diff --git a/src/webui/comet.c b/src/webui/comet.c
index b03f2f72..6280c051 100644
--- a/src/webui/comet.c
+++ b/src/webui/comet.c
@@ -158,11 +158,14 @@ comet_mailbox_poll(http_connection_t *hc, const char *remain, void *opaque)
 {
   comet_mailbox_t *cmb = NULL; 
   const char *cometid = http_arg_get(&hc->hc_req_args, "boxid");
+  const char *immediate = http_arg_get(&hc->hc_req_args, "immediate");
+  int im = immediate ? atoi(immediate) : 0;
   time_t reqtime;
   struct timespec ts;
   htsmsg_t *m;
 
-  usleep(100000); /* Always sleep 0.1 sec to avoid comet storms */
+  if(!im)
+    usleep(100000); /* Always sleep 0.1 sec to avoid comet storms */
 
   pthread_mutex_lock(&comet_mutex);
 
@@ -182,7 +185,7 @@ comet_mailbox_poll(http_connection_t *hc, const char *remain, void *opaque)
 
   cmb->cmb_last_used = 0; /* Make sure we're not flushed out */
 
-  if(cmb->cmb_messages == NULL)
+  if(!im && cmb->cmb_messages == NULL)
     pthread_cond_timedwait(&comet_cond, &comet_mutex, &ts);
 
   m = htsmsg_create_map();
diff --git a/src/webui/static/app/comet.js b/src/webui/static/app/comet.js
index 1e3dc8d5..33bb1685 100644
--- a/src/webui/static/app/comet.js
+++ b/src/webui/static/app/comet.js
@@ -29,19 +29,22 @@ tvheadend.cometPoller = function() {
 
 	Ext.Ajax.request({
 	    url: 'comet',
-	    params : boxid ? { boxid: boxid } : null,
+	    params : { 
+		boxid: (boxid ? boxid : null),
+		immediate: failures > 0 ? 1 : 0
+	    },
 	    success: function(result, request) { 
 		parse_comet_response(result.responseText);
 
-		if(failures > 2) {
+		if(failures > 1) {
 		    tvheadend.log('Reconnected to Tvheadend',
 				  'font-weight: bold; color: #080');
 		}
 		failures = 0;
 	    },
 	    failure: function(result, request) { 
-		cometRequest.delay(failures > 10 ? 5000 : failures * 500);
-		if(failures > 2) {
+		cometRequest.delay(failures ? 1000 : 1);
+		if(failures == 1) {
 		    tvheadend.log('There seems to be a problem with the ' + 
 				  'live update feed from Tvheadend. ' +
 				  'Trying to reconnect...',