diff --git a/client/app/scripts/actions/app-actions.js b/client/app/scripts/actions/app-actions.js
index 89b44722a..740175de1 100644
--- a/client/app/scripts/actions/app-actions.js
+++ b/client/app/scripts/actions/app-actions.js
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ import {
   getNodeDetails,
   getTopologies,
   deletePipe,
+  stopTopologyPolling,
+  teardownWebsockets,
 } from '../utils/web-api-utils';
 import { getCurrentTopologyUrl } from '../utils/topology-utils';
 import { storageSet } from '../utils/storage-utils';
@@ -735,3 +737,8 @@ export function changeInstance() {
     );
   };
 }
+
+export function shutdown() {
+  stopTopologyPolling();
+  teardownWebsockets();
+}
diff --git a/client/app/scripts/components/app.js b/client/app/scripts/components/app.js
index 43970c0ef..adc1251f4 100644
--- a/client/app/scripts/components/app.js
+++ b/client/app/scripts/components/app.js
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import Topologies from './topologies';
 import TopologyOptions from './topology-options';
 import { getApiDetails, getTopologies } from '../utils/web-api-utils';
 import { focusSearch, pinNextMetric, hitBackspace, hitEnter, hitEsc, unpinMetric,
-  selectMetric, toggleHelp, toggleGridMode } from '../actions/app-actions';
+  selectMetric, toggleHelp, toggleGridMode, shutdown } from '../actions/app-actions';
 import Details from './details';
 import Nodes from './nodes';
 import GridModeSelector from './grid-mode-selector';
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ class App extends React.Component {
   componentWillUnmount() {
     window.removeEventListener('keypress', this.onKeyPress);
     window.removeEventListener('keyup', this.onKeyUp);
+    shutdown();
   }
 
   onKeyUp(ev) {
diff --git a/client/app/scripts/utils/router-utils.js b/client/app/scripts/utils/router-utils.js
index 6bc7d330c..35dbae03b 100644
--- a/client/app/scripts/utils/router-utils.js
+++ b/client/app/scripts/utils/router-utils.js
@@ -90,21 +90,20 @@ export function updateRoute(getState) {
 
 
 export function getRouter(dispatch, initialState) {
+  let mergedState = initialState;
   // strip any trailing '/'s.
   page.base(window.location.pathname.replace(/\/$/, ''));
 
+  const storageState = storageGet(STORAGE_STATE_KEY);
+  if (storageState) {
+    window.location.hash = `!/state/${storageState}`;
+    const parsedState = JSON.parse(decodeURL(storageState));
+    mergedState = Object.assign(initialState, parsedState);
+  }
+
   page('/', () => {
     // recover from storage state on empty URL
-    const storageState = storageGet(STORAGE_STATE_KEY);
-    if (storageState) {
-      // push storage state to URL
-      window.location.hash = `!/state/${storageState}`;
-      const parsedState = JSON.parse(decodeURL(storageState));
-      const mergedState = Object.assign(initialState, parsedState);
-      dispatch(route(mergedState));
-    } else {
-      dispatch(route(initialState));
-    }
+    dispatch(route(mergedState));
   });
 
   page('/state/:state', (ctx) => {
diff --git a/client/app/scripts/utils/web-api-utils.js b/client/app/scripts/utils/web-api-utils.js
index 70cf089cd..f7ab99c5b 100644
--- a/client/app/scripts/utils/web-api-utils.js
+++ b/client/app/scripts/utils/web-api-utils.js
@@ -142,7 +142,10 @@ function createWebsocket(topologyUrl, optionsQuery, dispatch) {
   * Any opts that get passed in will override the defaults.
   */
 function doRequest(opts) {
-  const config = defaults(opts, { contentType: 'application/json' });
+  const config = defaults(opts, {
+    contentType: 'application/json',
+    type: 'json'
+  });
   if (csrfToken) {
     config.headers = Object.assign({}, config.headers, { 'X-CSRF-Token': csrfToken });
   }
@@ -193,9 +196,10 @@ export function getTopologies(options, dispatch) {
 
 export function getNodesDelta(topologyUrl, options, dispatch, forceReload) {
   const optionsQuery = buildOptionsQuery(options);
-  // only recreate websocket if url changed or if forced (weave cloud instance reload);
-  const isNewUrl = topologyUrl && (topologyUrl !== currentUrl || currentOptions !== optionsQuery);
-
+  // Only recreate websocket if url changed or if forced (weave cloud instance reload);
+  // Check for truthy options and that options have changed.
+  const isNewOptions = currentOptions && currentOptions !== optionsQuery;
+  const isNewUrl = topologyUrl && (topologyUrl !== currentUrl || isNewOptions);
   if (forceReload || isNewUrl) {
     createWebsocket(topologyUrl, optionsQuery, dispatch);
     currentUrl = topologyUrl;
@@ -348,3 +352,18 @@ export function getPipeStatus(pipeId, dispatch) {
     }
   });
 }
+
+export function stopTopologyPolling() {
+  clearTimeout(topologyTimer);
+  topologyTimer = 0;
+}
+
+export function teardownWebsockets() {
+  clearTimeout(reconnectTimer);
+  if (socket) {
+    socket.onerror = null;
+    socket.onclose = null;
+    socket.close();
+    currentOptions = null;
+  }
+}