diff --git a/.changeset/healthy-shirts-roll.md b/.changeset/healthy-shirts-roll.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..aec74a1181
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/healthy-shirts-roll.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/plugin-signals-backend': patch
+---
+
+Improved signal lifecycle management and added server side pinging of connections
diff --git a/packages/backend-legacy/src/plugins/signals.ts b/packages/backend-legacy/src/plugins/signals.ts
index d97d3fc170..33b1af5edf 100644
--- a/packages/backend-legacy/src/plugins/signals.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-legacy/src/plugins/signals.ts
@@ -25,5 +25,6 @@ export default async function createPlugin(
     events: env.events,
     identity: env.identity,
     discovery: env.discovery,
+    config: env.config,
   });
 }
diff --git a/plugins/signals-backend/api-report.md b/plugins/signals-backend/api-report.md
index cad43bfaae..d59ca8e5ad 100644
--- a/plugins/signals-backend/api-report.md
+++ b/plugins/signals-backend/api-report.md
@@ -5,9 +5,11 @@
 ```ts
 import { AuthService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 import { BackendFeature } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
+import { Config } from '@backstage/config';
 import { EventsService } from '@backstage/plugin-events-node';
 import express from 'express';
 import { IdentityApi } from '@backstage/plugin-auth-node';
+import { LifecycleService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 import { LoggerService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 import { PluginEndpointDiscovery } from '@backstage/backend-common';
 import { UserInfoService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
@@ -20,12 +22,16 @@ export interface RouterOptions {
   // (undocumented)
   auth?: AuthService;
   // (undocumented)
+  config: Config;
+  // (undocumented)
   discovery: PluginEndpointDiscovery;
   // (undocumented)
   events: EventsService;
   // (undocumented)
   identity: IdentityApi;
   // (undocumented)
+  lifecycle?: LifecycleService;
+  // (undocumented)
   logger: LoggerService;
   // (undocumented)
   userInfo?: UserInfoService;
diff --git a/plugins/signals-backend/package.json b/plugins/signals-backend/package.json
index 5d961c71ef..24561caf46 100644
--- a/plugins/signals-backend/package.json
+++ b/plugins/signals-backend/package.json
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
     "node-fetch": "^2.6.7",
     "uuid": "^9.0.0",
     "winston": "^3.2.1",
-    "ws": "^8.14.2",
+    "ws": "^8.17.0",
     "yn": "^4.0.0"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@
     "@backstage/plugin-auth-backend-module-guest-provider": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/plugin-events-backend": "workspace:^",
     "@types/supertest": "^2.0.8",
+    "@types/ws": "^8.5.10",
     "msw": "^1.0.0",
     "supertest": "^6.2.4"
   },
diff --git a/plugins/signals-backend/src/plugin.ts b/plugins/signals-backend/src/plugin.ts
index 3e00c00a34..0963b79ccb 100644
--- a/plugins/signals-backend/src/plugin.ts
+++ b/plugins/signals-backend/src/plugin.ts
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ export const signalsPlugin = createBackendPlugin({
       deps: {
         httpRouter: coreServices.httpRouter,
         logger: coreServices.logger,
+        config: coreServices.rootConfig,
+        lifecycle: coreServices.rootLifecycle,
         identity: coreServices.identity,
         discovery: coreServices.discovery,
         userInfo: coreServices.userInfo,
@@ -41,6 +43,8 @@ export const signalsPlugin = createBackendPlugin({
       async init({
         httpRouter,
         logger,
+        config,
+        lifecycle,
         identity,
         discovery,
         userInfo,
@@ -50,7 +54,9 @@ export const signalsPlugin = createBackendPlugin({
