diff --git a/relay.go b/relay.go
index 3c88bd6..b8932fc 100644
--- a/relay.go
+++ b/relay.go
@@ -61,99 +61,104 @@ func (r *Relay) Connect() error {
 	}
 
 	conn := NewConnection(socket)
+	r.Connection = conn
 
-	for {
-		typ, message, err := conn.socket.ReadMessage()
-		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("read error: %w", err)
-		}
-		if typ == websocket.PingMessage {
-			conn.WriteMessage(websocket.PongMessage, nil)
-			continue
-		}
-
-		if typ != websocket.TextMessage || len(message) == 0 || message[0] != '[' {
-			continue
-		}
-
-		var jsonMessage []json.RawMessage
-		err = json.Unmarshal(message, &jsonMessage)
-		if err != nil {
-			continue
-		}
-
-		if len(jsonMessage) < 2 {
-			continue
-		}
-
-		var label string
-		json.Unmarshal(jsonMessage[0], &label)
-
-		switch label {
-		case "NOTICE":
-			var content string
-			json.Unmarshal(jsonMessage[1], &content)
-			r.Notices <- content
-		case "EVENT":
-			if len(jsonMessage) < 3 {
+	go func() {
+		for {
+			typ, message, err := conn.socket.ReadMessage()
+			if err != nil {
+				continue
+			}
+			if typ == websocket.PingMessage {
+				conn.WriteMessage(websocket.PongMessage, nil)
 				continue
 			}
 
-			var channel string
-			json.Unmarshal(jsonMessage[1], &channel)
-			if subscription, ok := r.subscriptions.Load(channel); ok {
-				var event Event
-				json.Unmarshal(jsonMessage[2], &event)
-
-				// check signature of all received events, ignore invalid
-				ok, err := event.CheckSignature()
-				if !ok {
-					errmsg := ""
-					if err != nil {
-						errmsg = err.Error()
-					}
-					log.Printf("bad signature: %s", errmsg)
-					continue
-				}
-
-				// check if the event matches the desired filter, ignore otherwise
-				if !subscription.filters.Match(&event) {
-					continue
-				}
-
-				if !subscription.stopped {
-					subscription.Events <- event
-				}
+			if typ != websocket.TextMessage || len(message) == 0 || message[0] != '[' {
+				continue
 			}
-		case "EOSE":
+
+			var jsonMessage []json.RawMessage
+			err = json.Unmarshal(message, &jsonMessage)
+			if err != nil {
+				continue
+			}
+
 			if len(jsonMessage) < 2 {
 				continue
 			}
-			var channel string
-			json.Unmarshal(jsonMessage[1], &channel)
-			if subscription, ok := r.subscriptions.Load(channel); ok {
-				subscription.EndOfStoredEvents <- struct{}{}
-			}
-		case "OK":
-			if len(jsonMessage) < 3 {
-				continue
-			}
-			var (
-				eventId string
-				ok      bool
-			)
-			json.Unmarshal(jsonMessage[1], &eventId)
-			json.Unmarshal(jsonMessage[2], &ok)
 
-			if statusChan, ok := r.statusChans.Load(eventId); ok {
-				if ok {
-					statusChan <- PublishStatusSucceeded
-				} else {
-					statusChan <- PublishStatusFailed
+			var label string
+			json.Unmarshal(jsonMessage[0], &label)
+
+			switch label {
+			case "NOTICE":
+				var content string
+				json.Unmarshal(jsonMessage[1], &content)
+				r.Notices <- content
+			case "EVENT":
+				if len(jsonMessage) < 3 {
+					continue
+				}
+
+				var channel string
+				json.Unmarshal(jsonMessage[1], &channel)
+				if subscription, ok := r.subscriptions.Load(channel); ok {
+					var event Event
+					json.Unmarshal(jsonMessage[2], &event)
+
+					// check signature of all received events, ignore invalid
+					ok, err := event.CheckSignature()
+					if !ok {
+						errmsg := ""
+						if err != nil {
+							errmsg = err.Error()
+						}
+						log.Printf("bad signature: %s", errmsg)
+						continue
+					}
+
+					// check if the event matches the desired filter, ignore otherwise
+					if !subscription.filters.Match(&event) {
+						continue
+					}
+
+					if !subscription.stopped {
+						subscription.Events <- event
+					}
+				}
+			case "EOSE":
+				if len(jsonMessage) < 2 {
+					continue
+				}
+				var channel string
+				json.Unmarshal(jsonMessage[1], &channel)
+				if subscription, ok := r.subscriptions.Load(channel); ok {
+					subscription.EndOfStoredEvents <- struct{}{}
+				}
+			case "OK":
+				if len(jsonMessage) < 3 {
+					continue
+				}
+				var (
+					eventId string
+					ok      bool
+				)
+				json.Unmarshal(jsonMessage[1], &eventId)
+				json.Unmarshal(jsonMessage[2], &ok)
+
+				if statusChan, ok := r.statusChans.Load(eventId); ok {
+					if ok {
+						statusChan <- PublishStatusSucceeded
+					} else {
+						statusChan <- PublishStatusFailed
+					}
 				}
 			}
 		}
-	}
+	}()
+
+	return nil
 }
 
 func (r Relay) Publish(event Event) chan Status {
@@ -194,6 +199,10 @@ func (r Relay) Publish(event Event) chan Status {
 }
 
 func (r *Relay) Subscribe(filters Filters) *Subscription {
+	if r.Connection == nil {
+		panic(fmt.Errorf("must call .Connect() first before calling .Subscribe()"))
+	}
+
 	random := make([]byte, 7)
 	rand.Read(random)
 	id := hex.EncodeToString(random)
@@ -201,10 +210,13 @@ func (r *Relay) Subscribe(filters Filters) *Subscription {
 }
 
 func (r *Relay) subscribe(id string, filters Filters) *Subscription {
-	sub := Subscription{}
-	sub.id = id
+	sub := Subscription{
+		conn:              r.Connection,
+		id:                id,
+		Events:            make(chan Event),
+		EndOfStoredEvents: make(chan struct{}),
+	}
 
-	sub.Events = make(chan Event)
 	r.subscriptions.Store(sub.id, &sub)
 
 	sub.Sub(filters)