diff --git a/client/src/main/java/ch/zhaw/pm2/multichat/client/ChatWindowController.java b/client/src/main/java/ch/zhaw/pm2/multichat/client/ChatWindowController.java
index e4c536a..5bde847 100644
--- a/client/src/main/java/ch/zhaw/pm2/multichat/client/ChatWindowController.java
+++ b/client/src/main/java/ch/zhaw/pm2/multichat/client/ChatWindowController.java
@@ -47,6 +47,10 @@ public class ChatWindowController {
         messageListener();
     }
 
+    public void setConnectionHandler(ClientConnectionHandler connectionHandler){
+        this.connectionHandler = connectionHandler;
+    }
+
     private void applicationClose() {
         disconnect();
     }
@@ -108,9 +112,7 @@ public class ChatWindowController {
         if(!userName.contains(" ")) {
             String serverAddress = serverAddressField.getText();
             int serverPort = Integer.parseInt(serverPortField.getText());
-            connectionHandler = new ClientConnectionHandler(
-                    NetworkHandler.openConnection(serverAddress, serverPort), userName,
-                    messages);
+            connectionHandler.initialize(serverAddress, serverPort, userName);
             new Thread(connectionHandler).start();
 
             //register Listener
@@ -123,16 +125,7 @@ public class ChatWindowController {
         }
     }
 
-    private void terminateConnectionHandler() {
-        // unregister window close handler
-        rootPane.getScene().getWindow().removeEventHandler(WindowEvent.WINDOW_CLOSE_REQUEST, windowCloseHandler);
-        if (connectionHandler != null) {
-            connectionHandler.stopReceiving();
-            connectionHandler = null;
-        }
-    }
-
-    public void stateChanged(ConnectionHandler.State newState) {
+    public void stateChanged(State newState) {
         // update UI (need to be run in UI thread: see Platform.runLater())
         Platform.runLater(new Runnable() {
             @Override
@@ -140,8 +133,8 @@ public class ChatWindowController {
                 connectButton.setText((newState == CONNECTED || newState == CONFIRM_DISCONNECT) ? "Disconnect" : "Connect");
             }
         });
-        if (newState == DISCONNECTED) {
-            terminateConnectionHandler();
+        if(newState == DISCONNECTED){
+            connectionHandler.stopReceiving();
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/client/src/main/java/ch/zhaw/pm2/multichat/client/ClientConnectionHandler.java b/client/src/main/java/ch/zhaw/pm2/multichat/client/ClientConnectionHandler.java
index a0b0b2c..983c34c 100644
--- a/client/src/main/java/ch/zhaw/pm2/multichat/client/ClientConnectionHandler.java
+++ b/client/src/main/java/ch/zhaw/pm2/multichat/client/ClientConnectionHandler.java
@@ -25,17 +25,20 @@ public class ClientConnectionHandler extends ConnectionHandler implements Runnab
     private SimpleStringProperty serverAddress;
     private SimpleIntegerProperty serverPort;
 
-    public ClientConnectionHandler(NetworkHandler.NetworkConnection<String> connection,
-                                   String userName,
-                                   ClientMessageList messages)  {
-        super(connection);
-        this.userName = new SimpleStringProperty((userName == null || userName.isBlank())? USER_NONE : userName);
+    public ClientConnectionHandler(ClientMessageList messages)  {
+        super();
         this.messages = messages;
         state = new SimpleObjectProperty<>(State.NEW);
         serverAddress = new SimpleStringProperty();
         serverPort = new SimpleIntegerProperty();
     }
 
