diff --git a/.changeset/gorgeous-ways-applaud.md b/.changeset/gorgeous-ways-applaud.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4b28e2e656
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/gorgeous-ways-applaud.md
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+---
+'@backstage/plugin-signals-backend': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-signals-react': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-signals-node': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-signals': patch
+---
+
+Fix disconnect loop on server start
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/plugins/signals.ts b/packages/backend/src/plugins/signals.ts
index 477cea1938..066fae74f8 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/plugins/signals.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/plugins/signals.ts
@@ -24,5 +24,6 @@ export default async function createPlugin(
     logger: env.logger,
     eventBroker: env.eventBroker,
     identity: env.identity,
+    discovery: env.discovery,
   });
 }
diff --git a/plugins/signals-backend/README.md b/plugins/signals-backend/README.md
index e30a0836e0..ff1fcb6562 100644
--- a/plugins/signals-backend/README.md
+++ b/plugins/signals-backend/README.md
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ export default async function createPlugin(
     logger: env.logger,
     eventBroker: env.eventBroker,
     identity: env.identity,
+    discovery: env.discovery,
   });
 }
 ```
diff --git a/plugins/signals-backend/api-report.md b/plugins/signals-backend/api-report.md
index dd46778e5d..8bdaa581f3 100644
--- a/plugins/signals-backend/api-report.md
+++ b/plugins/signals-backend/api-report.md
@@ -8,12 +8,15 @@ import { EventBroker } from '@backstage/plugin-events-node';
 import express from 'express';
 import { IdentityApi } from '@backstage/plugin-auth-node';
 import { LoggerService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
+import { PluginEndpointDiscovery } from '@backstage/backend-common';
 
 // @public (undocumented)
 export function createRouter(options: RouterOptions): Promise<express.Router>;
 
 // @public (undocumented)
 export interface RouterOptions {
+  // (undocumented)
+  discovery: PluginEndpointDiscovery;
   // (undocumented)
   eventBroker?: EventBroker;
   // (undocumented)
diff --git a/plugins/signals-backend/src/plugin.ts b/plugins/signals-backend/src/plugin.ts
index 4a9cef028f..11b63163d5 100644
--- a/plugins/signals-backend/src/plugin.ts
+++ b/plugins/signals-backend/src/plugin.ts
@@ -32,14 +32,16 @@ export const signalsPlugin = createBackendPlugin({
         httpRouter: coreServices.httpRouter,
         logger: coreServices.logger,
         identity: coreServices.identity,
+        discovery: coreServices.discovery,
         // TODO: EventBroker. It is optional for now but it's actually required so waiting for the new backend system
         //       for the events-backend for this to work.
       },
-      async init({ httpRouter, logger, identity }) {
+      async init({ httpRouter, logger, identity, discovery }) {
         httpRouter.use(
           await createRouter({
             logger,
             identity,
+            discovery,
           }),
         );
       },
diff --git a/plugins/signals-backend/src/service/SignalManager.ts b/plugins/signals-backend/src/service/SignalManager.ts
index 983496b96b..db374418e1 100644
--- a/plugins/signals-backend/src/service/SignalManager.ts
+++ b/plugins/signals-backend/src/service/SignalManager.ts
@@ -71,7 +71,9 @@ export class SignalManager {
       id,
       user: identity?.identity.userEntityRef ?? 'user:default/guest',
       ws,
-      ownershipEntityRefs: identity?.identity.ownershipEntityRefs ?? [],
+      ownershipEntityRefs: identity?.identity.ownershipEntityRefs ?? [
+        'user:default/guest',
+      ],
       subscriptions: new Set<string>(),
     };
 
@@ -132,6 +134,10 @@ export class SignalManager {
 
     const { channel, recipients, message } = eventPayload;
     const jsonMessage = JSON.stringify({ channel, message });
+    let users: string[] = [];
+    if (recipients !== null) {
+      users = Array.isArray(recipients) ? recipients : [recipients];
+    }
 
     // Actual websocket message sending
     this.connections.forEach(conn => {
@@ -141,9 +147,7 @@ export class SignalManager {
       // Sending to all users can be done with null
       if (
         recipients !== null &&
-        !conn.ownershipEntityRefs.some((ref: string) =>
-          recipients.includes(ref),
-        )
+        !conn.ownershipEntityRefs.some((ref: string) => users.includes(ref))
       ) {
         return;
       }
diff --git a/plugins/signals-backend/src/service/router.test.ts b/plugins/signals-backend/src/service/router.test.ts
index ecf2ad4aa6..807b45d53e 100644
--- a/plugins/signals-backend/src/service/router.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/signals-backend/src/service/router.test.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,10 @@
  * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
  * limitations under the License.
  */
-import { getVoidLogger } from '@backstage/backend-common';
+import {
+  getVoidLogger,
+  PluginEndpointDiscovery,
+} from '@backstage/backend-common';
 import express from 'express';
 import request from 'supertest';
 
@@ -30,6 +33,11 @@ const identityApiMock: jest.Mocked<IdentityApi> = {
   getIdentity: jest.fn(),
 };
 
+const discovery: jest.Mocked<PluginEndpointDiscovery> = {
+  getBaseUrl: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue('/api/signals'),
+  getExternalBaseUrl: jest.fn(),
+};
+
 describe('createRouter', () => {
   let app: express.Express;
 
@@ -38,6 +46,7 @@ describe('createRouter', () => {
       logger: getVoidLogger(),
       identity: identityApiMock,
       eventBroker: eventBrokerMock,
+      discovery,
     });
     app = express().use(router);
   });
diff --git a/plugins/signals-backend/src/service/router.ts b/plugins/signals-backend/src/service/router.ts
index 4394a9f480..cc8fe9b851 100644
--- a/plugins/signals-backend/src/service/router.ts
+++ b/plugins/signals-backend/src/service/router.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,10 @@
  * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
  * limitations under the License.
  */
-import { errorHandler } from '@backstage/backend-common';
+import {
+  errorHandler,
+  PluginEndpointDiscovery,
+} from '@backstage/backend-common';
 import express, { NextFunction, Request, Response } from 'express';
 import Router from 'express-promise-router';
 import { LoggerService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
@@ -33,13 +36,14 @@ export interface RouterOptions {
   logger: LoggerService;
   eventBroker?: EventBroker;
   identity: IdentityApi;
+  discovery: PluginEndpointDiscovery;
 }
 
 /** @public */
 export async function createRouter(
   options: RouterOptions,
 ): Promise<express.Router> {
-  const { logger, identity } = options;
+  const { logger, identity, discovery } = options;
   const manager = SignalManager.create(options);
   let subscribedToUpgradeRequests = false;
 
@@ -66,9 +70,9 @@ export async function createRouter(
     }
 
     subscribedToUpgradeRequests = true;
+    const apiUrl = await discovery.getBaseUrl('signals');
     server.on('upgrade', async (request, socket, head) => {
-      // TODO: Find a way to make this more generic
-      if (request.url !== '/api/signals') {
+      if (!request.url || !apiUrl.endsWith(request.url)) {
         return;
       }
 
diff --git a/plugins/signals-backend/src/service/standaloneServer.ts b/plugins/signals-backend/src/service/standaloneServer.ts
index 278de8621e..00ef7b5c77 100644
--- a/plugins/signals-backend/src/service/standaloneServer.ts
+++ b/plugins/signals-backend/src/service/standaloneServer.ts
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ export async function startStandaloneServer(
     logger,
     identity,
     eventBroker,
+    discovery,
   });
 
   let service = createServiceBuilder(module)
diff --git a/plugins/signals-node/api-report.md b/plugins/signals-node/api-report.md
index 00d099f7db..cbf4142daf 100644
--- a/plugins/signals-node/api-report.md
+++ b/plugins/signals-node/api-report.md
@@ -16,15 +16,15 @@ export class DefaultSignalService implements SignalService {
 
 // @public (undocumented)
 export type SignalPayload = {
-  recipients: string[] | null;
+  recipients: string[] | string | null;
   channel: string;
   message: JsonObject;
 };
 
 // @public (undocumented)
