diff --git a/Assistant/Threads/WebApp.hs b/Assistant/Threads/WebApp.hs
index 0de4a50a80..e75870e0d7 100644
--- a/Assistant/Threads/WebApp.hs
+++ b/Assistant/Threads/WebApp.hs
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@ instance Yesod WebApp where
 			addStylesheet $ StaticR css_bootstrap_responsive_css
 			addScript $ StaticR jquery_full_js
 			addScript $ StaticR js_bootstrap_dropdown_js
+			addScript $ StaticR js_bootstrap_modal_js
 			$(widgetFile "page")
 		hamletToRepHtml $(hamletFile $ hamletTemplate "bootstrap")
 
diff --git a/static/js/bootstrap-modal.js b/static/js/bootstrap-modal.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e929706279
--- /dev/null
+++ b/static/js/bootstrap-modal.js
@@ -0,0 +1,210 @@
+/* =========================================================
+ * bootstrap-modal.js v2.0.2
+ * http://twitter.github.com/bootstrap/javascript.html#modals
+ * =========================================================
+ * Copyright 2012 Twitter, Inc.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ * http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ * ========================================================= */
+
+
+!function( $ ){
+
+  "use strict"
+
+ /* MODAL CLASS DEFINITION
+  * ====================== */
+
+  var Modal = function ( content, options ) {
+    this.options = options
+    this.$element = $(content)
+      .delegate('[data-dismiss="modal"]', 'click.dismiss.modal', $.proxy(this.hide, this))
+  }
+
+  Modal.prototype = {
+
+      constructor: Modal
+
+    , toggle: function () {
+        return this[!this.isShown ? 'show' : 'hide']()
+      }
+
+    , show: function () {
+        var that = this
+
+        if (this.isShown) return
+
+        $('body').addClass('modal-open')
+
+        this.isShown = true
+        this.$element.trigger('show')
+
+        escape.call(this)
+        backdrop.call(this, function () {
+          var transition = $.support.transition && that.$element.hasClass('fade')
+
+          !that.$element.parent().length && that.$element.appendTo(document.body) //don't move modals dom position
+
+          that.$element
+            .show()
+
+          if (transition) {
+            that.$element[0].offsetWidth // force reflow
+          }
+
+          that.$element.addClass('in')
+
+          transition ?
+            that.$element.one($.support.transition.end, function () { that.$element.trigger('shown') }) :
+            that.$element.trigger('shown')
+
+        })
+      }
+
+    , hide: function ( e ) {
+        e && e.preventDefault()
+
+        if (!this.isShown) return
+
+        var that = this
+        this.isShown = false
+
+        $('body').removeClass('modal-open')
+
+        escape.call(this)
+
+        this.$element
+          .trigger('hide')
+          .removeClass('in')
+
+        $.support.transition && this.$element.hasClass('fade') ?
+          hideWithTransition.call(this) :
+          hideModal.call(this)
+      }
+
+  }
+
+
+ /* MODAL PRIVATE METHODS
+  * ===================== */
+
+  function hideWithTransition() {
+    var that = this
+      , timeout = setTimeout(function () {
+          that.$element.off($.support.transition.end)
+          hideModal.call(that)
+        }, 500)
+
+    this.$element.one($.support.transition.end, function () {
+      clearTimeout(timeout)
+      hideModal.call(that)
+    })
+  }
+
+  function hideModal( that ) {
+    this.$element
+      .hide()
+      .trigger('hidden')
+
+    backdrop.call(this)
+  }
+
+  function backdrop( callback ) {
+    var that = this
+      , animate = this.$element.hasClass('fade') ? 'fade' : ''
+
+    if (this.isShown && this.options.backdrop) {
