diff --git a/packages/c/cmake/atsdk.cmake b/packages/c/cmake/atsdk.cmake
index 24766f0b0..cbd7365e1 100644
--- a/packages/c/cmake/atsdk.cmake
+++ b/packages/c/cmake/atsdk.cmake
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ if(NOT atsdk_FOUND)
   FetchContent_Declare(
     atsdk
     GIT_REPOSITORY https://github.com/atsign-foundation/at_c.git
-    GIT_TAG 9b9cb315a8af08a19e9679c9dad98572536f2ee4
+    GIT_TAG ad8a9a0d154f06a0d7af52bfef27c1334871bfc0
   )
   FetchContent_MakeAvailable(atsdk)
   install(TARGETS atclient atchops atlogger)
diff --git a/packages/c/sshnpd/CHANGELOG.md b/packages/c/sshnpd/CHANGELOG.md
index 6ef901fcf..ca1d922c7 100644
--- a/packages/c/sshnpd/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/packages/c/sshnpd/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+## 0.2.6
+
+- fix: stabilize monitor connection
+  - automatic failover / reconnect after ~40 seconds of down time
+
 ## 0.2.5
 
 - fix: uptake some fixes in monitor
diff --git a/packages/c/sshnpd/include/sshnpd/handler_commons.h b/packages/c/sshnpd/include/sshnpd/handler_commons.h
index d1c763e26..69d4f0cac 100644
--- a/packages/c/sshnpd/include/sshnpd/handler_commons.h
+++ b/packages/c/sshnpd/include/sshnpd/handler_commons.h
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 #ifndef HANDLER_COMMONS_H
 #define HANDLER_COMMONS_H
 #include "sshnpd/params.h"
-#include <atclient/cjson.h>
 #include <atclient/monitor.h>
+#include <atcommons/json.h>
 #include <pthread.h>
 
 #define BYTES(x) (sizeof(unsigned char) * x)
diff --git a/packages/c/sshnpd/include/sshnpd/run_srv_process.h b/packages/c/sshnpd/include/sshnpd/run_srv_process.h
index f916fff37..7d6abda40 100644
--- a/packages/c/sshnpd/include/sshnpd/run_srv_process.h
+++ b/packages/c/sshnpd/include/sshnpd/run_srv_process.h
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #ifndef RUN_SRV_H
 #define RUN_SRV_H
 
-#include <atclient/cjson.h>
+#include <atcommons/json.h>
 #include <stdbool.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
 
diff --git a/packages/c/sshnpd/include/sshnpd/version.h b/packages/c/sshnpd/include/sshnpd/version.h
index 58a83c2d6..11c277197 100644
--- a/packages/c/sshnpd/include/sshnpd/version.h
+++ b/packages/c/sshnpd/include/sshnpd/version.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 #ifndef SSHNPD_VERSION_H
 #define SSHNPD_VERSION_H
-#define SSHNPD_VERSION "0.2.5"
+#define SSHNPD_VERSION "0.2.6"
 #endif
diff --git a/packages/c/sshnpd/src/handle_npt_request.c b/packages/c/sshnpd/src/handle_npt_request.c
index 9c46dc90d..d1df063c3 100644
--- a/packages/c/sshnpd/src/handle_npt_request.c
+++ b/packages/c/sshnpd/src/handle_npt_request.c
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 #include <atchops/base64.h>
 #include <atchops/iv.h>
 #include <atchops/rsa_key.h>
-#include <atclient/cjson.h>
+#include <atcommons/json.h>
 #include <atclient/monitor.h>
 #include <atclient/notify.h>
 #include <atclient/string_utils.h>
diff --git a/packages/c/sshnpd/src/handle_ssh_request.c b/packages/c/sshnpd/src/handle_ssh_request.c
index e5b161fa5..59e8386a2 100644
--- a/packages/c/sshnpd/src/handle_ssh_request.c
+++ b/packages/c/sshnpd/src/handle_ssh_request.c
@@ -3,10 +3,10 @@
 #include <atchops/base64.h>
 #include <atchops/iv.h>
 #include <atchops/rsa_key.h>
-#include <atclient/cjson.h>
 #include <atclient/monitor.h>
 #include <atclient/notify.h>
 #include <atclient/string_utils.h>
+#include <atcommons/json.h>
 #include <atlogger/atlogger.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <pthread.h>
diff --git a/packages/c/sshnpd/src/handler_commons.c b/packages/c/sshnpd/src/handler_commons.c
index 9038a4c64..49f45d7ee 100644
--- a/packages/c/sshnpd/src/handler_commons.c
+++ b/packages/c/sshnpd/src/handler_commons.c
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 #include "sshnpd/sshnpd.h"
 #include <atchops/constants.h>
 #include <atchops/rsa_key.h>
-#include <atclient/cjson.h>
+#include <atcommons/json.h>
 #include <atlogger/atlogger.h>
 #include <sshnpd/handler_commons.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
diff --git a/packages/c/sshnpd/src/main.c b/packages/c/sshnpd/src/main.c
index ba68bc238..de89f6fe4 100644
--- a/packages/c/sshnpd/src/main.c
+++ b/packages/c/sshnpd/src/main.c
@@ -16,12 +16,12 @@
 #include <atclient/atkey.h>
 #include <atclient/atkeys.h>
 #include <atclient/atkeys_file.h>
-#include <atclient/cjson.h>
 #include <atclient/connection.h>
 #include <atclient/connection_hooks.h>
 #include <atclient/monitor.h>
 #include <atclient/notify.h>
 #include <atclient/string_utils.h>
+#include <atcommons/json.h>
 #include <atlogger/atlogger.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <libgen.h>
@@ -38,6 +38,10 @@
 #define FILENAME_BUFFER_SIZE 500
 #define LOGGER_TAG "sshnpd"
 