-export type SignalService = {
+export interface SignalService {
   publish(signal: SignalPayload): Promise<void>;
-};
+}
 
 // @public (undocumented)
 export const signalService: ServiceRef<SignalService, 'plugin'>;
diff --git a/plugins/signals-node/src/DefaultSignalService.test.ts b/plugins/signals-node/src/DefaultSignalService.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9938c84c86
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/signals-node/src/DefaultSignalService.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2024 The Backstage Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+import { DefaultSignalService } from './DefaultSignalService';
+
+describe('DefaultSignalService', () => {
+  const mockEventBroker = {
+    publish: jest.fn(),
+    subscribe: jest.fn(),
+  };
+
+  const service = DefaultSignalService.create({ eventBroker: mockEventBroker });
+
+  it('should publish signal', () => {
+    const signal = {
+      channel: 'test-channel',
+      recipients: null,
+      message: { msg: 'hello world' },
+    };
+    service.publish(signal);
+    expect(mockEventBroker.publish).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+      topic: 'signals',
+      eventPayload: signal,
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/plugins/signals-node/src/DefaultSignalService.ts b/plugins/signals-node/src/DefaultSignalService.ts
index 1fba96b8bc..2a234fe5d4 100644
--- a/plugins/signals-node/src/DefaultSignalService.ts
+++ b/plugins/signals-node/src/DefaultSignalService.ts
@@ -37,14 +37,9 @@ export class DefaultSignalService implements SignalService {
    * @param message - message to publish
    */
   async publish(signal: SignalPayload) {
-    const { recipients, channel, message } = signal;
     await this.eventBroker?.publish({
       topic: 'signals',
-      eventPayload: {
-        recipients,
-        message,
-        channel,
-      },
+      eventPayload: signal,
     });
   }
 }
diff --git a/plugins/signals-node/src/SignalService.ts b/plugins/signals-node/src/SignalService.ts
index f08a12661f..7d021ccf4e 100644
--- a/plugins/signals-node/src/SignalService.ts
+++ b/plugins/signals-node/src/SignalService.ts
@@ -16,9 +16,9 @@
 import { SignalPayload } from './types';
 
 /** @public */
-export type SignalService = {
+export interface SignalService {
   /**
    * Publishes a message to user refs to specific topic
    */
   publish(signal: SignalPayload): Promise<void>;
-};
+}
diff --git a/plugins/signals-node/src/types.ts b/plugins/signals-node/src/types.ts
index 0220a196aa..7e61aea320 100644
--- a/plugins/signals-node/src/types.ts
+++ b/plugins/signals-node/src/types.ts
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ export type SignalServiceOptions = {
 
 /** @public */
 export type SignalPayload = {
-  recipients: string[] | null;
+  recipients: string[] | string | null;
   channel: string;
   message: JsonObject;
 };
diff --git a/plugins/signals-react/api-report.md b/plugins/signals-react/api-report.md
index 2df2e4f1ce..ef4bc1b7fc 100644
--- a/plugins/signals-react/api-report.md
+++ b/plugins/signals-react/api-report.md
@@ -7,21 +7,27 @@ import { ApiRef } from '@backstage/core-plugin-api';
 import { JsonObject } from '@backstage/types';
 
 // @public (undocumented)
-export type SignalApi = {
+export interface SignalApi {
+  // (undocumented)
   subscribe(
     channel: string,
     onMessage: (message: JsonObject) => void,
-  ): {
