diff --git a/src/workflows/logging/__init__.py b/src/workflows/logging.py
similarity index 79%
rename from src/workflows/logging/__init__.py
rename to src/workflows/logging.py
index 2d50e994..5b03cf7b 100644
--- a/src/workflows/logging/__init__.py
+++ b/src/workflows/logging.py
@@ -64,3 +64,18 @@ def emit(self, record):
             self._callback(self.prepare(record))
         except Exception:
             self.handleError(record)
+
+    def handleError(self, record):
+        t, v, _ = sys.exc_info()
+        try:
+            sys.stderr.write(
+                f"--- Logging error --- {t.__name__}: {v}\n"
+                "Could not forward log message from service to frontend process\n"
+                f"Message: {record.msg}\n"
+                f"Level: {record.levelno} - Thread: {record.threadName} - Arguments: {record.args}\n"
+            )
+        except Exception as e:
+            sys.stderr.write(
+                "--- Logging error ---\n"
+                f"Encountered exception {e!r} during exception handling\n"
+            )
diff --git a/src/workflows/services/common_service.py b/src/workflows/services/common_service.py
index 348090f4..b8966a60 100644
--- a/src/workflows/services/common_service.py
+++ b/src/workflows/services/common_service.py
@@ -393,20 +393,22 @@ def start(self, **kwargs):
             while not self.__shutdown:  # main loop
                 self.__update_service_status(self.SERVICE_STATUS_IDLE)
 
-                if self._idle_time is None:
-                    task = self.__queue.get()
-                else:
-                    try:
-                        task = self.__queue.get(True, self._idle_time)
-                        run_idle_task = False
-                    except queue.Empty:
-                        run_idle_task = True
-                    if run_idle_task:
+                try:
+                    task = self.__queue.get(True, self._idle_time or 2)
+                    run_idle_task = False
+                except queue.Empty:
+                    run_idle_task = True
+
+                if self.transport and not self.transport.is_connected():
+                    raise workflows.Disconnected("Connection lost")
+
+                if run_idle_task:
+                    if self._idle_time:
                         # run this outside the 'except' to avoid exception chaining
                         self.__update_service_status(self.SERVICE_STATUS_TIMER)
                         if self._idle_callback:
                             self._idle_callback()
-                        continue
+                    continue
 
                 self.__update_service_status(self.SERVICE_STATUS_PROCESSING)
 
diff --git a/src/workflows/transport/pika_transport.py b/src/workflows/transport/pika_transport.py
index b073205e..0d9aebfa 100644
--- a/src/workflows/transport/pika_transport.py
+++ b/src/workflows/transport/pika_transport.py
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 from enum import Enum, auto
 from typing import Any, Callable, Dict, Iterable, List, Optional, Tuple, Union
 
-import pika
 import pika.exceptions
 from pika.adapters.blocking_connection import BlockingChannel
 
@@ -395,7 +394,7 @@ def _subscribe(
             pika.exceptions.AMQPChannelError,
             pika.exceptions.AMQPConnectionError,
         ) as e:
-            raise workflows.Disconnected(e)
+            raise workflows.Disconnected(repr(e)) from None
 
     def _subscribe_broadcast(
         self,
diff --git a/tests/services/test_common_service.py b/tests/services/test_common_service.py
index 4bb2c807..de107bd4 100644
--- a/tests/services/test_common_service.py
+++ b/tests/services/test_common_service.py
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ def test_observe_shutdown_command():
     # Check startup/shutdown sequence
     service.initializing.assert_called_once()
     service.in_shutdown.assert_called_once()
-    main_queue.get.assert_called_once_with()
+    main_queue.get.assert_called_once_with(True, 2)
     messages = []
     while fe_pipe_out.poll():
         message = fe_pipe_out.recv()
diff --git a/tests/transport/test_pika.py b/tests/transport/test_pika.py
index c5cc8076..c6fb358f 100644
--- a/tests/transport/test_pika.py
+++ b/tests/transport/test_pika.py
@@ -797,9 +797,10 @@ def connection_params():
     ]
     # Try a connection here to make sure this is valid
     try:
-        pika.BlockingConnection(params)
+        bc = pika.BlockingConnection(params)
     except BaseException:
         pytest.skip("Failed to create test RabbitMQ connection")
+    bc.close()
     return params