diff --git a/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/packagerconnection/ReconnectingWebSocket.java b/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/packagerconnection/ReconnectingWebSocket.java
index abbd9256fa..69a417078f 100644
--- a/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/packagerconnection/ReconnectingWebSocket.java
+++ b/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/packagerconnection/ReconnectingWebSocket.java
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ public final class ReconnectingWebSocket extends WebSocketListener {
 
   private final String mUrl;
   private final Handler mHandler;
+  private final OkHttpClient mOkHttpClient;
   private boolean mClosed = false;
   private boolean mSuppressConnectionErrors;
   private @Nullable WebSocket mWebSocket;
@@ -56,6 +57,12 @@ public final class ReconnectingWebSocket extends WebSocketListener {
     mMessageCallback = messageCallback;
     mConnectionCallback = connectionCallback;
     mHandler = new Handler(Looper.getMainLooper());
+    mOkHttpClient =
+        new OkHttpClient.Builder()
+            .connectTimeout(10, TimeUnit.SECONDS)
+            .writeTimeout(10, TimeUnit.SECONDS)
+            .readTimeout(0, TimeUnit.MINUTES) // Disable timeouts for read
+            .build();
   }
 
   public void connect() {
@@ -63,15 +70,8 @@ public final class ReconnectingWebSocket extends WebSocketListener {
       throw new IllegalStateException("Can't connect closed client");
     }
 
-    OkHttpClient httpClient =
-        new OkHttpClient.Builder()
-            .connectTimeout(10, TimeUnit.SECONDS)
-            .writeTimeout(10, TimeUnit.SECONDS)
-            .readTimeout(0, TimeUnit.MINUTES) // Disable timeouts for read
-            .build();
-
     Request request = new Request.Builder().url(mUrl).build();
-    httpClient.newWebSocket(request, this);
+    mOkHttpClient.newWebSocket(request, this);
   }
 
   private synchronized void delayedReconnect() {