diff --git a/lib/bot.js b/lib/bot.js
index 13f1922..b384b3c 100644
--- a/lib/bot.js
+++ b/lib/bot.js
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ class Bot {
     this.muteSlackbot = options.muteSlackbot || false;
     this.nickSuffix = options.userNickSuffix || '-sl';
     this.nickRegex = new RegExp(`@?(\\S+${this.nickSuffix}\\d?)`, 'g');
+    this.ircTimeout = options.ircTimeout || 120; // Seconds
 
     const ircOptions = {
       userName: this.nickname,
@@ -129,10 +130,17 @@ class Bot {
       const user = dataStore.getUserById(event.user);
       logger.debug(`Slack user ${user.name} status changed to ${event.presence}.`);
       if (this.isBot(user.id)) return;
+      const client = this.ircClients[user.id];
       if (event.presence === 'active') {
-        this.connectNewClient(user);
-      } else {
-        this.deleteClient(user, `User ${user.name} went away.`);
+        if (client == null) {
+          this.connectNewClient(user);
+        } else {
+          clearTimeout(client.timer);
+        }
+      } else if (client != null) {
+        this.ircClients[user.id].timer = setTimeout(() => {
+          this.deleteClient(user, `Slack user ${user.name} went away.`);
+        }, this.ircTimeout * 1000);
       }
     });