diff --git a/Libraries/Core/setUpReactDevTools.js b/Libraries/Core/setUpReactDevTools.js
index 2ba4c5dc6a41b0..099f12242bc56e 100644
--- a/Libraries/Core/setUpReactDevTools.js
+++ b/Libraries/Core/setUpReactDevTools.js
@@ -11,8 +11,19 @@
 'use strict';
 
 if (__DEV__) {
+  let isWebSocketOpen = false;
+  let ws = null;
+
   const reactDevTools = require('react-devtools-core');
   const connectToDevTools = () => {
+    if (ws !== null && isWebSocketOpen) {
+      // If the DevTools backend is already connected, don't recreate the WebSocket.
+      // This would break the connection.
+      // If there isn't an active connection, a backend may be waiting to connect,
+      // in which case it's okay to make a new one.
+      return;
+    }
+
     // not when debugging in chrome
     // TODO(t12832058) This check is broken
     if (!window.document) {
@@ -39,7 +50,13 @@ if (__DEV__) {
           : 8097;
 
       const WebSocket = require('../WebSocket/WebSocket');
-      const ws = new WebSocket('ws://' + host + ':' + port);
+      ws = new WebSocket('ws://' + host + ':' + port);
+      ws.addEventListener('close', event => {
+        isWebSocketOpen = false;
+      });
+      ws.addEventListener('open', event => {
+        isWebSocketOpen = true;
+      });
 
       const viewConfig = require('../Components/View/ReactNativeViewViewConfig');
       reactDevTools.connectToDevTools({