+#define MONITOR_READ_TIMEOUT_MS 5000
+// How often to try to reconnect if the connect appears stale
+#define MONITOR_NOOP_TIMEOUT_MS 40000
+
 static struct {
   char *str;
   enum notification_key key;
@@ -57,6 +61,7 @@ static int lock_atclient(void);
 static int unlock_atclient(int);
 
 static int reconnect_atclient();
+static int reconnect_monitor();
 
 static int set_worker_hooks();
 static void main_loop();
@@ -178,6 +183,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 
   // 7.a Initialize the monitor atclient
   atclient_init(&monitor_ctx);
+  atclient_set_read_timeout(&monitor_ctx, MONITOR_READ_TIMEOUT_MS); // 5 seconds for timeout
   res = atclient_monitor_pkam_authenticate(&monitor_ctx, params.atsign, &atkeys, NULL);
   if (res != 0 || !should_run) {
     exit_res = res;
@@ -205,12 +211,12 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
     // atclient_get_public_encryption_key(&atclient, params.manager_list[i], &public_encryption_key);
     // TODO: finish caching
   }
+  printf("\n");
   if (params.policy == NULL) {
     atlogger_log(LOGGER_TAG, ATLOGGER_LOGGING_LEVEL_DEBUG, "Policy Manager: NULL");
   } else {
     atlogger_log(LOGGER_TAG, ATLOGGER_LOGGING_LEVEL_DEBUG, "Policy Manager: %s", params.policy);
   }
-  printf("\n");
 
   if (!should_run) {
     exit_res = res;
@@ -408,49 +414,47 @@ void main_loop() {
   permitopen.permitopen_hosts = params.permitopen_hosts;
   permitopen.permitopen_ports = params.permitopen_ports;
 
+  size_t timeout_counter = 0;
+
   while (should_run) {
     atlogger_log(LOGGER_TAG, ATLOGGER_LOGGING_LEVEL_DEBUG, "Waiting for next monitor thread message\n");
     atclient_monitor_response_init(&message);
 
+    int ret;
+    if (timeout_counter * MONITOR_READ_TIMEOUT_MS > MONITOR_NOOP_TIMEOUT_MS) {
+      // Do noop & reconnect if needed
+      ret = reconnect_monitor();
+      if (ret != 0) {
+        timeout_counter = MONITOR_NOOP_TIMEOUT_MS / MONITOR_READ_TIMEOUT_MS + 1;
+        atclient_monitor_response_free(&message);
+        continue;
+      } else {
+        timeout_counter = 0;
+      }
+    }
+
     // Read the next monitor message
-    int ret = atclient_monitor_read(&monitor_ctx, &worker, &message, &monitor_hooks);
+    ret = atclient_monitor_read(&monitor_ctx, &worker, &message, &monitor_hooks);
     if (ret != 0) {
-      atlogger_log(LOGGER_TAG, ATLOGGER_LOGGING_LEVEL_ERROR, "Possible bad state: monitor read failed (ret: %d)\n",
-                   ret);
+      atlogger_log(LOGGER_TAG, ATLOGGER_LOGGING_LEVEL_ERROR,
+                   "Possible bad state: monitor read failed, resetting connection (ret: %d)\n", ret);
+      timeout_counter = MONITOR_NOOP_TIMEOUT_MS / MONITOR_READ_TIMEOUT_MS + 1;
     }
 