-    unsubscribe: () => void;
-  };
-};
+  ): SignalSubscriber;
+}
 
 // @public (undocumented)
 export const signalApiRef: ApiRef<SignalApi>;
 
+// @public (undocumented)
+export interface SignalSubscriber {
+  // (undocumented)
+  unsubscribe(): void;
+}
+
 // @public (undocumented)
 export const useSignal: (channel: string) => {
   lastSignal: JsonObject | null;
+  isSignalsAvailable: boolean;
 };
 
 // (No @packageDocumentation comment for this package)
diff --git a/plugins/signals-react/src/api/SignalApi.ts b/plugins/signals-react/src/api/SignalApi.ts
index b37b3ae2f5..b67b2ea0dc 100644
--- a/plugins/signals-react/src/api/SignalApi.ts
+++ b/plugins/signals-react/src/api/SignalApi.ts
@@ -22,9 +22,14 @@ export const signalApiRef = createApiRef<SignalApi>({
 });
 
 /** @public */
-export type SignalApi = {
+export interface SignalSubscriber {
+  unsubscribe(): void;
+}
+
+/** @public */
+export interface SignalApi {
   subscribe(
     channel: string,
     onMessage: (message: JsonObject) => void,
-  ): { unsubscribe: () => void };
-};
+  ): SignalSubscriber;
+}
diff --git a/plugins/signals-react/src/hooks/useSignal.ts b/plugins/signals-react/src/hooks/useSignal.ts
index a7d50fbe3b..084427e2cc 100644
--- a/plugins/signals-react/src/hooks/useSignal.ts
+++ b/plugins/signals-react/src/hooks/useSignal.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 import { signalApiRef } from '../api';
 import { useApiHolder } from '@backstage/core-plugin-api';
 import { JsonObject } from '@backstage/types';
-import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
+import { useEffect, useMemo, useState } from 'react';
 
 /** @public */
 export const useSignal = (channel: string) => {
@@ -40,5 +40,8 @@ export const useSignal = (channel: string) => {
     };
   }, [signals, channel]);
 
-  return { lastSignal };
+  // Can be used to fallback (for example to long polling) if signals are not available in the system
+  const isSignalsAvailable = useMemo(() => !signals, [signals]);
+
+  return { lastSignal, isSignalsAvailable };
 };
diff --git a/plugins/signals/src/api/SignalClient.ts b/plugins/signals/src/api/SignalClient.ts
index ee4ed8756b..d6c4634264 100644
--- a/plugins/signals/src/api/SignalClient.ts
+++ b/plugins/signals/src/api/SignalClient.ts
@@ -146,20 +146,6 @@ export class SignalClient implements SignalApi {
     url.protocol = url.protocol === 'http:' ? 'ws:' : 'wss:';
     this.ws = new WebSocket(url.toString(), token);
 
-    this.ws.onmessage = (data: MessageEvent) => {
-      this.handleMessage(data);
-    };
-
-    this.ws.onerror = () => {
-      this.reconnect();
-    };
-
-    this.ws.onclose = (ev: CloseEvent) => {
-      if (ev.code !== WS_CLOSE_NORMAL && ev.code !== WS_CLOSE_GOING_AWAY) {
-        this.reconnect();
-      }
-    };
-
     // Wait until connection is open
     let connectSleep = 0;
     while (
@@ -174,6 +160,20 @@ export class SignalClient implements SignalApi {
     if (!this.ws || this.ws.readyState !== WebSocket.OPEN) {
       throw new Error('Connect timeout');
     }
+
+    this.ws.onmessage = (data: MessageEvent) => {
+      this.handleMessage(data);
+    };
+
+    this.ws.onerror = () => {
+      this.reconnect();
+    };
+
+    this.ws.onclose = (ev: CloseEvent) => {
+      if (ev.code !== WS_CLOSE_NORMAL && ev.code !== WS_CLOSE_GOING_AWAY) {
+        this.reconnect();
+      }
+    };
   }
 
   private handleMessage(data: MessageEvent) {