diff --git a/src/common/cluster-ipc.ts b/src/common/cluster-ipc.ts
index d5584dd536..f0f5ff8b54 100644
--- a/src/common/cluster-ipc.ts
+++ b/src/common/cluster-ipc.ts
@@ -3,14 +3,10 @@ import { ClusterId, clusterStore } from "./cluster-store";
 import { tracker } from "./tracker";
 
 export const clusterIpc = {
-  refresh: createIpcChannel({
-    channel: "cluster:refresh",
+  activate: createIpcChannel({
+    channel: "cluster:activate",
     handle: async (clusterId: ClusterId = clusterStore.activeClusterId) => {
-      const cluster = clusterStore.getById(clusterId);
-      if (cluster) {
-        await cluster.refreshStatus();
-        return cluster.pushState();
-      }
+      return clusterStore.getById(clusterId)?.activate();
     },
   }),
 
diff --git a/src/main/cluster-manager.ts b/src/main/cluster-manager.ts
index 7ac8d2e520..1b20b10394 100644
--- a/src/main/cluster-manager.ts
+++ b/src/main/cluster-manager.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import type http from "http"
-import { autorun, reaction } from "mobx";
+import { autorun } from "mobx";
 import { apiKubePrefix } from "../common/vars";
 import { ClusterId, clusterStore } from "../common/cluster-store"
 import { Cluster } from "./cluster"
@@ -7,52 +7,36 @@ import { clusterIpc } from "../common/cluster-ipc";
 import logger from "./logger";
 
 export class ClusterManager {
-  protected activeClusterId: ClusterId;
-
   constructor(public readonly port: number) {
-    this.activeClusterId = clusterStore.activeClusterId;
-
     // auto-init clusters
     autorun(() => {
       clusterStore.clusters.forEach(cluster => {
         if (!cluster.initialized) {
           logger.info(`[CLUSTER-MANAGER]: initializing cluster`, cluster.getMeta());
-          cluster.init(port);
+          cluster.init(port); // connect to kube-auth-proxy, context handling
+          cluster.bindEvents(); // send push-updates to renderer
         }
       });
     });
 
-    // auto-bind events for active cluster
-    reaction(() => clusterStore.activeCluster, activeCluster => {
-      const prevCluster = clusterStore.getById(this.activeClusterId);
-      if (prevCluster) {
-        prevCluster.unbindEvents();
-      }
-      if (activeCluster) {
-        this.activeClusterId = activeCluster.id;
-        activeCluster.bindEvents();
-        activeCluster.refreshStatus();
-        activeCluster.pushState();
-      }
-    }, {
-      fireImmediately: true
-    });
-
     // auto-stop removed clusters
     autorun(() => {
-      const { removedClusters } = clusterStore;
-      if (removedClusters.size > 0) {
-        const meta = Array.from(removedClusters.values()).map(cluster => cluster.getMeta());
+      const removedClusters = Array.from(clusterStore.removedClusters.values());
+      if (removedClusters.length > 0) {
+        const meta = removedClusters.map(cluster => cluster.getMeta());
         logger.info(`[CLUSTER-MANAGER]: removing clusters`, meta);
-        removedClusters.forEach(cluster => cluster.disconnect());
-        removedClusters.clear();
+        removedClusters.forEach(cluster => {
+          cluster.disconnect();
+          cluster.unbindEvents();
+        });
+        clusterStore.removedClusters.clear();
       }
     }, {
       delay: 250
     });
 
     // listen for ipc-events that must/can be handled *only* in main-process (nodeIntegration=true)
-    clusterIpc.refresh.handleInMain();
+    clusterIpc.activate.handleInMain();
     clusterIpc.disconnect.handleInMain();
     clusterIpc.reconnect.handleInMain();
   }
diff --git a/src/main/cluster.ts b/src/main/cluster.ts
index f753f078fa..7ea2012e40 100644
--- a/src/main/cluster.ts
+++ b/src/main/cluster.ts
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ export class Cluster implements ClusterModel {
   @observable webContentUrl: string; // page content url for loading in renderer
   @observable online: boolean;
   @observable accessible: boolean;
+  @observable disconnected: boolean;
   @observable failureReason: string;
   @observable nodes = 0;
   @observable version: string;
@@ -75,6 +76,9 @@ export class Cluster implements ClusterModel {
 
   @action
   async init(port: number) {
+    if (this.initialized) {
+      return;
+    }
     try {
       this.contextHandler = new ContextHandler(this);
       this.kubeconfigManager = new KubeconfigManager(this, this.contextHandler);
@@ -97,11 +101,11 @@ export class Cluster implements ClusterModel {
 
   bindEvents() {
     logger.info(`[CLUSTER]: bind events`, this.getMeta());
-    const refreshStatusTimer = setInterval(() => this.refreshStatus(), 30000); // every 30s
-    const refreshEventsTimer = setInterval(() => this.refreshEvents(), 3000); // every 3s
+    const refreshTimer = setInterval(() => this.online && this.refresh(), 30000); // every 30s
+    const refreshEventsTimer = setInterval(() => this.online && this.refreshEvents(), 3000); // every 3s
 
     this.disposers.push(
-      () => clearInterval(refreshStatusTimer),
+      () => clearInterval(refreshTimer),
       () => clearInterval(refreshEventsTimer),
       reaction(this.getState, this.pushState, {
         fireImmediately: true
@@ -115,22 +119,32 @@ export class Cluster implements ClusterModel {
     this.disposers.length = 0;
   }
 
-  // fixme: possibly doesn't work as expected
+  async activate() {
+    await when(() => this.initialized);
+    if (this.disconnected) await this.reconnect();
+    await this.refresh();
+    return this.pushState();
+  }
+
+  // todo: check, possibly doesn't work as expected
   async reconnect() {
     logger.info(`[CLUSTER]: reconnect`, this.getMeta());
+    this.disconnected = false;
     await this.contextHandler.stopServer();
     await this.contextHandler.ensureServer();
   }
 
+  @action
   disconnect() {
     logger.info(`[CLUSTER]: disconnect`, this.getMeta());
+    this.disconnected = true;
+    this.online = false;
+    this.accessible = false;
     this.contextHandler.stopServer();
-    this.unbindEvents();
   }
 
   @action
-  async refreshStatus() {
-    await when(() => this.initialized);
+  async refresh() {
     logger.info(`[CLUSTER]: refreshing status`, this.getMeta());
     const connectionStatus = await this.getConnectionStatus();
     this.online = connectionStatus > ClusterStatus.Offline;
@@ -351,6 +365,7 @@ export class Cluster implements ClusterModel {
       name: this.contextName,
       initialized: this.initialized,
       accessible: this.accessible,
+      online: this.online,
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/window-manager.ts b/src/main/window-manager.ts
index a634f4f082..d96599eb1a 100644
--- a/src/main/window-manager.ts
+++ b/src/main/window-manager.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import type { ClusterId } from "../common/cluster-store";
 import { clusterStore } from "../common/cluster-store";
 import logger from "./logger";
 
-// fixme: error when removing active cluster (can't activate next view => empty window)
 // fixme: remove switching view delay on first load
 
 export class WindowManager {
@@ -81,7 +80,7 @@ export class WindowManager {
       return;
     }
     try {
-      const activeView = this.activeView;
+      const prevActiveView = this.activeView;
       const isLoadedBefore = !!this.getView(clusterId);
       const view = this.initView(clusterId);
       logger.info(`[WINDOW-MANAGER]: activating cluster view`, {
@@ -90,7 +89,8 @@ export class WindowManager {
         contextName: cluster.contextName,
         isLoadedBefore: isLoadedBefore,
       });
-      if (activeView !== view) {
+      if (prevActiveView !== view) {
+        cluster.activate(); // refresh + reconnect when required
         this.activeView = view;
         if (!isLoadedBefore) {
           await when(() => cluster.initialized);
@@ -98,9 +98,9 @@ export class WindowManager {
           this.hideSplash();
         }
         // refresh position and hide previous active window
-        if (activeView) {
-          view.setBounds(activeView.getBounds());
-          activeView.hide();
+        if (prevActiveView) {
+          view.setBounds(prevActiveView.getBounds());
+          prevActiveView.hide();
         }
         view.show();
         return view.id;
diff --git a/src/renderer/components/+add-cluster/add-cluster.tsx b/src/renderer/components/+add-cluster/add-cluster.tsx
index 0570b45fe0..2481275702 100644
--- a/src/renderer/components/+add-cluster/add-cluster.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/components/+add-cluster/add-cluster.tsx
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import { tracker } from "../../../common/tracker";
 import { clusterStore } from "../../../common/cluster-store";
 import { workspaceStore } from "../../../common/workspace-store";
 import { v4 as uuid } from "uuid"
-import { navigate } from "../../navigation";
+import { navigation } from "../../navigation";
 