     atlogger_log(LOGGER_TAG, ATLOGGER_LOGGING_LEVEL_DEBUG, "Received message of type: %d\n", message.type);
-
     switch (message.type) {
     case ATCLIENT_MONITOR_MESSAGE_TYPE_EMPTY:
-      // We got a timeout, nothing to read, nothing to do
+      timeout_counter++;
       break;
     case ATCLIENT_MONITOR_ERROR_READ:
-      if (!atclient_monitor_is_connected(&monitor_ctx)) {
-        atlogger_log(LOGGER_TAG, ATLOGGER_LOGGING_LEVEL_ERROR,
-                     "Seems the monitor connection is down, trying to reconnect\n");
-
-        int ret = atclient_monitor_pkam_authenticate(&monitor_ctx, params.atsign, &atkeys, NULL);
-        if (ret != 0) {
-          atlogger_log(LOGGER_TAG, ATLOGGER_LOGGING_LEVEL_ERROR,
-                       "Monitor connection failed to reconnect, trying again in 1 second...\n");
-          sleep(1);
-          break;
-        }
-
-        ret = atclient_monitor_start(&monitor_ctx, regex);
-        if (ret != 0) {
-          atlogger_log(LOGGER_TAG, ATLOGGER_LOGGING_LEVEL_ERROR, "Monitor verb failed to restart.\n");
-          break;
-        }
-
-        atlogger_log(LOGGER_TAG, ATLOGGER_LOGGING_LEVEL_INFO, "Reconnected the monitor connection.\n");
-      }
+      timeout_counter = MONITOR_NOOP_TIMEOUT_MS / MONITOR_READ_TIMEOUT_MS + 1;
       break;
     case ATCLIENT_MONITOR_MESSAGE_TYPE_DATA_RESPONSE:
+      timeout_counter = 0;
       atlogger_log(LOGGER_TAG, ATLOGGER_LOGGING_LEVEL_DEBUG, "Received a data response: %s\n", message.data_response);
       break;
     case ATCLIENT_MONITOR_MESSAGE_TYPE_ERROR_RESPONSE:
+      timeout_counter = 0;
       atlogger_log(LOGGER_TAG, ATLOGGER_LOGGING_LEVEL_ERROR, "Received an error response: %s\n",
                    message.error_response);
       break;
@@ -458,12 +462,15 @@ void main_loop() {
       atlogger_log(LOGGER_TAG, ATLOGGER_LOGGING_LEVEL_ERROR, "Received a NONE notification type\n");
       break;
     case ATCLIENT_MONITOR_ERROR_PARSE_NOTIFICATION:
+      timeout_counter = MONITOR_NOOP_TIMEOUT_MS + 1;
       atlogger_log(LOGGER_TAG, ATLOGGER_LOGGING_LEVEL_ERROR, "Failed to parse the notification\n");
       break;
     case ATCLIENT_MONITOR_ERROR_DECRYPT_NOTIFICATION:
+      timeout_counter = MONITOR_NOOP_TIMEOUT_MS + 1;
       atlogger_log(LOGGER_TAG, ATLOGGER_LOGGING_LEVEL_ERROR, "Failed to decrypt the notification\n");
       break;
     case ATCLIENT_MONITOR_MESSAGE_TYPE_NOTIFICATION: {
+      timeout_counter = 0;
       bool is_init = atclient_atnotification_is_decrypted_value_initialized(&message.notification);
       bool has_key = atclient_atnotification_is_key_initialized(&message.notification);
       if (is_init) {
@@ -522,7 +529,6 @@ void main_loop() {
           // DO NOT USE permitopen, use npa_permitopen
         }
 
-        // TODO: maybe multithread these handlers
         switch (notification_key) {
         case NK_SSHPUBLICKEY:
           atlogger_log(LOGGER_TAG, ATLOGGER_LOGGING_LEVEL_DEBUG, "Executing handle_sshpublickey\n");
@@ -622,3 +628,24 @@ static int reconnect_atclient() {
 exit:
   return ret;
 }
+
+static int reconnect_monitor() {
+  atlogger_log(LOGGER_TAG, ATLOGGER_LOGGING_LEVEL_ERROR, "Seems the monitor connection is down, trying to reconnect\n");
+
+  int ret = atclient_monitor_pkam_authenticate(&monitor_ctx, params.atsign, &atkeys, NULL);
+  if (ret != 0) {
+    atlogger_log(LOGGER_TAG, ATLOGGER_LOGGING_LEVEL_ERROR,
+                 "Monitor connection failed to reconnect, trying again in 1 second...\n");
+    sleep(1);
+    return ret;
+  }
+
+  ret = atclient_monitor_start(&monitor_ctx, regex);
+  if (ret != 0) {
+    atlogger_log(LOGGER_TAG, ATLOGGER_LOGGING_LEVEL_ERROR, "Monitor verb failed to restart.\n");
+    return ret;
+  }
+
+  atlogger_log(LOGGER_TAG, ATLOGGER_LOGGING_LEVEL_INFO, "Reconnected the monitor connection.\n");
+  return 0;
+}
diff --git a/packages/c/sshnpd/src/run_srv_process.c b/packages/c/sshnpd/src/run_srv_process.c
index f696a6773..48e075e60 100644
--- a/packages/c/sshnpd/src/run_srv_process.c
+++ b/packages/c/sshnpd/src/run_srv_process.c
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #include "srv/params.h"
 #include "srv/srv.h"
-#include <atclient/cjson.h>
+#include <atcommons/json.h>
 #include <atclient/string_utils.h>
 #include <atlogger/atlogger.h>
 #include <errno.h>