127 @@
       channel.must_equal('/test')
     end
   end
+
+  describe "keepalive reconnect watchdog" do
+    FAST_KEEPALIVE = 0.5
+
+    before do
+      @original_min_keepalive = MessageBus::Implementation::MIN_KEEPALIVE
+      MessageBus::Implementation.send(:remove_const, :MIN_KEEPALIVE)
+      MessageBus::Implementation.const_set(:MIN_KEEPALIVE, 0)
+
+      @log_output = StringIO.new
+      @bus.configure(keepalive_interval: FAST_KEEPALIVE, logger: Logger.new(@log_output))
+    end
+
+    after do
+      MessageBus::Implementation.send(:remove_const, :MIN_KEEPALIVE)
+      MessageBus::Implementation.const_set(:MIN_KEEPALIVE, @original_min_keepalive)
+    end
+
+    # Replaces global_subscribe with a blocked read simulation that never yields.
+    # The loop exits when global_unsubscribe flips @subscribed to false.
+    def stall_global_subscribe(backend)
+      backend.define_singleton_method(:global_subscribe) do |_last_id = nil, &_blk|
+        @subscribed = true
+        sleep(0.001) while @subscribed
+      end
+    end
+
+    it "invokes request_reconnect and logs a warning when subscriber reads stall" do
+      backend = @bus.backend_instance
+      reconnect_calls = 0
+      stall_global_subscribe(backend)
+
+      backend.define_singleton_method(:request_reconnect) do
+        reconnect_calls += 1
+        # Simulate reconnect teardown finishing, allowing this fake subscribe loop to exit.
+        @subscribed = false
+      end
+
+      @bus.after_fork
+      wait_for(1000) { @bus.listening? }
+
+      wait_for(4000) { reconnect_calls == 1 }
+      wait_for(4000) { @log_output.string.include?("no longer functioning correctly") }
+
+      reconnect_calls.must_equal 1
+      @log_output.string.must_include "timed out"
+      @log_output.string.must_include "no longer functioning correctly"
+    end
+
+    it "resets @last_message so reconnect attempts are not immediate cascades" do
+      backend = @bus.backend_instance
+      reconnect_times = []
+      stall_global_subscribe(backend)
+
+      backend.define_singleton_method(:request_reconnect) do
+        reconnect_times << Process.clock_gettime(Process::CLOCK_MONOTONIC)
+      end
+
+      @bus.after_fork
+      wait_for(1000) { @bus.listening? }
+      wait_for(7000) { reconnect_times.length >= 2 }
+
+      first_gap = reconnect_times[1] - reconnect_times[0]
+      first_gap.must_be :>=, FAST_KEEPALIVE * 2.8
+    end
+
+    it "keeps the timer thread running when request_reconnect raises" do
+      backend = @bus.backend_instance
+      reconnect_failed = false
+      stall_global_subscribe(backend)
+
+      backend.define_singleton_method(:request_reconnect) do
+        reconnect_failed = true
+        raise IOError, "simulated connection error"
+      end
+
+      @bus.after_fork
+      wait_for(1000) { @bus.listening? }
+
+      wait_for(4000) { reconnect_failed }
+      wait_for(4000) { @log_output.string.include?("Failed to process job") }
+
+      timer_job_ran = false
+      @bus.timer.queue(0.01) { timer_job_ran = true }
+      wait_for(1000) { timer_job_ran }
+
+      @bus.listening?.must_equal true
+      @log_output.string.must_include "simulated connection error"
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "request_reconnect backend wiring" do
+    it "is a no-op on the abstract base backend" do
+      backend = MessageBus::Backends::Base.new
+      backend.request_reconnect.must_be_nil
+    end
+
+    it "disconnects the redis subscriber connection" do
+      skip "Redis backend only" unless CURRENT_BACKEND == :redis
+
+      backend = @bus.backend_instance
+      disconnect_calls = 0
+      fake_connection = Object.new
+      fake_connection.define_singleton_method(:disconnect!) { disconnect_calls += 1 }
+      backend.instance_variable_set(:@subscriber_connection, fake_connection)
+
+      backend.request_reconnect
+
+      disconnect_calls.must_equal 1
+    end
+
+    it "closes the postgres subscribe connection" do
+      skip "Postgres backend only" unless CURRENT_BACKEND == :postgres
+
+      backend = @bus.backend_instance
+      close_calls = 0
+      backend.send(:client).define_singleton_method(:close_subscribe_connection) { close_calls += 1 }
+
+      backend.request_reconnect
+
+      close_calls.must_equal 1
+    end
+  end
 end