         httpRouter.use(
           await createRouter({
             logger,
+            config,
             identity,
+            lifecycle,
             discovery,
             userInfo,
             auth,
diff --git a/plugins/signals-backend/src/service/SignalManager.test.ts b/plugins/signals-backend/src/service/SignalManager.test.ts
index 3ee99bb34b..7d3a6ddf59 100644
--- a/plugins/signals-backend/src/service/SignalManager.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/signals-backend/src/service/SignalManager.test.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import { WebSocket } from 'ws';
 import { EventsServiceSubscribeOptions } from '@backstage/plugin-events-node';
 import { SignalManager } from './SignalManager';
 import { getVoidLogger } from '@backstage/backend-common';
+import { ConfigReader } from '@backstage/config';
 
 class MockWebSocket {
   closed: boolean = false;
@@ -30,6 +31,11 @@ class MockWebSocket {
     this.closed = true;
   }
 
+  terminate(): void {
+    this.readyState = WebSocket.CLOSED;
+    this.closed = true;
+  }
+
   on(
     event: string | symbol,
     listener: (this: WebSocket, ...args: any[]) => void,
@@ -63,9 +69,23 @@ describe('SignalManager', () => {
     },
   };
 
+  const shutdownHooks: Function[] = [];
+  const mockLifecycle = {
+    addShutdownHook: (hook: Function) => shutdownHooks.push(hook),
+  };
+
   const manager = SignalManager.create({
     events: mockEvents,
     logger: getVoidLogger(),
+    config: new ConfigReader({}),
+    lifecycle: mockLifecycle as any,
+  });
+
+  it('should close all connections when server is closed', () => {
+    const ws = new MockWebSocket();
+    manager.addConnection(ws as unknown as WebSocket);
+    shutdownHooks.forEach(hook => hook());
+    expect(ws.closed).toBeTruthy();
   });
 
   it('should close connection on error', () => {
diff --git a/plugins/signals-backend/src/service/SignalManager.ts b/plugins/signals-backend/src/service/SignalManager.ts
index 3211c51c9c..995c80ad28 100644
--- a/plugins/signals-backend/src/service/SignalManager.ts
+++ b/plugins/signals-backend/src/service/SignalManager.ts
@@ -20,8 +20,10 @@ import { v4 as uuid } from 'uuid';
 import { JsonObject } from '@backstage/types';
 import {
   BackstageUserInfo,
+  LifecycleService,
   LoggerService,
 } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
+import { Config } from '@backstage/config';
 
 /**
  * @internal
@@ -32,6 +34,7 @@ export type SignalConnection = {
   ws: WebSocket;
   ownershipEntityRefs: string[];
   subscriptions: Set<string>;
+  isAlive: boolean;
 };
 
 /**
@@ -39,7 +42,9 @@ export type SignalConnection = {
  */
 export type SignalManagerOptions = {
   events: EventsService;
+  config: Config;
   logger: LoggerService;
+  lifecycle?: LifecycleService;
 };
 
 /** @internal */
@@ -50,6 +55,7 @@ export class SignalManager {
   >();
   private events: EventsService;
   private logger: LoggerService;
+  private pingInterval: ReturnType<typeof setInterval> | undefined;
 
   static create(options: SignalManagerOptions) {
     return new SignalManager(options);
@@ -64,11 +70,43 @@ export class SignalManager {
       onEvent: (params: EventParams) =>
         this.onEventBrokerEvent(params.eventPayload as SignalPayload),
     });
+
+    options.lifecycle?.addShutdownHook(() => this.onShutdown());
+  }
+
+  private ping() {
+    this.connections.forEach(conn => {
+      if (!conn.isAlive) {
+        this.logger.debug(`Connection ${conn.id} is not alive, terminating`);
+        conn.ws.terminate();
+        return;
+      }
+
+      conn.isAlive = false;
+      conn.ws.ping();
+    });
+  }
+
+  private onShutdown() {
+    if (this.pingInterval) {
+      clearInterval(this.pingInterval);
+    }
+
+    // TODO: Unsubscribe from events?
