diff --git a/desktop/app/src/__tests__/disconnect.node.tsx b/desktop/app/src/__tests__/disconnect.node.tsx
index eac6a7e24..918252342 100644
--- a/desktop/app/src/__tests__/disconnect.node.tsx
+++ b/desktop/app/src/__tests__/disconnect.node.tsx
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@ test('Devices can disconnect', async () => {
         return {
           counter,
           destroy,
+          get isConnected() {
+            return client.device.isConnected;
+          },
         };
       },
       supportsDevice() {
@@ -42,6 +45,9 @@ test('Devices can disconnect', async () => {
   const {device} = await createMockFlipperWithPlugin(deviceplugin);
 
   device.sandyPluginStates.get(deviceplugin.id)!.instanceApi.counter.set(1);
+  expect(
+    device.sandyPluginStates.get(deviceplugin.id)!.instanceApi.isConnected,
+  ).toBe(true);
 
   expect(device.isArchived).toBe(false);
 
@@ -49,6 +55,7 @@ test('Devices can disconnect', async () => {
 
   expect(device.isArchived).toBe(true);
   const instance = device.sandyPluginStates.get(deviceplugin.id)!;
+  expect(instance.instanceApi.isConnected).toBe(false);
   expect(instance).toBeTruthy();
   expect(instance.instanceApi.counter.get()).toBe(1); // state preserved
   expect(instance.instanceApi.destroy).toBeCalledTimes(0);
@@ -126,6 +133,9 @@ test('clients can disconnect but preserve state', async () => {
           disconnect,
           counter,
           destroy,
+          get isConnected() {
+            return client.isConnected;
+          },
         };
       },
       Component() {
@@ -142,6 +152,7 @@ test('clients can disconnect but preserve state', async () => {
   expect(instance.instanceApi.destroy).toBeCalledTimes(0);
   expect(instance.instanceApi.connect).toBeCalledTimes(1);
   expect(instance.instanceApi.disconnect).toBeCalledTimes(0);
+  expect(instance.instanceApi.isConnected).toBe(true);
   expect(client.connected.get()).toBe(true);
 
   client.disconnect();
@@ -150,6 +161,7 @@ test('clients can disconnect but preserve state', async () => {
   instance = client.sandyPluginStates.get(plugin.id)!;
   expect(instance).toBeTruthy();
   expect(instance.instanceApi.counter.get()).toBe(1); // state preserved
+  expect(instance.instanceApi.isConnected).toBe(false);
   expect(instance.instanceApi.destroy).toBeCalledTimes(0);
   expect(instance.instanceApi.connect).toBeCalledTimes(1);
   expect(instance.instanceApi.disconnect).toBeCalledTimes(1);
diff --git a/desktop/flipper-plugin/src/plugin/DevicePlugin.tsx b/desktop/flipper-plugin/src/plugin/DevicePlugin.tsx
index e2a57ec21..1a4cd23b1 100644
--- a/desktop/flipper-plugin/src/plugin/DevicePlugin.tsx
+++ b/desktop/flipper-plugin/src/plugin/DevicePlugin.tsx
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ export type LogLevel =
 export interface Device {
   readonly realDevice: any; // TODO: temporarily, clean up T70688226
   readonly isArchived: boolean;
+  readonly isConnected: boolean;
   readonly os: string;
   readonly deviceType: DeviceType;
   onLogEntry(cb: DeviceLogListener): () => void;
@@ -79,7 +80,7 @@ export class SandyDevicePluginInstance extends BasePluginInstance {
   }
 
   /** client that is bound to this instance */
-  client: DevicePluginClient;
+  readonly client: DevicePluginClient;
 
   constructor(
     flipperLib: FlipperLib,
diff --git a/desktop/flipper-plugin/src/plugin/Plugin.tsx b/desktop/flipper-plugin/src/plugin/Plugin.tsx
index d47ee943a..cd716802f 100644
--- a/desktop/flipper-plugin/src/plugin/Plugin.tsx
+++ b/desktop/flipper-plugin/src/plugin/Plugin.tsx
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import {BasePluginInstance, BasePluginClient} from './PluginBase';
 import {FlipperLib} from './FlipperLib';
 import {RealFlipperDevice} from './DevicePlugin';
 import {batched} from '../state/batch';
+import {Atom, createState} from '../state/atom';
 
 type EventsContract = Record<string, any>;
 type MethodsContract = Record<string, (params: any) => Promise<any>>;
@@ -38,6 +39,8 @@ export interface PluginClient<
    */
   readonly appName: string;
 
