diff --git a/packages/core/src/common/catalog-entities/kubernetes-cluster.ts b/packages/core/src/common/catalog-entities/kubernetes-cluster.ts
index 7615c19f3e..06f8980da6 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/common/catalog-entities/kubernetes-cluster.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/common/catalog-entities/kubernetes-cluster.ts
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ export class KubernetesCluster<
 
       await connectionCluster.activate();
     } else {
-      await requestClusterActivation(this.getId(), false);
+      await requestClusterActivation(this.getId());
     }
   }
 
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ export class KubernetesCluster<
 
       connectionCluster.disconnect();
     } else {
-      await requestClusterDisconnection(this.getId(), false);
+      await requestClusterDisconnection(this.getId());
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/core/src/main/cluster/cluster-connection.injectable.ts b/packages/core/src/main/cluster/cluster-connection.injectable.ts
index c5d9a5f165..a79e0c034b 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/main/cluster/cluster-connection.injectable.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/main/cluster/cluster-connection.injectable.ts
@@ -104,11 +104,8 @@ class ClusterConnection {
     }
   }
 
-  /**
-   * @param force force activation
-   */
-  async activate(force = false) {
-    if (this.activated && !force) {
+  async activate() {
+    if (this.activated) {
       return;
     }
 
@@ -124,7 +121,13 @@ class ClusterConnection {
           level: "info",
           message: "Starting connection ...",
         });
-        await this.reconnect();
+        this.dependencies.logger.info("[CLUSTER]: starting connection ...", this.cluster.getMeta());
+
+        await this.dependencies.kubeAuthProxyServer.ensureRunning();
+
+        runInAction(() => {
+          this.cluster.disconnected.set(false);
+        });
       } catch (error) {
         this.dependencies.broadcastConnectionUpdate({
           level: "error",
@@ -174,15 +177,6 @@ class ClusterConnection {
     this.activated = true;
   }
 
-  async reconnect() {
-    this.dependencies.logger.info(`[CLUSTER]: reconnect`, this.cluster.getMeta());
-    await this.dependencies.kubeAuthProxyServer?.restart();
-
-    runInAction(() => {
-      this.cluster.disconnected.set(false);
-    });
-  }
-
   disconnect() {
     if (this.cluster.disconnected.get()) {
       return this.dependencies.logger.debug("[CLUSTER]: already disconnected", { id: this.cluster.id });
diff --git a/packages/core/src/main/cluster/kube-auth-proxy-server.injectable.ts b/packages/core/src/main/cluster/kube-auth-proxy-server.injectable.ts
index 9942c40168..1b6189683f 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/main/cluster/kube-auth-proxy-server.injectable.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/main/cluster/kube-auth-proxy-server.injectable.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ import type { KubeAuthProxy } from "../kube-auth-proxy/kube-auth-proxy";
 export interface KubeAuthProxyServer {
   getApiTarget(isLongRunningRequest?: boolean): Promise<ServerOptions>;
   ensureAuthProxyUrl(): Promise<string>;
-  restart(): Promise<void>;
   ensureRunning(): Promise<void>;
   stop(): void;
 }
@@ -99,10 +98,6 @@ const kubeAuthProxyServerInjectable = getInjectable({
       ensureRunning: async () => {
         await ensureServerHelper();
       },
-      restart: async () => {
-        stopServer();
-        await ensureServerHelper();
-      },
       stop: stopServer,
     };
   },
diff --git a/packages/core/src/main/electron-app/runnables/setup-ipc-main-handlers/setup-ipc-main-handlers.ts b/packages/core/src/main/electron-app/runnables/setup-ipc-main-handlers/setup-ipc-main-handlers.ts
index ddfc3f2003..236fdc8eec 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/main/electron-app/runnables/setup-ipc-main-handlers/setup-ipc-main-handlers.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/main/electron-app/runnables/setup-ipc-main-handlers/setup-ipc-main-handlers.ts
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ export const setupIpcMainHandlers = ({
   pushCatalogToRenderer,
   getClusterConnection,
 }: Dependencies) => {
-  ipcMainHandle(clusterActivateHandler, async (event, clusterId: ClusterId, force = false) => {
+  ipcMainHandle(clusterActivateHandler, async (event, clusterId: ClusterId) => {
     const cluster = getClusterById(clusterId);
 
     if (!cluster) {
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ export const setupIpcMainHandlers = ({
 
     const clusterConnection = getClusterConnection(cluster);
 
-    await clusterConnection.activate(force);
+    await clusterConnection.activate();
   });
 
   ipcMainHandle(clusterSetFrameIdHandler, (event: IpcMainInvokeEvent, clusterId: ClusterId) => {
diff --git a/packages/core/src/renderer/ipc/index.ts b/packages/core/src/renderer/ipc/index.ts
index f8ebfc2de0..ae5d4eaf70 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/renderer/ipc/index.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/renderer/ipc/index.ts
@@ -46,12 +46,12 @@ export function requestSetClusterFrameId(clusterId: ClusterId): Promise<void> {
   return requestMain(clusterSetFrameIdHandler, clusterId);
 }
 
-export function requestClusterActivation(clusterId: ClusterId, force?: boolean): Promise<void> {
-  return requestMain(clusterActivateHandler, clusterId, force);
+export function requestClusterActivation(clusterId: ClusterId): Promise<void> {
+  return requestMain(clusterActivateHandler, clusterId);
 }
 
-export function requestClusterDisconnection(clusterId: ClusterId, force?: boolean): Promise<void> {
-  return requestMain(clusterDisconnectHandler, clusterId, force);
+export function requestClusterDisconnection(clusterId: ClusterId): Promise<void> {
+  return requestMain(clusterDisconnectHandler, clusterId);
 }
 
 export function requestInitialClusterStates(): Promise<{ id: string; state: ClusterState }[]> {