diff --git a/pubsub.go b/pubsub.go
index 7edc102..c458c75 100644
--- a/pubsub.go
+++ b/pubsub.go
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ type TwitchPubSub struct {
 	onceHandlers map[string][]*eventHandlerInstance
 
 	// Responses
+	listening chan interface{}
 	responseCh chan *twitchMessage
 
 	SubscribedTopics []string
@@ -78,8 +79,10 @@ func (t *TwitchPubSub) Open() error {
 
 	t.wsConn = c
 
-	go t.reader(c)
-	go t.pinger()
+	t.listening = make(chan interface{})
+
+	go t.reader(t.wsConn, t.listening)
+	go t.pinger(t.wsConn, t.listening)
 
 	if len(t.SubscribedTopics) > 0 {
 		return t.listen(t.SubscribedTopics)
@@ -91,6 +94,11 @@ func (t *TwitchPubSub) Open() error {
 }
 
 func (t *TwitchPubSub) Close() error {
+	if t.listening != nil {
+		close(t.listening)
+		t.listening = nil
+	}
+
 	if t.wsConn != nil {
 		// To cleanly close a connection, a client should send a close
 		// frame and wait for the server to close the connection.
@@ -197,7 +205,7 @@ func (t *TwitchPubSub) Unlisten(topics []string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (t *TwitchPubSub) reader(wsConn *websocket.Conn) {
+func (t *TwitchPubSub) reader(wsConn *websocket.Conn, listening <-chan interface{}) {
 	for {
 		var message twitchMessage
 		err := t.wsConn.ReadJSON(&message)
@@ -214,51 +222,61 @@ func (t *TwitchPubSub) reader(wsConn *websocket.Conn) {
 			return
 		}
 
-		if message.Type == Pong {
-			// PONG!
-		} else if message.Type == Message {
-			var data interface{}
+		select {
+		case <-listening:
+			return
+		default:
+			if message.Type == Pong {
+				// PONG!
+			} else if message.Type == Message {
+				var data interface{}
 
-			if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(message.Data.Message), &data); err != nil {
-				continue
-			}
-
-			if strings.Index(message.Data.Topic, "video-playback") == 0 {
-				m := data.(map[string]interface{})
-				ch := message.Data.Topic[strings.Index(message.Data.Topic, ".") + 1:]
-				ty := m["type"].(string)
-				server_time := time.Unix(int64(m["server_time"].(float64)), 0)
-
-				if ty == "viewcount" {
-					go t.handle(ty, &ViewerCount{Channel: ch, Viewers: int(m["viewers"].(float64)), ServerTime: server_time})
-				} else if ty == "stream-up" {
-					go t.handle(ty, &StreamUp{Channel: ch, ServerTime: server_time})
-				} else if ty == "stream-down" {
-					go t.handle(ty, &StreamDown{Channel: ch, ServerTime: server_time})
+				if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(message.Data.Message), &data); err != nil {
+					continue
 				}
+
+				if strings.Index(message.Data.Topic, "video-playback") == 0 {
+					m := data.(map[string]interface{})
+					ch := message.Data.Topic[strings.Index(message.Data.Topic, ".") + 1:]
+					ty := m["type"].(string)
+					server_time := time.Unix(int64(m["server_time"].(float64)), 0)
+
+					if ty == "viewcount" {
+						go t.handle(ty, &ViewerCount{Channel: ch, Viewers: int(m["viewers"].(float64)), ServerTime: server_time})
+					} else if ty == "stream-up" {
+						go t.handle(ty, &StreamUp{Channel: ch, ServerTime: server_time})
+					} else if ty == "stream-down" {
+						go t.handle(ty, &StreamDown{Channel: ch, ServerTime: server_time})
+					}
+				}
+			} else if message.Type == Response {
+				t.responseCh <- &message
+			} else if message.Type == reconnectEventType {
+				go t.handle(message.Type, &Reconnect{})
+				t.reconnect()
 			}
-		} else if message.Type == Response {
-			t.responseCh <- &message
-		} else if message.Type == reconnectEventType {
-			go t.handle(message.Type, &Reconnect{})
-			t.reconnect()
 		}
 	}
 }
 
-func (t *TwitchPubSub) pinger() {
+func (t *TwitchPubSub) pinger(wsConn *websocket.Conn, listening <-chan interface{}) {
 	ticker := time.NewTicker(150 * time.Second)
 	defer ticker.Stop()
 
 	for {
-		<- ticker.C
-
 		t.wsMutex.Lock()
-		err := t.wsConn.WriteJSON(&twitchMessage{Type: Ping})
+		err := wsConn.WriteJSON(&twitchMessage{Type: Ping})
 		t.wsMutex.Unlock()
 
 		if err != nil {
 			return
 		}
+
+		select {
+		case <-ticker.C:
+		// continue loop and send heartbeat
+		case <-listening:
+			return
+		}
 	}
 }
\ No newline at end of file