diff --git a/app/pipe_router.go b/app/pipe_router.go
index 3db9813350..f9ce859708 100644
--- a/app/pipe_router.go
+++ b/app/pipe_router.go
@@ -28,8 +28,16 @@ const (
 	ProbeEnd
 )
 
+func (e End) String() string {
+	if e == UIEnd {
+		return "ui"
+	}
+	return "probe"
+}
+
 // PipeRouter stores pipes and allows you to connect to either end of them.
 type PipeRouter interface {
+	Exists(context.Context, string) (bool, error)
 	Get(context.Context, string, End) (xfer.Pipe, io.ReadWriter, error)
 	Release(context.Context, string, End) error
 	Delete(context.Context, string) error
@@ -78,6 +86,16 @@ func NewLocalPipeRouter() PipeRouter {
 	return pipeRouter
 }
 
+func (pr *localPipeRouter) Exists(_ context.Context, id string) (bool, error) {
+	pr.Lock()
+	defer pr.Unlock()
+	p, ok := pr.pipes[id]
+	if !ok {
+		return true, nil
+	}
+	return !p.Closed(), nil
+}
+
 func (pr *localPipeRouter) Get(_ context.Context, id string, e End) (xfer.Pipe, io.ReadWriter, error) {
 	pr.Lock()
 	defer pr.Unlock()
diff --git a/app/pipes.go b/app/pipes.go
index 7f98f65e8a..72e9486d05 100644
--- a/app/pipes.go
+++ b/app/pipes.go
@@ -32,12 +32,14 @@ func RegisterPipeRoutes(router *mux.Router, pr PipeRouter) {
 func checkPipe(pr PipeRouter, end End) CtxHandlerFunc {
 	return func(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		id := mux.Vars(r)["pipeID"]
-		_, _, err := pr.Get(ctx, id, end)
+		exists, err := pr.Exists(ctx, id)
 		if err != nil {
+			respondWith(w, http.StatusInternalServerError, err.Error())
+		} else if exists {
 			w.WriteHeader(http.StatusNoContent)
-			return
+		} else {
+			http.NotFound(w, r)
 		}
-		pr.Release(ctx, id, end)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -59,7 +61,7 @@ func handlePipeWs(pr PipeRouter, end End) CtxHandlerFunc {
 		}
 		defer conn.Close()
 
-		log.Infof("Pipe success %s (%d)", id, end)
+		log.Infof("Success got pipe %s:%s", id, end)
 		if err := pipe.CopyToWebsocket(endIO, conn); err != nil && !xfer.IsExpectedWSCloseError(err) {
 			log.Printf("Error copying to pipe %s (%d) websocket: %v", id, end, err)
 		}
@@ -69,7 +71,7 @@ func handlePipeWs(pr PipeRouter, end End) CtxHandlerFunc {
 func deletePipe(pr PipeRouter) CtxHandlerFunc {
 	return func(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		pipeID := mux.Vars(r)["pipeID"]
-		log.Infof("Closing pipe %s", pipeID)
+		log.Infof("Deleting pipe %s", pipeID)
 		if err := pr.Delete(ctx, pipeID); err != nil {
 			respondWith(w, http.StatusInternalServerError, err.Error())
 		}
diff --git a/client/app/scripts/utils/web-api-utils.js b/client/app/scripts/utils/web-api-utils.js
index eb593bec3d..c7977144d3 100644
--- a/client/app/scripts/utils/web-api-utils.js
+++ b/client/app/scripts/utils/web-api-utils.js
@@ -225,8 +225,8 @@ export function getPipeStatus(pipeId) {
     },
     success: function(res) {
       const status = {
-        200: 'PIPE_ALIVE',
-        204: 'PIPE_DELETED'
+        204: 'PIPE_ALIVE',
+        404: 'PIPE_DELETED'
       }[res.status];
 
       if (!status) {
diff --git a/common/xfer/websocket.go b/common/xfer/websocket.go
index f5faabe54c..019262d2e9 100644
--- a/common/xfer/websocket.go
+++ b/common/xfer/websocket.go
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ type WSDialer interface {
 func DialWS(d WSDialer, urlStr string, requestHeader http.Header) (Websocket, *http.Response, error) {
 	wsConn, resp, err := d.Dial(urlStr, requestHeader)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, nil, err
+		return nil, resp, err
 	}
 	return Ping(wsConn), resp, nil
 }
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ func (p *pingingWebsocket) ping() {
 	if err := p.conn.WriteControl(websocket.PingMessage, nil, mtime.Now().Add(writeWait)); err != nil {
 		log.Errorf("websocket ping error: %v", err)
 		p.Close()
+		return
 	}
 	p.pinger.Reset(pingPeriod)
 }