diff --git a/components/squeezelite/slimproto.c b/components/squeezelite/slimproto.c
index 64e73ba0..d62e75ca 100644
--- a/components/squeezelite/slimproto.c
+++ b/components/squeezelite/slimproto.c
@@ -982,8 +982,8 @@ void slimproto(log_level level, char *server, u8_t mac[6], const char *name, con
 			// in embedded we give up after a while no matter what
 			if (++failed_connect > MAX_SERVER_RETRIES && !server) {
 				slimproto_ip = serv_addr.sin_addr.s_addr = discover_server(NULL, MAX_SERVER_RETRIES);
-				if (!slimproto_ip) return;
-			} else if (reconnect && MAX_SERVER_RETRIES && failed_connect > 5 * MAX_SERVER_RETRIES) return;
+				if (!slimproto_ip && !output.external) return;
+			} else if (reconnect && MAX_SERVER_RETRIES && failed_connect > 5 * MAX_SERVER_RETRIES && !output.external) return;
 #else
 			// rediscover server if it was not set at startup or exit 
 			if (!server && ++failed_connect > 5) {