+
+    this.connections.forEach(conn => {
+      conn.ws.terminate();
+    });
+    this.connections.clear();
   }
 
   addConnection(ws: WebSocket, identity?: BackstageUserInfo) {
-    const id = uuid();
+    // Start pinging on first connection
+    if (!this.pingInterval) {
+      this.pingInterval = setInterval(() => this.ping(), 30000);
+    }
 
+    const id = uuid();
     const conn = {
       id,
       user: identity?.userEntityRef ?? 'user:default/guest',
@@ -77,25 +115,37 @@ export class SignalManager {
         'user:default/guest',
       ],
       subscriptions: new Set<string>(),
+      isAlive: true,
     };
 
     this.connections.set(id, conn);
 
+    this.logger.debug(`Connection ${id} connected`);
     ws.on('error', (err: Error) => {
       this.logger.error(
         `Error occurred with connection ${id}: ${err}, closing connection`,
       );
-      ws.close();
+      ws.terminate();
       this.connections.delete(id);
     });
 
     ws.on('close', (code: number, reason: Buffer) => {
-      this.logger.info(
+      this.logger.debug(
         `Connection ${id} closed with code ${code}, reason: ${reason}`,
       );
+      ws.terminate();
       this.connections.delete(id);
     });
 
+    ws.on('ping', () => {
+      conn.isAlive = true;
+      ws.pong();
+    });
+
+    ws.on('pong', () => {
+      conn.isAlive = true;
+    });
+
     ws.on('message', (data: RawData, isBinary: boolean) => {
       this.logger.debug(`Received message from connection ${id}: ${data}`);
       if (isBinary) {
@@ -114,12 +164,12 @@ export class SignalManager {
 
   private handleMessage(connection: SignalConnection, message: JsonObject) {
     if (message.action === 'subscribe' && message.channel) {
-      this.logger.info(
+      this.logger.debug(
         `Connection ${connection.id} subscribed to ${message.channel}`,
       );
       connection.subscriptions.add(message.channel as string);
     } else if (message.action === 'unsubscribe' && message.channel) {
-      this.logger.info(
+      this.logger.debug(
         `Connection ${connection.id} unsubscribed from ${message.channel}`,
       );
       connection.subscriptions.delete(message.channel as string);
diff --git a/plugins/signals-backend/src/service/router.test.ts b/plugins/signals-backend/src/service/router.test.ts
index bbcf506d19..c081031c54 100644
--- a/plugins/signals-backend/src/service/router.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/signals-backend/src/service/router.test.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import { createRouter } from './router';
 import { EventsService } from '@backstage/plugin-events-node';
 import { IdentityApi } from '@backstage/plugin-auth-node';
 import { UserInfoService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
+import { ConfigReader } from '@backstage/config';
 
 const eventsServiceMock: jest.Mocked<EventsService> = {
   subscribe: jest.fn(),
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@ describe('createRouter', () => {
       events: eventsServiceMock,
       discovery,
       userInfo,
+      config: new ConfigReader({}),
     });
     app = express().use(router);
   });
diff --git a/plugins/signals-backend/src/service/router.ts b/plugins/signals-backend/src/service/router.ts
index fab706e878..ea706ebf1a 100644
--- a/plugins/signals-backend/src/service/router.ts
+++ b/plugins/signals-backend/src/service/router.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import Router from 'express-promise-router';
 import {
   AuthService,
   BackstageUserInfo,
+  LifecycleService,
   LoggerService,
   UserInfoService,
 } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ import { IdentityApi } from '@backstage/plugin-auth-node';
