diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index 32957b1df..d5a500310 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ gem 'actionmailer'
 gem 'sendgrid'
 gem 'aws-sdk', '1.8.0'
 gem 'carrierwave'
+gem 'aasm', '3.0.16'
 
 if devenv
   gem 'jam_db', :path=> "#{workspace}/jam-db/target/ruby_package"
diff --git a/lib/jam_ruby/connection_manager.rb b/lib/jam_ruby/connection_manager.rb
index 360726691..119b1ca46 100644
--- a/lib/jam_ruby/connection_manager.rb
+++ b/lib/jam_ruby/connection_manager.rb
@@ -26,22 +26,56 @@ module JamRuby
       #TODO
     end
 
-    # remove stale connections
-    def remove_stale_connections(max_seconds)
+    # flag  connections as stale
+    def flag_stale_connections(max_seconds)
+      ConnectionManager.active_record_transaction do |connection_manager|
+        conn = connection_manager.pg_conn
+
+        sql =<<SQL
+SELECT count(user_id) FROM connections 
+WHERE 
+  updated_at < (NOW() - interval '#{max_seconds} second') AND 
+  aasm_state = '#{Connection::CONNECT_STATE.to_s}'
+SQL
+        conn.exec(sql) do |result|
+          count = result.getvalue(0, 0)
+          if 0 < count.to_i
+            @log.info("flag_stale_connections: flagging #{count.length} stale connections")
+            sql =<<SQL
+UPDATE connections SET aasm_state = '#{Connection::STALE_STATE.to_s}' 
+WHERE 
+  updated_at < (NOW() - interval '#{max_seconds} second') AND
+  aasm_state = '#{Connection::CONNECT_STATE.to_s}'
+SQL
+            conn.exec(sql) 
+          end
+        end 
+      end
+    end
+
+    # expiring connections in stale state, which deletes them
+    def expire_stale_connections(max_seconds)
       ConnectionManager.active_record_transaction do |connection_manager|
         conn = connection_manager.pg_conn
 
         stale_clients = []
-        conn.exec("SELECT client_id FROM connections WHERE updated_at < (NOW() - interval '#{max_seconds} second')") do |result|
+sql =<<SQL
+SELECT client_id FROM connections 
+WHERE 
+  updated_at < (NOW() - interval '#{max_seconds} second') AND 
+  aasm_state = '#{Connection::STALE_STATE.to_s}'
+SQL
+        conn.exec(sql) do |result|
           result.each do |row|
             stale_clients.push(row['client_id'])
           end
         end
 
-        @log.debug("deleting #{stale_clients.length} stale connections")
-
-        stale_clients.each do |client_id|
-          delete_connection(client_id)
+        if 0 < stale_clients.size
+          @log.info("expire_stale_connections: expiring:#{stale_clients.length} stale connections")
+          stale_clients.each do |client_id|
+            delete_connection(client_id)
+          end
         end
       end
     end
@@ -53,7 +87,8 @@ module JamRuby
         
         lock_connections(conn)
 
-        conn.exec("INSERT INTO connections (user_id, client_id, ip_address) VALUES ($1, $2, $3)", [user_id, client_id, ip_address]).clear
+        conn.exec("INSERT INTO connections (user_id, client_id, ip_address, aasm_state) VALUES ($1, $2, $3, $4)", 
+                  [user_id, client_id, ip_address, Connection::CONNECT_STATE.to_s]).clear
 
         # we just created a new connection-if this is the first time the user has shown up, we need to send out a message to his friends
         conn.exec("SELECT count(user_id) FROM connections WHERE user_id = $1", [user_id]) do |result|
@@ -303,4 +338,4 @@ module JamRuby
       end
     end
   end
-end
\ No newline at end of file
+end
diff --git a/lib/jam_ruby/message_factory.rb b/lib/jam_ruby/message_factory.rb
index 6d93e8d04..ae26c8a6e 100644
--- a/lib/jam_ruby/message_factory.rb
+++ b/lib/jam_ruby/message_factory.rb
@@ -37,8 +37,8 @@
     end
 
     # create a login ack (login was successful)
-    def login_ack(public_ip, client_id, token, heartbeat_interval)
-      login_ack = Jampb::LoginAck.new(:public_ip => public_ip, :client_id => client_id, :token => token, :heartbeat_interval => heartbeat_interval)
+    def login_ack(public_ip, client_id, token, heartbeat_interval, music_session_id)
+      login_ack = Jampb::LoginAck.new(:public_ip => public_ip, :client_id => client_id, :token => token, :heartbeat_interval => heartbeat_interval, :music_session_id => music_session_id)
       return Jampb::ClientMessage.new(:type => ClientMessage::Type::LOGIN_ACK, :route_to => CLIENT_TARGET, :login_ack => login_ack)
     end
 
diff --git a/lib/jam_ruby/models/connection.rb b/lib/jam_ruby/models/connection.rb
index 8f3a1e3f0..d66cfbd5a 100644
--- a/lib/jam_ruby/models/connection.rb
+++ b/lib/jam_ruby/models/connection.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+require 'aasm'
+
 module JamRuby
   class Connection < ActiveRecord::Base
 
@@ -20,6 +22,48 @@ module JamRuby
     validate :can_join_music_session, :if => :joining_session?
     after_save :require_at_least_one_track_when_in_session, :if => :joining_session?
 
