diff --git a/pkg/cmdrunner/cmdrunner.go b/pkg/cmdrunner/cmdrunner.go
index 0caf8d58..2c2fd4bc 100644
--- a/pkg/cmdrunner/cmdrunner.go
+++ b/pkg/cmdrunner/cmdrunner.go
@@ -421,6 +421,9 @@ func RemoteConnectCommand(ctx context.Context, pk *scpacket.FeCommandPacketType)
 	if ids.Remote.RState.IsConnected() {
 		return sstore.InfoMsgUpdate("remote %q already connected (no action taken)", ids.Remote.DisplayName), nil
 	}
+	if ids.Remote.RState.Status == remote.StatusConnecting {
+		return sstore.InfoMsgUpdate("remote %q is already trying to connect (no action taken)", ids.Remote.DisplayName), nil
+	}
 	go ids.Remote.MShell.Launch()
 	return sstore.InfoMsgUpdate("remote %q reconnecting", ids.Remote.DisplayName), nil
 }
@@ -431,7 +434,8 @@ func RemoteDisconnectCommand(ctx context.Context, pk *scpacket.FeCommandPacketTy
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	force := resolveBool(pk.Kwargs["force"], false)
-	if !ids.Remote.RState.IsConnected() && !force {
+	status := ids.Remote.MShell.GetStatus()
+	if status != remote.StatusConnected && status != remote.StatusConnecting {
 		return sstore.InfoMsgUpdate("remote %q already disconnected (no action taken)", ids.Remote.DisplayName), nil
 	}
 	numCommands := ids.Remote.MShell.GetNumRunningCommands()
diff --git a/pkg/remote/remote.go b/pkg/remote/remote.go
index 3cee7ad3..2bb9b0a8 100644
--- a/pkg/remote/remote.go
+++ b/pkg/remote/remote.go
@@ -66,12 +66,13 @@ type MShellProc struct {
 	Remote *sstore.RemoteType
 
 	// runtime
-	Status         string
-	ServerProc     *shexec.ClientProc
-	UName          string
-	Err            error
-	ControllingPty *os.File
-	PtyBuffer      *circbuf.Buffer
+	Status             string
+	ServerProc         *shexec.ClientProc
+	UName              string
+	Err                error
+	ControllingPty     *os.File
+	PtyBuffer          *circbuf.Buffer
+	MakeClientCancelFn context.CancelFunc
 
 	RunningCmds []base.CommandKey
 }
@@ -95,6 +96,12 @@ func (state RemoteRuntimeState) IsConnected() bool {
 	return state.Status == StatusConnected
 }
 
+func (msh *MShellProc) GetStatus() string {
+	msh.Lock.Lock()
+	defer msh.Lock.Unlock()
+	return msh.Status
+}
+
 func (state RemoteRuntimeState) GetBaseDisplayName() string {
 	if state.RemoteAlias != "" {
 		return state.RemoteAlias
@@ -522,6 +529,10 @@ func (msh *MShellProc) Disconnect() {
 	if msh.ServerProc != nil {
 		msh.ServerProc.Close()
 	}
+	if msh.MakeClientCancelFn != nil {
+		msh.MakeClientCancelFn()
+		msh.MakeClientCancelFn = nil
+	}
 }
 
 func (msh *MShellProc) GetRemoteName() string {
@@ -598,6 +609,11 @@ func (msh *MShellProc) Launch() {
 		msh.WriteToPtyBuffer("cannot launch archived remote\n")
 		return
 	}
+	curStatus := msh.GetStatus()
+	if curStatus == StatusConnecting {
+		msh.WriteToPtyBuffer("remote is already connecting, disconnect before trying to connect again\n")
+		return
+	}
 	msh.WriteToPtyBuffer("connecting to %s...\n", remoteCopy.RemoteCanonicalName)
 	sshOpts := convertSSHOpts(remoteCopy.SSHOpts)
 	sshOpts.SSHErrorsToTty = true
@@ -615,15 +631,22 @@ func (msh *MShellProc) Launch() {
 		}
 	}()
 	go msh.RunPtyReadLoop(cmdPty)
+	makeClientCtx, makeClientCancelFn := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	defer makeClientCancelFn()
 	msh.WithLock(func() {
 		msh.Status = StatusConnecting
+		msh.MakeClientCancelFn = makeClientCancelFn
 		go msh.NotifyRemoteUpdate()
 	})
-	cproc, uname, err := shexec.MakeClientProc(ecmd)
+	cproc, uname, err := shexec.MakeClientProc(makeClientCtx, ecmd)
 	msh.WithLock(func() {
 		msh.UName = uname
+		msh.MakeClientCancelFn = nil
 		// no notify here, because we'll call notify in either case below
 	})
+	if err == context.Canceled {
+		err = fmt.Errorf("forced disconnection")
+	}
 	if err != nil {
 		msh.setErrorStatus(err)
 		msh.WriteToPtyBuffer("*error connecting to remote (uname=%q): %v\n", msh.UName, err)