diff --git a/doc/openfortivpn.1.in b/doc/openfortivpn.1.in
index d918cfaf..fd68702c 100644
--- a/doc/openfortivpn.1.in
+++ b/doc/openfortivpn.1.in
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ openfortivpn \- Client for PPP+SSL VPN tunnel services
 [\fB\-\-pppd-plugin=\fI<file>\fR]
 [\fB\-\-pppd-ipparam=\fI<string>\fR]
 [\fB\-\-pppd-ifname=\fI<string>\fR]
+[\fB\-\-persistent\fR]
 [\fB\-c\fR \fI<file>\fR]
 [\fB\-v|\-q\fR]
 .br
@@ -128,6 +129,10 @@ for further details
 \fB\-\-pppd-ifname=\fI<string>\fR
 Set the ppp interface name. Only if supported by pppd. Patched versions of pppd
 implement this option but may not be available on your platform.
+\fB\-\-persistent\=\fI<interval>fR
+Runs the vpn persistently in an endless loop and tries to reconnect forever.
+The reconnect interval may be specified in seconds, where 0 means
+no reconnect is done (this is the default).
 .TP
 \fB\-v\fR
 Increase verbosity. Can be used multiple times to be even more verbose.
@@ -233,3 +238,5 @@ pppd-use-peerdns = 1
 insecure-ssl = 0
 .br
 cipher-list = HIGH:!aNULL:!kRSA:!PSK:!SRP:!MD5:!RC4
+.br
+persistent = 0
diff --git a/src/config.c b/src/config.c
index 54e86854..451b678a 100644
--- a/src/config.c
+++ b/src/config.c
@@ -200,6 +200,15 @@ int load_config(struct vpn_config *cfg, const char *filename)
 				continue;
 			}
 			cfg->half_internet_routes = half_internet_routes;
+		} else if (strcmp(key, "persistent") == 0) {
+			long int persistent = strtol(val, NULL, 0);
+			if (persistent < 0) {
+				log_warn("Bad value for persistent in config file:" \
+				         " \"%s\".\n",
+				         val);
+				continue;
+			}
+			cfg->persistent = persistent;
 		} else if (strcmp(key, "pppd-use-peerdns") == 0) {
 			int pppd_use_peerdns = strtob(val);
 			if (pppd_use_peerdns < 0) {
diff --git a/src/config.h b/src/config.h
index 05d0c3f3..26bd45f0 100644
--- a/src/config.h
+++ b/src/config.h
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@ struct vpn_config {
 	int     use_syslog;
 	int	half_internet_routes;
 
+	unsigned int	persistent;
+
 	char	*pppd_log;
 	char	*pppd_plugin;
 	char	*pppd_ipparam;
diff --git a/src/io.c b/src/io.c
index a65e2fdd..65dd94d6 100644
--- a/src/io.c
+++ b/src/io.c
@@ -109,6 +109,14 @@ static void destroy_ssl_locks(void)
 }
 #endif
 
+// global variable to pass signal out of its handler
+volatile sig_atomic_t sig_received = 0;
+
+int get_sig_received(void)
+{
+	return (int)sig_received;
+}
+
 /*
  * Adds a new packet to a pool.
  *
@@ -559,6 +567,7 @@ static void *if_config(void *arg)
 
 static void sig_handler(int signo)
 {
+	sig_received = signo;
 	if (signo == SIGINT || signo == SIGTERM)
 		SEM_POST(&sem_stop_io);
 }
diff --git a/src/io.h b/src/io.h
index b18d0a0d..f6a7f0db 100644
--- a/src/io.h
+++ b/src/io.h
@@ -56,4 +56,6 @@ struct tunnel;
 
 int io_loop(struct tunnel *tunnel);
 
+int get_sig_received(void);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index b3cd7b6e..d6fe9315 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
 "                    [--pppd-plugin=<file>] [--ca-file=<file>]\n" \
 "                    [--user-cert=<file>] [--user-key=<file>]\n" \
 "                    [--trusted-cert=<digest>] [--use-syslog]\n" \
-"                    [-c <file>] [-v|-q]\n" \
+"                    [--persistent=<interval>] [-c <file>] [-v|-q]\n" \
 "       openfortivpn --help\n" \
 "       openfortivpn --version\n" \
 "\n"
@@ -93,6 +93,8 @@
 "  --pppd-ifname=<string>        Set the pppd interface name, if supported by pppd.\n" \
 "  --pppd-ipparam=<string>       Provides  an extra parameter to the ip-up, ip-pre-up\n" \
 "                                and ip-down scripts. See man (8) pppd\n" \
+"  --persistent=<interval>       Run the vpn persistently in a loop and try to re-\n" \
+"                                connect every <interval> seconds when dropping out\n" \
 "  -v                            Increase verbosity. Can be used multiple times\n" \
 "                                to be even more verbose.\n" \
 "  -q                            Decrease verbosity. Can be used multiple times\n" \
@@ -181,6 +183,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		{"no-dns",          no_argument, &cfg.set_dns, 0},
 		{"pppd-no-peerdns", no_argument, &cfg.pppd_use_peerdns, 0},
 		{"use-syslog",      no_argument, &cfg.use_syslog, 1},
+		{"persistent",      required_argument, 0, 0},
 		{"ca-file",         required_argument, 0, 0},
 		{"user-cert",       required_argument, 0, 0},
 		{"user-key",        required_argument, 0, 0},
@@ -301,6 +304,17 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 				cfg.half_internet_routes = half_internet_routes;
 				break;
 			}
+			if (strcmp(long_options[option_index].name,
+			           "persistent") == 0) {
+				long int persistent = strtol(optarg, NULL, 0);
+				if ((persistent < 0) || (persistent >= UINT_MAX)) {
+					log_warn("Bad persistent option: " \
+					         "\"%s\"\n", optarg);
+					break;
+				}
+				cfg.persistent = persistent;
+				break;
+			}
 			if (strcmp(long_options[option_index].name,
 			           "set-dns") == 0) {
 				int set_dns = strtob(optarg);
@@ -425,8 +439,15 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		log_warn("This process was not spawned with root "
 		         "privileges, this will probably not work.\n");
 
-	if (run_tunnel(&cfg) == 0)
-		ret = EXIT_SUCCESS;
+	do {
+		if (run_tunnel(&cfg) != 0) {
+			ret = EXIT_FAILURE;
+		} else
+			ret = EXIT_SUCCESS;
+		if ((cfg.persistent > 0) && (get_sig_received() == 0))
+			sleep(cfg.persistent);
+	} while ((get_sig_received() == 0) && (cfg.persistent !=0));
+
 	goto exit;
 
 user_error: