diff --git a/bundles/org.openhab.binding.innogysmarthome/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/innogysmarthome/internal/InnogyWebSocket.java b/bundles/org.openhab.binding.innogysmarthome/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/innogysmarthome/internal/InnogyWebSocket.java
index 09a87134adb43..ac7862b8dc147 100644
--- a/bundles/org.openhab.binding.innogysmarthome/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/innogysmarthome/internal/InnogyWebSocket.java
+++ b/bundles/org.openhab.binding.innogysmarthome/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/innogysmarthome/internal/InnogyWebSocket.java
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
  */
 package org.openhab.binding.innogysmarthome.internal;
 
+import java.io.IOException;
 import java.net.URI;
 
 import org.eclipse.jdt.annotation.NonNullByDefault;
@@ -73,7 +74,11 @@ public synchronized void start() throws Exception {
         if (client == null || client.isStopped()) {
             client = new WebSocketClient(sslContextFactory);
             client.setMaxIdleTimeout(this.maxIdleTimeout);
-            client.start();
+            try {
+                client.start();
+            } catch (Exception e) {
+                throw new IOException("Web socket start failed");
+            }
         }
 
         if (session != null) {
@@ -97,6 +102,15 @@ public synchronized void stop() {
             session = null;
             logger.trace("Stopping websocket ignored - was not running.");
         }
+        if (client != null) {
+            try {
+                client.stop();
+                client.destroy();
+            } catch (Exception e) {
+                logger.debug("Stopping websocket failed", e);
+            }
+            client = null;
+        }
     }
 
     /**