+      var doAnimate = $.support.transition && animate
+
+      this.$backdrop = $('<div class="modal-backdrop ' + animate + '" />')
+        .appendTo(document.body)
+
+      if (this.options.backdrop != 'static') {
+        this.$backdrop.click($.proxy(this.hide, this))
+      }
+
+      if (doAnimate) this.$backdrop[0].offsetWidth // force reflow
+
+      this.$backdrop.addClass('in')
+
+      doAnimate ?
+        this.$backdrop.one($.support.transition.end, callback) :
+        callback()
+
+    } else if (!this.isShown && this.$backdrop) {
+      this.$backdrop.removeClass('in')
+
+      $.support.transition && this.$element.hasClass('fade')?
+        this.$backdrop.one($.support.transition.end, $.proxy(removeBackdrop, this)) :
+        removeBackdrop.call(this)
+
+    } else if (callback) {
+      callback()
+    }
+  }
+
+  function removeBackdrop() {
+    this.$backdrop.remove()
+    this.$backdrop = null
+  }
+
+  function escape() {
+    var that = this
+    if (this.isShown && this.options.keyboard) {
+      $(document).on('keyup.dismiss.modal', function ( e ) {
+        e.which == 27 && that.hide()
+      })
+    } else if (!this.isShown) {
+      $(document).off('keyup.dismiss.modal')
+    }
+  }
+
+
+ /* MODAL PLUGIN DEFINITION
+  * ======================= */
+
+  $.fn.modal = function ( option ) {
+    return this.each(function () {
+      var $this = $(this)
+        , data = $this.data('modal')
+        , options = $.extend({}, $.fn.modal.defaults, $this.data(), typeof option == 'object' && option)
+      if (!data) $this.data('modal', (data = new Modal(this, options)))
+      if (typeof option == 'string') data[option]()
+      else if (options.show) data.show()
+    })
+  }
+
+  $.fn.modal.defaults = {
+      backdrop: true
+    , keyboard: true
+    , show: true
+  }
+
+  $.fn.modal.Constructor = Modal
+
+
+ /* MODAL DATA-API
+  * ============== */
+
+  $(function () {
+    $('body').on('click.modal.data-api', '[data-toggle="modal"]', function ( e ) {
+      var $this = $(this), href
+        , $target = $($this.attr('data-target') || (href = $this.attr('href')) && href.replace(/.*(?=#[^\s]+$)/, '')) //strip for ie7
+        , option = $target.data('modal') ? 'toggle' : $.extend({}, $target.data(), $this.data())
+
+      e.preventDefault()
+      $target.modal(option)
+    })
+  })
+
+}( window.jQuery );
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/templates/longpolling.julius b/templates/longpolling.julius
index 95425d615a..a4077c3d50 100644
--- a/templates/longpolling.julius
+++ b/templates/longpolling.julius
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@
 // Maximum update frequency is controlled by #{startdelay}
 // and #{delay}, both in milliseconds.
 
-(function( $ ) {
+$dead=0;
 
-numerrs=0;
+(function( $ ) {
 
 $.LongPoll#{ident} = (function() {
 	return {
@@ -21,12 +21,11 @@ $.LongPoll#{ident} = (function() {
 					numerrs=0;
 				},
 				'error': function(jqxhr, msg, e) {
-					numerrs=numerrs+1;
-					if (numerrs > 3) {
+					if (! $dead) {
+						$dead=1;
+						// blocked by many browsers
 						window.close();
-					}
-					else {
-						setTimeout($.LongPoll#{ident}.send, #{show delay});
+						$('#lostconnection').modal('show');
 					}
 				},
 			});
diff --git a/templates/page.hamlet b/templates/page.hamlet
index 5004241257..919724f870 100644
--- a/templates/page.hamlet
+++ b/templates/page.hamlet
@@ -21,3 +21,10 @@
 <div .container-fluid>
   <div .row-fluid>
     ^{content}
+<div #lostconnection .modal .fade>
+  <div .modal-header>
+     <h3>
+       git-annex has shut down
+     <div .modal-body>
+       <p>
+         You can now close this browser window.