diff --git a/include/signalrclient/connection.h b/include/signalrclient/connection.h
index e8f7c95..de6a4ec 100644
--- a/include/signalrclient/connection.h
+++ b/include/signalrclient/connection.h
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #include "transport_type.h"
 #include "web_request_factory.h"
 #include "transport_factory.h"
+#include "connection_state.h"
 
 namespace signalr
 {
@@ -26,6 +27,8 @@ namespace signalr
 
         SIGNALRCLIENT_API pplx::task<void> start();
 
+        SIGNALRCLIENT_API connection_state get_connection_state() const;
+
     private:
         web_request_factory m_web_request_factory;
         transport_factory m_transport_factory;
diff --git a/include/signalrclient/connection_state.h b/include/signalrclient/connection_state.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..810a647
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/signalrclient/connection_state.h
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+// Copyright (c) Microsoft Open Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0. See License.txt in the project root for license information.
+
+#pragma once
+
+namespace signalr
+{
+    enum class connection_state
+    {
+        connecting,
+        connected,
+        reconnecting,
+        disconnected
+    };
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/signalrclient/Build/VS2013/signalrclient.vcxproj b/src/signalrclient/Build/VS2013/signalrclient.vcxproj
index 696fb02..2ff5f4d 100644
--- a/src/signalrclient/Build/VS2013/signalrclient.vcxproj
+++ b/src/signalrclient/Build/VS2013/signalrclient.vcxproj
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@
   </ItemDefinitionGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
     <ClInclude Include="..\..\..\..\include\signalrclient\connection.h" />
+    <ClInclude Include="..\..\..\..\include\signalrclient\connection_state.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="..\..\..\..\include\signalrclient\trace_level.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="..\..\..\..\include\signalrclient\transport.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="..\..\..\..\include\signalrclient\transport_factory.h" />
diff --git a/src/signalrclient/Build/VS2013/signalrclient.vcxproj.filters b/src/signalrclient/Build/VS2013/signalrclient.vcxproj.filters
index 341b593..68eee39 100644
--- a/src/signalrclient/Build/VS2013/signalrclient.vcxproj.filters
+++ b/src/signalrclient/Build/VS2013/signalrclient.vcxproj.filters
@@ -72,6 +72,9 @@
     <ClInclude Include="..\..\..\..\include\signalrclient\web_response.h">
       <Filter>Header Files</Filter>
     </ClInclude>
+    <ClInclude Include="..\..\..\..\include\signalrclient\connection_state.h">
+      <Filter>Header Files</Filter>
+    </ClInclude>
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
     <ClCompile Include="..\..\stdafx.cpp">
diff --git a/src/signalrclient/connection.cpp b/src/signalrclient/connection.cpp
index 1e7a138..86f6bf3 100644
--- a/src/signalrclient/connection.cpp
+++ b/src/signalrclient/connection.cpp
@@ -24,5 +24,10 @@ namespace signalr
     {
         return m_pImpl->start();
     }
+
+    connection_state connection::get_connection_state() const
+    {
+        return m_pImpl->get_connection_state();
+    }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/signalrclient/connection_impl.cpp b/src/signalrclient/connection_impl.cpp
index 00b0291..88ec243 100644
--- a/src/signalrclient/connection_impl.cpp
+++ b/src/signalrclient/connection_impl.cpp
@@ -8,11 +8,17 @@ namespace signalr
 {
     connection_impl::connection_impl(const utility::string_t& url, const utility::string_t& querystring,
         web_request_factory& web_request_factory, transport_factory& transport_factory)
-        : m_base_uri(url), m_querystring(querystring), m_web_request_factory(web_request_factory), m_transport_factory(transport_factory)
+        : m_base_uri(url), m_querystring(querystring), m_web_request_factory(web_request_factory),
+        m_transport_factory(transport_factory), m_connection_state(connection_state::disconnected)
     { }
 
     pplx::task<void> connection_impl::start()
     {
         return pplx::task_from_result();
     }
+
+    connection_state connection_impl::get_connection_state() const
+    {
+        return m_connection_state;
+    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/signalrclient/connection_impl.h b/src/signalrclient/connection_impl.h
index 0be2642..57efb70 100644
--- a/src/signalrclient/connection_impl.h
+++ b/src/signalrclient/connection_impl.h
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include <cpprest\http_client.h>
 #include "signalrclient\web_request_factory.h"
 #include "signalrclient\transport_factory.h"
+#include "signalrclient\connection_state.h"
 
 namespace signalr
 {
@@ -23,9 +24,12 @@ namespace signalr
 
         pplx::task<void> start();
 
+        connection_state get_connection_state() const;
+
     private:
         web::uri m_base_uri;
         utility::string_t m_querystring;
+        connection_state m_connection_state;
 
         web_request_factory &m_web_request_factory;
         transport_factory& m_transport_factory;
diff --git a/test/signalrclienttests/Build/VS2013/signalrclienttests.vcxproj b/test/signalrclienttests/Build/VS2013/signalrclienttests.vcxproj
index 95a6baf..e896570 100644
--- a/test/signalrclienttests/Build/VS2013/signalrclienttests.vcxproj
+++ b/test/signalrclienttests/Build/VS2013/signalrclienttests.vcxproj
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@
     <ClInclude Include="..\..\web_request_stub.h" />
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
+    <ClCompile Include="..\..\connection_impl_tests.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="..\..\http_sender_tests.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="..\..\request_sender_tests.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="..\..\signalrclienttests.cpp" />
diff --git a/test/signalrclienttests/Build/VS2013/signalrclienttests.vcxproj.filters b/test/signalrclienttests/Build/VS2013/signalrclienttests.vcxproj.filters
index 461ade3..415ecf9 100644
--- a/test/signalrclienttests/Build/VS2013/signalrclienttests.vcxproj.filters
+++ b/test/signalrclienttests/Build/VS2013/signalrclienttests.vcxproj.filters
@@ -62,6 +62,9 @@
     <ClCompile Include="..\..\test_websocket_client.cpp">
       <Filter>Source Files</Filter>
     </ClCompile>
+    <ClCompile Include="..\..\connection_impl_tests.cpp">
+      <Filter>Source Files</Filter>
+    </ClCompile>
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
     <None Include="packages.config" />
diff --git a/test/signalrclienttests/connection_impl_tests.cpp b/test/signalrclienttests/connection_impl_tests.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..760b944
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/signalrclienttests/connection_impl_tests.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+// Copyright (c) Microsoft Open Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0. See License.txt in the project root for license information.
+
+#include "stdafx.h"
+#include "connection_impl.h"
+#include "signalrclient\web_request_factory.h"
+#include "signalrclient\transport_factory.h"
+
+using namespace signalr;
+
+TEST(connection_impl_connection_state, initial_connection_state_is_disconnected)
+{
+    web_request_factory request_factory;
+    transport_factory transport_factory;
+
+    ASSERT_EQ(
+        connection_state::disconnected, 
+        connection_impl(_XPLATSTR("url"), _XPLATSTR(""), request_factory, transport_factory).get_connection_state());
+}