diff --git a/piker/data/_web_bs.py b/piker/data/_web_bs.py
index 7e5eb810..b7a5fb32 100644
--- a/piker/data/_web_bs.py
+++ b/piker/data/_web_bs.py
@@ -105,7 +105,10 @@ class NoBsWs:
     def connected(self) -> bool:
         return self._connected.is_set()
 
-    async def reset(self) -> None:
+    async def reset(
+        self,
+        timeout: float,
+    ) -> bool:
         '''
         Reset the underlying ws connection by cancelling
         the bg relay task and waiting for it to signal
@@ -114,18 +117,31 @@ class NoBsWs:
         '''
         self._connected = trio.Event()
         self._cs.cancel()
-        await self._connected.wait()
+        with trio.move_on_after(timeout) as cs:
+            await self._connected.wait()
+            return True
+
+        assert cs.cancelled_caught
+        return False
 
     async def send_msg(
         self,
         data: Any,
+        timeout: float = 3,
     ) -> None:
         while True:
             try:
                 msg: Any = self._dumps(data)
                 return await self._ws.send_message(msg)
             except self.recon_errors:
-                await self.reset()
+                with trio.CancelScope(shield=True):
+                    reconnected: bool = await self.reset(
+                        timeout=timeout,
+                    )
+                    if not reconnected:
+                        log.warning(
+                            'Failed to reconnect after {timeout!r}s ??'
+                        )
 
     async def recv_msg(self) -> Any:
         msg: Any = await self._rx.receive()
@@ -191,7 +207,9 @@ async def _reconnect_forever(
                         f'{src_mod}\n'
                         f'{url} connection bail with:'
                     )
-                    await trio.sleep(0.5)
+                    with trio.CancelScope(shield=True):
+                        await trio.sleep(0.5)
+
                     rent_cs.cancel()
 
                     # go back to reonnect loop in parent task
@@ -291,7 +309,8 @@ async def _reconnect_forever(
             log.exception(
                 'Reconnect-attempt failed ??\n'
             )
-            await trio.sleep(0.2)  # throttle
+            with trio.CancelScope(shield=True):
+                await trio.sleep(0.2)  # throttle
             raise berr
 
         #|_ws & nursery block ends