diff --git a/ext/src/_locales/en/messages.json b/ext/src/_locales/en/messages.json
index 85c24b7..806925b 100755
--- a/ext/src/_locales/en/messages.json
+++ b/ext/src/_locales/en/messages.json
@@ -201,6 +201,15 @@
       , "description": "Update now button title. Ellipsis indicates additional information as it triggers an update window popup."
     }
 
+  , "optionsBridgeBackupEnabled": {
+        "message": "Enable backup daemon connection"
+      , "description": "Backup daemon checkbox label."
+    }
+  , "optionsBridgeBackupEnabledDescription": {
+        "message": "If the regular bridge connection fails, attempt to connect to a bridge running in daemon mode."
+      , "description": "Backup daemon checkbox description."
+    }
+
   , "optionsMediaCategoryName": {
         "message": "Media casting"
       , "description": "Options page media casting category title."
diff --git a/ext/src/defaultOptions.ts b/ext/src/defaultOptions.ts
index 0763e8a..3ccdcce 100644
--- a/ext/src/defaultOptions.ts
+++ b/ext/src/defaultOptions.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { Options } from "./lib/options";
 
 export default {
     bridgeApplicationName: APPLICATION_NAME
+  , bridgeBackupEnabled: false
   , mediaEnabled: true
   , mediaOverlayEnabled: false
   , mediaSyncElement: false
diff --git a/ext/src/lib/nativeMessaging.ts b/ext/src/lib/nativeMessaging.ts
index ff26521..79e0118 100644
--- a/ext/src/lib/nativeMessaging.ts
+++ b/ext/src/lib/nativeMessaging.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 "use strict";
 
 import logger from "./logger";
+import options from "./options";
+
 
 const WEBSOCKET_DAEMON_URL = "ws://localhost:9556";
 
@@ -96,7 +98,19 @@ function connectNative (application: string) {
     };
 
 
-    port.onDisconnect.addListener(() => {
+    port.onDisconnect.addListener(async () => {
+        if (!(await options.get("bridgeBackupEnabled"))) {
+            portObject.error = {
+                message: ""
+            };
+
+            for (const listener of onDisconnectListeners) {
+                listener(portObject);
+            }
+
+            throw logger.error("Bridge connection failed and backup not enabled.");
+        }
+
         if (port.error && !isNativeHostStatusKnown) {
             isNativeHostStatusKnown = true;
 
@@ -152,7 +166,11 @@ async function sendNativeMessage (
 
     try {
         return await browser.runtime.sendNativeMessage(application, message);
-    } catch (err) {
+    } catch {
+        if (!(await options.get("bridgeBackupEnabled"))) {
+            throw logger.error("Bridge connection failed and backup not enabled.");
+        }
+
         return await new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
             const ws = new WebSocket(WEBSOCKET_DAEMON_URL);
 
diff --git a/ext/src/lib/options.ts b/ext/src/lib/options.ts
index 899c5cf..7e3d7a2 100644
--- a/ext/src/lib/options.ts
+++ b/ext/src/lib/options.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ const storageArea = new TypedStorageArea<{
 
 export interface Options {
     bridgeApplicationName: string;
+    bridgeBackupEnabled: boolean;
     mediaEnabled: boolean;
     mediaOverlayEnabled: boolean;
     mediaSyncElement: boolean;
diff --git a/ext/src/ui/options/Bridge.tsx b/ext/src/ui/options/Bridge.tsx
index 8151063..70ab8f5 100644
--- a/ext/src/ui/options/Bridge.tsx
+++ b/ext/src/ui/options/Bridge.tsx
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 import React, { Component } from "react";
 import semver from "semver";
 
+import options from "../../lib/options";
+
 import { BridgeInfo } from "../../lib/bridge";
 import { getNextEllipsis } from "../../lib/utils";
 
@@ -67,6 +69,7 @@ interface BridgeState {
     isUpdateAvailable: boolean;
     wasErrorCheckingUpdates: boolean;
     checkUpdatesEllipsis: string;
+    bridgeBackupEnabled?: boolean;
     updateStatus?: string;
 }
 
@@ -84,6 +87,11 @@ export default class Bridge extends Component<BridgeProps, BridgeState> {
           , checkUpdatesEllipsis: "..."
         };
 
+        options.get("bridgeBackupEnabled")
+            .then(bridgeBackupEnabled => {
+                this.setState({ bridgeBackupEnabled });
+            });
+
         this.onCheckUpdates = this.onCheckUpdates.bind(this);
         this.onCheckUpdatesResponse = this.onCheckUpdatesResponse.bind(this);
         this.onCheckUpdatesError = this.onCheckUpdatesError.bind(this);
@@ -100,6 +108,27 @@ export default class Bridge extends Component<BridgeProps, BridgeState> {
                         </div> )
                     : this.renderStatus() }
 
+                { !this.props.loading && this.state.bridgeBackupEnabled !== undefined &&
+                    <div className="bridge__options">
+                        <label className="option option--inline">
+                            <div className="option__control">
+                                <input name="bridgeBackupEnabled"
+                                       type="checkbox"
+                                       checked={ this.state.bridgeBackupEnabled }
+                                       onChange={ ev => {
+                                           options.set("bridgeBackupEnabled"
+                                                 , ev.target.checked);
+                                       }} />
+                            </div>
+                            <div className="option__label">
+                                { _("optionsBridgeBackupEnabled") }
+                            </div>
+                            <div className="option__description">
+                                { _("optionsBridgeBackupEnabledDescription") }
+                            </div>
+                        </label>
+                    </div> }
+
                 { !this.props.loading &&
                     <div className="bridge__update-info">
                         { this.state.isUpdateAvailable
diff --git a/ext/src/ui/options/styles/index.css b/ext/src/ui/options/styles/index.css
index 62be244..1e9af72 100644
--- a/ext/src/ui/options/styles/index.css
+++ b/ext/src/ui/options/styles/index.css
@@ -129,10 +129,14 @@
     white-space: nowrap;
 }
 
+.bridge__options {
+    margin-top: 30px;
+}
+
 .bridge__update-info {
     align-items: center;
     display: flex;
-    margin-top: 30px;
+    margin-top: 10px;
 }
 
 .bridge__update-label {