diff --git a/examples/vanilla/package-lock.json b/examples/vanilla/package-lock.json
index b432016f4..b12d8c48b 100644
--- a/examples/vanilla/package-lock.json
+++ b/examples/vanilla/package-lock.json
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
     },
     "../..": {
       "name": "@viamrobotics/sdk",
-      "version": "0.16.0",
+      "version": "0.19.1",
       "license": "Apache-2.0",
       "dependencies": {
         "@viamrobotics/rpc": "^0.2.5",
diff --git a/examples/vanilla/src/main.ts b/examples/vanilla/src/main.ts
index 89d06dcef..618cd16d8 100644
--- a/examples/vanilla/src/main.ts
+++ b/examples/vanilla/src/main.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ const disconnectEl = <HTMLButtonElement>document.getElementById('disconnect');
 const resourcesEl = <HTMLButtonElement>document.getElementById('resources');
 
 let machine: VIAM.RobotClient | undefined = undefined;
+const reconnectAbortSignal = { abort: false };
 
 const handleConnectionStateChange = (event: unknown) => {
   updateConnectionStatus(
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ const connect = async () => {
     return;
   }
 
+  reconnectAbortSignal.abort = false;
   updateConnectionStatus(VIAM.MachineConnectionEvent.CONNECTING);
 
   try {
@@ -53,6 +55,7 @@ const connect = async () => {
       },
       authEntity: API_KEY_ID,
       signalingAddress: 'https://app.viam.com:443',
+      reconnectAbortSignal,
     });
     updateConnectionStatus(VIAM.MachineConnectionEvent.CONNECTED);
     machine.on('connectionstatechange', handleConnectionStateChange);
@@ -62,6 +65,9 @@ const connect = async () => {
 };
 
 const disconnect = async () => {
+  // If currently establishing initial connection, abort.
+  reconnectAbortSignal.abort = true;
+
   if (!machine) {
     return;
   }
diff --git a/src/robot/dial.ts b/src/robot/dial.ts
index 09d3349ac..5d1a7c6a2 100644
--- a/src/robot/dial.ts
+++ b/src/robot/dial.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ export interface DialDirectConf {
   noReconnect?: boolean;
   reconnectMaxAttempts?: number;
   reconnectMaxWait?: number;
+  reconnectAbortSignal?: { abort: boolean };
   // set timeout in milliseconds for dialing. Default is defined by DIAL_TIMEOUT,
   // and a value of 0 would disable the timeout.
   dialTimeout?: number;
@@ -88,6 +89,7 @@ export interface DialWebRTCConf {
   noReconnect?: boolean;
   reconnectMaxAttempts?: number;
   reconnectMaxWait?: number;
+  reconnectAbortSignal?: { abort: boolean };
   // WebRTC
   signalingAddress: string;
   iceServers?: ICEServer[];
@@ -178,13 +180,14 @@ export const createRobotClient = async (
     retry: (_error, attemptNumber) => {
       // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
       console.debug(`Failed to connect, attempt ${attemptNumber} with backoff`);
-      // Always retry the next attempt
-      return true;
+
+      // Abort reconnects if the the caller specifies, otherwise retry
+      return !conf.reconnectAbortSignal?.abort;
     },
   };
 
   // Try to dial via WebRTC first.
-  if (isDialWebRTCConf(conf)) {
+  if (isDialWebRTCConf(conf) && !conf.reconnectAbortSignal?.abort) {
     try {
       return conf.noReconnect
         ? await dialWebRTC(conf)
@@ -195,13 +198,15 @@ export const createRobotClient = async (
     }
   }
 
-  try {
-    return conf.noReconnect
-      ? await dialDirect(conf)
-      : await backOff(async () => dialDirect(conf), backOffOpts);
-  } catch {
-    // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
-    console.debug('Failed to connect via gRPC');
+  if (!conf.reconnectAbortSignal?.abort) {
+    try {
+      return conf.noReconnect
+        ? await dialDirect(conf)
+        : await backOff(async () => dialDirect(conf), backOffOpts);
+    } catch {
+      // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
+      console.debug('Failed to connect via gRPC');
+    }
   }
 
   throw new Error('Failed to connect to robot');