 import { EventsService } from '@backstage/plugin-events-node';
 import { WebSocket, WebSocketServer } from 'ws';
 import { Duplex } from 'stream';
+import { Config } from '@backstage/config';
 
 /** @public */
 export interface RouterOptions {
@@ -40,6 +42,8 @@ export interface RouterOptions {
   events: EventsService;
   identity: IdentityApi;
   discovery: PluginEndpointDiscovery;
+  config: Config;
+  lifecycle?: LifecycleService;
   auth?: AuthService;
   userInfo?: UserInfoService;
 }
@@ -56,16 +60,12 @@ export async function createRouter(
   let apiUrl: string | undefined = undefined;
 
   const webSocketServer = new WebSocketServer({
-    noServer: true,
-    clientTracking: false,
+    noServer: true, // handle upgrade manually
+    clientTracking: false, // handle connections in SignalManager
   });
 
   webSocketServer.on('error', (error: Error) => {
-    logger.error('WebSocket server error', error);
-  });
-
-  webSocketServer.on('close', () => {
-    logger.info('WebSocket server closed');
+    logger.error(`WebSocket server error: ${error}`);
   });
 
   const handleUpgrade = async (
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ export async function createRouter(
         }
       }
     } catch (e) {
-      logger.error('Failed to authenticate WebSocket connection', e);
+      logger.error(`Failed to authenticate WebSocket connection: ${e}`);
       socket.write(
         'HTTP/1.1 401 Web Socket Protocol Handshake\r\n' +
           'Upgrade: WebSocket\r\n' +
@@ -115,7 +115,14 @@ export async function createRouter(
         },
       );
     } catch (e) {
-      logger.error('Failed to handle WebSocket upgrade', e);
+      logger.error(`Failed to handle WebSocket upgrade: ${e}`);
+      socket.write(
+        'HTTP/1.1 500 Web Socket Protocol Handshake\r\n' +
+          'Upgrade: WebSocket\r\n' +
+          'Connection: Upgrade\r\n' +
+          '\r\n',
+      );
+      socket.destroy();
     }
   };
 
@@ -145,7 +152,6 @@ export async function createRouter(
   router.use(upgradeMiddleware);
 
   router.get('/health', (_, response) => {
-    logger.info('PONG!');
     response.json({ status: 'ok' });
   });
 
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index 89d4b0ee45..f541bd1702 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -7271,6 +7271,7 @@ __metadata:
     "@backstage/types": "workspace:^"
     "@types/express": "*"
     "@types/supertest": ^2.0.8
+    "@types/ws": ^8.5.10
     express: ^4.17.1
     express-promise-router: ^4.1.0
     http-proxy-middleware: ^2.0.0
@@ -7279,7 +7280,7 @@ __metadata:
     supertest: ^6.2.4
     uuid: ^9.0.0
     winston: ^3.2.1
-    ws: ^8.14.2
+    ws: ^8.17.0
     yn: ^4.0.0
   languageName: unknown
   linkType: soft
@@ -42139,9 +42140,9 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
-"ws@npm:*, ws@npm:^8.11.0, ws@npm:^8.12.0, ws@npm:^8.13.0, ws@npm:^8.14.2, ws@npm:^8.16.0, ws@npm:^8.8.0":
-  version: 8.16.0
-  resolution: "ws@npm:8.16.0"
+"ws@npm:*, ws@npm:^8.11.0, ws@npm:^8.12.0, ws@npm:^8.13.0, ws@npm:^8.14.2, ws@npm:^8.16.0, ws@npm:^8.17.0, ws@npm:^8.8.0":
+  version: 8.17.0
+  resolution: "ws@npm:8.17.0"
   peerDependencies:
     bufferutil: ^4.0.1
     utf-8-validate: ">=5.0.2"
@@ -42150,7 +42151,7 @@ __metadata:
       optional: true
     utf-8-validate:
       optional: true
-  checksum: feb3eecd2bae82fa8a8beef800290ce437d8b8063bdc69712725f21aef77c49cb2ff45c6e5e7fce622248f9c7abaee506bae0a9064067ffd6935460c7357321b
+  checksum: 147ef9eab0251364e1d2c55338ad0efb15e6913923ccbfdf20f7a8a6cb8f88432bcd7f4d8f66977135bfad35575644f9983201c1a361019594a4e53977bf6d4e
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard