diff --git a/telethon/network/mtproto_sender.py b/telethon/network/mtproto_sender.py
index 2a38fd65..6202c263 100755
--- a/telethon/network/mtproto_sender.py
+++ b/telethon/network/mtproto_sender.py
@@ -49,6 +49,11 @@ class MtProtoSender:
             name='UpdatesThread', daemon=True,
             target=self.updates_thread_method)
 
+        self.connect()
+
+    def connect(self):
+        """Connects to the server"""
+        self.transport.connect()
         # The "updates" thread must also be running to make periodic ping requests.
         self.set_updates_thread(running=True)
 
@@ -57,6 +62,11 @@ class MtProtoSender:
         self.set_updates_thread(running=False)
         self.transport.close()
 
+    def reconnect(self):
+        """Disconnects and connects again (effectively reconnecting)"""
+        self.disconnect()
+        self.connect()
+
     def add_update_handler(self, handler):
         """Adds an update handler (a method with one argument, the received
            TLObject) that is fired when there are updates available"""
@@ -438,14 +448,20 @@ class MtProtoSender:
                     except TimeoutError:
                         Log.d('Receiving updates timed out')
                         # TODO Workaround for issue #50
-                        Log.d('Sending GetStateRequest (workaround for issue #50)')
                         r = GetStateRequest()
-                        self.send(r)
-                        self.receive(r)
+                        try:
+                            Log.d('Sending GetStateRequest (workaround for issue #50)')
+                            self.send(r)
+                            self.receive(r)
+                        except TimeoutError:
+                            Log.w('Timed out inside a timeout, trying to reconnect...')
+                            self.reconnect()
+                            self.send(r)
+                            self.receive(r)
 
                     except ReadCancelledError:
                         Log.i('Receiving updates cancelled')
-                    except OSError as e:
+                    except OSError:
                         Log.w('OSError on updates thread, %s logging out',
                               'was' if self.logging_out else 'was not')
 
@@ -454,7 +470,7 @@ class MtProtoSender:
                             # TODO Not sure why this happens because we call disconnect()…
                             self.set_updates_thread(running=False)
                         else:
-                            raise e
+                            raise
 
                 Log.d('Updates thread released the lock')
                 self.updates_thread_receiving = False
diff --git a/telethon/network/tcp_transport.py b/telethon/network/tcp_transport.py
index 2291d828..ca9f1aa1 100755
--- a/telethon/network/tcp_transport.py
+++ b/telethon/network/tcp_transport.py
@@ -8,10 +8,15 @@ from telethon.utils import BinaryWriter
 
 class TcpTransport:
     def __init__(self, ip_address, port, proxy=None):
+        self.ip = ip_address
+        self.port = port
         self.tcp_client = TcpClient(proxy)
         self.send_counter = 0
 
-        self.tcp_client.connect(ip_address, port)
+    def connect(self):
+        """Connects to the specified IP address and port"""
+        self.send_counter = 0
+        self.tcp_client.connect(self.ip, self.port)
 
     # Original reference: https://core.telegram.org/mtproto#tcp-transport
     # The packets are encoded as: total length, sequence number, packet and checksum (CRC32)