 @observer
 export class AddCluster extends React.Component {
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ export class AddCluster extends React.Component {
           httpsProxy: proxyServer || undefined,
         },
       });
-      navigate("/");
+      navigation.goBack(); // return to previous opened page for the cluster view
     } catch (err) {
       this.error = String(err);
     } finally {
diff --git a/src/renderer/components/cluster-manager/cluster-manager.tsx b/src/renderer/components/cluster-manager/cluster-manager.tsx
index 063de4f1c4..24d9ccaf14 100644
--- a/src/renderer/components/cluster-manager/cluster-manager.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/components/cluster-manager/cluster-manager.tsx
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ export class ClusterManager extends React.Component<Props> {
   @observable isReady = false;
 
   async componentDidMount() {
-    clusterIpc.refresh.invokeFromRenderer();
+    await clusterIpc.activate.invokeFromRenderer();
     await App.init();
     this.isReady = true;
   }
diff --git a/src/renderer/components/cluster-manager/cluster-status.tsx b/src/renderer/components/cluster-manager/cluster-status.tsx
index f305210f2b..c320bb92ff 100644
--- a/src/renderer/components/cluster-manager/cluster-status.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/components/cluster-manager/cluster-status.tsx
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import { clusterIpc } from "../../../common/cluster-ipc";
 @observer
 export class ClusterStatus extends React.Component {
   @observable authOutput: string[] = [];
+  @observable hasErrors = false;
 
   get cluster() {
     return clusterStore.activeCluster;
@@ -26,6 +27,9 @@ export class ClusterStatus extends React.Component {
     this.authOutput = ["Connecting ...\n"];
     ipcRenderer.on(`kube-auth:${this.clusterId}`, (evt, { data, stream }: KubeAuthProxyResponse) => {
       this.authOutput.push(`[${stream}]: ${data}`);
+      if (stream === "stderr") {
+        this.hasErrors = true;
+      }
     })
   }
 
@@ -39,20 +43,21 @@ export class ClusterStatus extends React.Component {
   }
 
   render() {
-    const { authOutput, cluster } = this;
-    const isError = cluster?.accessible === false;
+    const { authOutput, cluster, hasErrors } = this;
     return (
       <div className="ClusterStatus flex column gaps">
-        {!isError && <Icon material="cloud_queue"/>}
-        {isError && <Icon material="cloud_off" className="error"/>}
-        <h2>{cluster?.contextName}</h2>
+        {!hasErrors && <Icon material="cloud_queue"/>}
+        {hasErrors && <Icon material="cloud_off" className="error"/>}
+        <h2>
+          {cluster?.contextName}
+        </h2>
         <pre className="kube-auth-out">
           {authOutput.map((data, index) => {
             const error = data.startsWith("[stderr]");
             return <p key={index} className={cssNames({ error })}>{data}</p>
           })}
         </pre>
-        {isError && (
+        {hasErrors && (
           <Button
             primary className="box center"
             label="Reconnect"
diff --git a/src/renderer/components/cluster-manager/clusters-menu.tsx b/src/renderer/components/cluster-manager/clusters-menu.tsx
index 809aa8853b..900678ea02 100644
--- a/src/renderer/components/cluster-manager/clusters-menu.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/components/cluster-manager/clusters-menu.tsx
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ import { Tooltip, TooltipContent } from "../tooltip";
 import { ConfirmDialog } from "../confirm-dialog";
 import { clusterIpc } from "../../../common/cluster-ipc";
 
-// fixme: refresh all cluster-icon badges in background (events-count per cluster)
 // fixme: allow to rearrange clusters with drag&drop
 
 interface Props {
@@ -101,13 +100,12 @@ export class ClustersMenu extends React.Component<Props> {
         )}
         <div className="clusters flex column gaps">
           {clusters.map(cluster => {
-            const isActive = cluster.isReady && cluster.id === clusterStore.activeClusterId;
             return (
               <ClusterIcon
                 key={cluster.id}
                 showErrors={true}
                 cluster={cluster}
-                isActive={isActive}
+                isActive={cluster.id === clusterStore.activeClusterId}
                 onClick={() => this.showCluster(cluster.id)}
                 onContextMenu={() => this.showContextMenu(cluster)}
               />