+  readonly isConnected: boolean;
+
   /**
    * the onConnect event is fired whenever the plugin is connected to it's counter part on the device.
    * For most plugins this event is fired if the user selects the plugin,
@@ -101,6 +104,7 @@ export interface PluginClient<
  */
 export interface RealFlipperClient {
   id: string;
+  connected: Atom<boolean>;
   query: {
     app: string;
     os: string;
@@ -134,11 +138,11 @@ export class SandyPluginInstance extends BasePluginInstance {
   }
 
   /** base client provided by Flipper */
-  realClient: RealFlipperClient;
+  readonly realClient: RealFlipperClient;
   /** client that is bound to this instance */
-  client: PluginClient<any, any>;
+  readonly client: PluginClient<any, any>;
   /** connection alive? */
-  connected = false;
+  readonly connected = createState(false);
 
   constructor(
     flipperLib: FlipperLib,
@@ -149,6 +153,7 @@ export class SandyPluginInstance extends BasePluginInstance {
     super(flipperLib, definition, realClient.deviceSync, initialStates);
     this.realClient = realClient;
     this.definition = definition;
+    const self = this;
     this.client = {
       ...this.createBasePluginClient(),
       get appId() {
@@ -157,6 +162,9 @@ export class SandyPluginInstance extends BasePluginInstance {
       get appName() {
         return realClient.query.app;
       },
+      get isConnected() {
+        return self.connected.get();
+      },
       onConnect: (cb) => {
         this.events.on('connect', batched(cb));
       },
@@ -212,7 +220,10 @@ export class SandyPluginInstance extends BasePluginInstance {
   activate() {
     super.activate();
     const pluginId = this.definition.id;
-    if (!this.connected && !this.realClient.isBackgroundPlugin(pluginId)) {
+    if (
+      !this.connected.get() &&
+      !this.realClient.isBackgroundPlugin(pluginId)
+    ) {
       this.realClient.initPlugin(pluginId); // will call connect() if needed
     }
   }
@@ -221,29 +232,29 @@ export class SandyPluginInstance extends BasePluginInstance {
   deactivate() {
     super.deactivate();
     const pluginId = this.definition.id;
-    if (this.connected && !this.realClient.isBackgroundPlugin(pluginId)) {
+    if (this.connected.get() && !this.realClient.isBackgroundPlugin(pluginId)) {
       this.realClient.deinitPlugin(pluginId);
     }
   }
 
   connect() {
     this.assertNotDestroyed();
-    if (!this.connected) {
-      this.connected = true;
+    if (!this.connected.get()) {
+      this.connected.set(true);
       this.events.emit('connect');
     }
   }
 
   disconnect() {
     this.assertNotDestroyed();
-    if (this.connected) {
-      this.connected = false;
+    if (this.connected.get()) {
+      this.connected.set(false);
       this.events.emit('disconnect');
     }
   }
 
   destroy() {
-    if (this.connected) {
+    if (this.connected.get()) {
       this.realClient.deinitPlugin(this.definition.id);
     }
     super.destroy();
@@ -265,7 +276,7 @@ export class SandyPluginInstance extends BasePluginInstance {
 
   private assertConnected() {
     this.assertNotDestroyed();
-    if (!this.connected) {
+    if (!this.connected.get()) {
       throw new Error('Plugin is not connected');
     }
   }
diff --git a/desktop/flipper-plugin/src/plugin/PluginBase.tsx b/desktop/flipper-plugin/src/plugin/PluginBase.tsx
index 60bc4494c..e0cdc9990 100644
--- a/desktop/flipper-plugin/src/plugin/PluginBase.tsx
+++ b/desktop/flipper-plugin/src/plugin/PluginBase.tsx
@@ -90,23 +90,23 @@ export function getCurrentPluginInstance(): typeof currentPluginInstance {
 