+    include AASM
+    IDLE_STATE = :idle
+    CONNECT_STATE = :connected
+    STALE_STATE = :stale
+    EXPIRED_STATE = :expired
+
+    aasm do
+      state IDLE_STATE, :initial => true
+      state CONNECT_STATE
+      state STALE_STATE
+      state EXPIRED_STATE
+
+      event :connect do
+        transitions :from => IDLE_STATE, :to => CONNECT_STATE
+        transitions :from => STALE_STATE, :to => CONNECT_STATE
+      end
+      event :stale do
+        transitions :from => CONNECT_STATE, :to => STALE_STATE
+        transitions :from => IDLE_STATE, :to => STALE_STATE
+      end
+      event :expire, :after => :did_expire do
+        transitions :from => CONNECT_STATE, :to => EXPIRED_STATE
+        transitions :from => STALE_STATE, :to => EXPIRED_STATE
+        transitions :from => IDLE_STATE, :to => EXPIRED_STATE
+      end
+    end
+
+    def state_message
+      case self.aasm_state.to_sym
+        when CONNECT_STATE
+        'Connected'
+        when STALE_STATE 
+        'Stale'
+        else
+        'Idle'
+      end
+    end
+
+    def did_expire
+      self.destroy
+    end
+
     def joining_session?
       return joining_session
     end
@@ -76,4 +120,4 @@ module JamRuby
     end
 
   end
-end
\ No newline at end of file
+end
diff --git a/spec/jam_ruby/connection_manager_spec.rb b/spec/jam_ruby/connection_manager_spec.rb
index c4041e3db..c33198d03 100644
--- a/spec/jam_ruby/connection_manager_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/jam_ruby/connection_manager_spec.rb
@@ -70,6 +70,9 @@ describe ConnectionManager do
       result.getvalue(0, 0).should == "1"
     end
 
+    cc = Connection.find_by_client_id!(client_id)
+    cc.connected?.should be_true
+
     @connman.delete_connection(client_id)
 
     @conn.exec("SELECT count(*) FROM connections where user_id = $1", [user_id]) do |result|
@@ -171,23 +174,53 @@ describe ConnectionManager do
     @connman.gather_friends(@conn, user_id3).should == [user_id1]
   end
 
-  it "remove stale connection" do
-
+  it "flag stale connection" do
     client_id = "client_id8"
-
     user_id = create_user("test", "user8", "user8@jamkazam.com")
-
     @connman.create_connection(user_id, client_id, "1.1.1.1")
 
-    @connman.remove_stale_connections(60)
+    num = JamRuby::Connection.count(:conditions => ['aasm_state = ?','connected'])
+    num.should == 1
+    assert_num_connections(client_id, num)
+    @connman.flag_stale_connections(60)
+    assert_num_connections(client_id, num)
 
+    sleep(1)
+
+    num = JamRuby::Connection.count(:conditions => ["updated_at < (NOW() - interval '#{1} second') AND aasm_state = 'connected'"])
+    num.should == 1
+    # this should change the aasm_state to stale
+    @connman.flag_stale_connections(1)
+
+    num = JamRuby::Connection.count(:conditions => ["updated_at < (NOW() - interval '#{1} second') AND aasm_state = 'connected'"])
+    num.should == 0
+
+    num = JamRuby::Connection.count(:conditions => ["updated_at < (NOW() - interval '#{1} second') AND aasm_state = 'stale'"])
+    num.should == 1
+    assert_num_connections(client_id, 1)
+
+    @connman.expire_stale_connections(1)
+    sleep(1)
+    assert_num_connections(client_id, 0)
+  end
+
+  it "expires stale connection" do
+    client_id = "client_id8"
+    user_id = create_user("test", "user8", "user8@jamkazam.com")
+    @connman.create_connection(user_id, client_id, "1.1.1.1")
+
+    sleep(1)
+    @connman.flag_stale_connections(1)
+    assert_num_connections(client_id, 1)    
+    # assert_num_connections(client_id, JamRuby::Connection.count(:conditions => ['aasm_state = ?','stale']))
+
+    @connman.expire_stale_connections(60)
     assert_num_connections(client_id, 1)
 
     sleep(1)
 
-    # this should remove the stale connection
-    @connman.remove_stale_connections(1)
-
+    # this should delete the stale connection
+    @connman.expire_stale_connections(1)
     assert_num_connections(client_id, 0)
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/jam_ruby/models/connection_spec.rb b/spec/jam_ruby/models/connection_spec.rb
index 8b66ffc16..29d23f476 100644
--- a/spec/jam_ruby/models/connection_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/jam_ruby/models/connection_spec.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,36 @@
 require 'spec_helper'
 
 describe Connection do
+  let(:user) { FactoryGirl.create(:user) }
+  let (:music_session) { FactoryGirl.create(:music_session, :creator => user) }
 
-end
\ No newline at end of file
+  it 'starts in the correct state' do
+    connection = FactoryGirl.create(:connection, 
+                                    :user => user, 
+                                    :music_session => music_session, 
+                                    :ip_address => "1.1.1.1", 
+                                    :client_id => "1")
+
+    connection.idle?.should be_true
+  end
+
+  it 'transitions properly' do
+    connection = FactoryGirl.create(:connection, 
+                                    :user => user, 
+                                    :music_session => music_session, 
+                                    :ip_address => "1.1.1.1", 
+                                    :client_id => "1")
+
+    connection.connect!
+    connection.connected?.should be_true
+    connection.state_message.should == 'Connected'
+
+    connection.stale!
+    connection.stale?.should be_true
+    connection.state_message.should == 'Stale'
+
+    connection.expire!
+    connection.destroyed?.should be_true
+  end
+
+end