+    public void initialize(String serverAddress, int serverPort, String userName) throws IOException {
+        state = new SimpleObjectProperty<>(NEW);
+        setConnection(NetworkHandler.openConnection(serverAddress, serverPort));
+        this.userName = new SimpleStringProperty((userName == null || userName.isBlank())? USER_NONE : userName);
+    }
+
     public SimpleStringProperty getServerAddressProperty() { return serverAddress; }
 
     public SimpleIntegerProperty getServerPortProperty() { return serverPort; }
diff --git a/client/src/main/java/ch/zhaw/pm2/multichat/client/ClientUI.java b/client/src/main/java/ch/zhaw/pm2/multichat/client/ClientUI.java
index bde3d1d..67a1d96 100644
--- a/client/src/main/java/ch/zhaw/pm2/multichat/client/ClientUI.java
+++ b/client/src/main/java/ch/zhaw/pm2/multichat/client/ClientUI.java
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import javafx.stage.Stage;
 
 public class ClientUI extends Application {
     private ClientMessageList clientMessageList = new ClientMessageList();
+    private ClientConnectionHandler connectionHandler = new ClientConnectionHandler(clientMessageList);
 
     @Override
     public void start(Stage primaryStage) {
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ public class ClientUI extends Application {
 
             ChatWindowController chatWindowController = loader.getController();
             chatWindowController.setMessages(clientMessageList);
+            chatWindowController.setConnectionHandler(connectionHandler);
 
             // fill in scene and stage setup
             Scene scene = new Scene(rootPane);
diff --git a/protocol/src/main/java/ch/zhaw/pm2/multichat/protocol/ConnectionHandler.java b/protocol/src/main/java/ch/zhaw/pm2/multichat/protocol/ConnectionHandler.java
index a0ddd57..f7acd4a 100644
--- a/protocol/src/main/java/ch/zhaw/pm2/multichat/protocol/ConnectionHandler.java
+++ b/protocol/src/main/java/ch/zhaw/pm2/multichat/protocol/ConnectionHandler.java
@@ -17,10 +17,6 @@ public abstract class ConnectionHandler {
         NEW, CONFIRM_CONNECT, CONNECTED, CONFIRM_DISCONNECT, DISCONNECTED;
     }
 
-    public ConnectionHandler(NetworkHandler.NetworkConnection<String> connection) {
-        this.connection = connection;
-    }
-
     public static String getDataTypeConnect() {
         return DATA_TYPE_CONNECT;
     }
@@ -45,7 +41,7 @@ public abstract class ConnectionHandler {
         return connection;
     }
 
-    protected void setConnection() {
+    protected void setConnection(NetworkHandler.NetworkConnection<String> connection) {
         this.connection = connection;
     }
 }
diff --git a/server/src/main/java/ch/zhaw/pm2/multichat/server/ServerConnectionHandler.java b/server/src/main/java/ch/zhaw/pm2/multichat/server/ServerConnectionHandler.java
index 4e3db14..c911b7b 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/ch/zhaw/pm2/multichat/server/ServerConnectionHandler.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/ch/zhaw/pm2/multichat/server/ServerConnectionHandler.java
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package ch.zhaw.pm2.multichat.server;
 
 import ch.zhaw.pm2.multichat.protocol.ChatProtocolException;
 import ch.zhaw.pm2.multichat.protocol.ConnectionHandler;
+import static ch.zhaw.pm2.multichat.protocol.ConnectionHandler.State.*;
 import ch.zhaw.pm2.multichat.protocol.NetworkHandler;
 
 import java.io.EOFException;
@@ -15,7 +16,7 @@ import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger;
 import java.util.concurrent.locks.Condition;
 import java.util.concurrent.locks.ReentrantLock;
 
-import static ch.zhaw.pm2.multichat.server.ServerConnectionHandler.State.*;
+
 
 public class ServerConnectionHandler extends ConnectionHandler implements Runnable{
     private static final AtomicInteger connectionCounter = new AtomicInteger(0);
@@ -34,13 +35,10 @@ public class ServerConnectionHandler extends ConnectionHandler implements Runnab
         startReceiving();
     }
 
-    enum State {
-        NEW, CONNECTED, DISCONNECTED;
-    }
-
     public ServerConnectionHandler(NetworkHandler.NetworkConnection<String> connection,
                                    Map<String,ServerConnectionHandler> registry, ReentrantLock mutex, Condition nameComplete) {
-        super(connection);
+        super();
+        setConnection(connection);
         Objects.requireNonNull(connection, "Connection must not be null");
         Objects.requireNonNull(registry, "Registry must not be null");
         this.connectionRegistry = registry;