 export abstract class BasePluginInstance {
   /** generally available Flipper APIs */
-  flipperLib: FlipperLib;
+  readonly flipperLib: FlipperLib;
   /** the original plugin definition */
   definition: SandyPluginDefinition;
   /** the plugin instance api as used inside components and such  */
   instanceApi: any;
   /** the device owning this plugin */
-  device: Device;
+  readonly device: Device;
 
   activated = false;
   destroyed = false;
-  events = new EventEmitter();
+  readonly events = new EventEmitter();
 
   // temporarily field that is used during deserialization
   initialStates?: Record<string, any>;
 
   // all the atoms that should be serialized when making an export / import
-  rootStates: Record<string, Atom<any>> = {};
+  readonly rootStates: Record<string, Atom<any>> = {};
   // last seen deeplink
   lastDeeplink?: any;
   // export handler
@@ -135,6 +135,10 @@ export abstract class BasePluginInstance {
       get isArchived() {
         return realDevice.isArchived;
       },
+      get isConnected() {
+        // for now same as isArchived, in the future we might distinguish between archived/imported and disconnected/offline devices
+        return !realDevice.isArchived;
+      },
       deviceType: realDevice.deviceType,
 
       onLogEntry(cb) {
diff --git a/desktop/flipper-plugin/src/test-utils/test-utils.tsx b/desktop/flipper-plugin/src/test-utils/test-utils.tsx
index 2967c3790..885a2f00f 100644
--- a/desktop/flipper-plugin/src/test-utils/test-utils.tsx
+++ b/desktop/flipper-plugin/src/test-utils/test-utils.tsx
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ import {BasePluginInstance} from '../plugin/PluginBase';
 import {FlipperLib} from '../plugin/FlipperLib';
 import {stubLogger} from '../utils/Logger';
 import {Idler} from '../utils/Idler';
+import {createState} from '../state/atom';
 
 type Renderer = RenderResult<typeof queries>;
 
@@ -207,10 +208,13 @@ export function startPlugin<Module extends FlipperPluginModule<any>>(
     isBackgroundPlugin(_pluginId: string) {
       return !!options?.isBackgroundPlugin;
     },
+    connected: createState(false),
     initPlugin() {
+      this.connected.set(true);
       pluginInstance.connect();
     },
     deinitPlugin() {
+      this.connected.set(false);
       pluginInstance.disconnect();
     },
     call(
diff --git a/docs/extending/flipper-plugin.mdx b/docs/extending/flipper-plugin.mdx
index c8c6c12f9..0d26c5343 100644
--- a/docs/extending/flipper-plugin.mdx
+++ b/docs/extending/flipper-plugin.mdx
@@ -51,6 +51,13 @@ The name of the application, for example 'Facebook', 'Instagram' or 'Slack'.
 
 A string that uniquely identifies the current application, is based on a combination of the application name and device serial on which the application is running.
 
+#### `isConnected`
+
+Returns whether there is currently an active connection. This is true if:
+1. The device is still connected
+2. The client is still connected
+3. The plugin is currently selected by the user _or_ the plugin is running in the background.
+
 ### Events listeners
 
 #### `onMessage`
@@ -182,6 +189,9 @@ Usage: `client.send(method: string, params: object): Promise<object>`
 
 If the plugin is connected, `send` can be used to invoke a [method](create-plugin#[background-plugins#using-flipperconnection) on the client implementation of the plugin.
 
+Note that if `client.isConnected` returns `false`, calling `client.send` will throw an exception. This is the case if for example the connection with the device or application was lost.
+Generally one should guard `client.send` calls with a check to `client.isConnected`.
+
 Example:
 
 ```typescript
@@ -362,6 +372,10 @@ A `string` that describes whether the device is a physical device or an emulator
 
 This `boolean` flag is `true` if the current device is coming from an import Flipper snapshot, and not an actually connected device.
 
+#### isConnected
+
+This `boolean` flag is `true` if the connection to the device is still alive.
+
 ### Events
 
 #### `onLogEntry`