diff --git a/static/css/style.css b/static/css/style.css
index 0d48836..9a39a02 100644
--- a/static/css/style.css
+++ b/static/css/style.css
@@ -162,6 +162,9 @@ main {
     -moz-border-radius: 10px;
     border-radius: 10px;
 }
+.host-cell-inactive {
+    border: 3px solid red;
+}
 .host-cell:hover {
     cursor: pointer;
     color: #000 !important;
diff --git a/static/js/index.js b/static/js/index.js
index cdc38a3..b571d9d 100644
--- a/static/js/index.js
+++ b/static/js/index.js
@@ -49,6 +49,35 @@ function restoreUiAfterNaClLoad() {
     $('#naclSpinner').hide();
     $('#loadingSpinner').css('display', 'none');
     showHostsAndSettingsMode();
+    for(hostUID in hosts) {
+        beginBackgroundPollingOfHost(hosts[hostUID]);
+    }
+}
+
+function beginBackgroundPollingOfHost(host) {
+    $("#hostgrid-" + host.serverUid).addClass('host-cell-inactive');
+    // for each host, first assume it's inactive.
+
+    host.initialPing(function () { // initial attempt was a success
+        $("#hostgrid-" + host.serverUid).removeClass('host-cell-inactive');
+        window.setInterval(function() {
+            // every 5 seconds, poll at the address we know it was live at
+            host.refreshServerInfoAtAddress(host.address).then(function (onSuccess){
+                $("#hostgrid-" + host.serverUid).removeClass('host-cell-inactive');
+            }, function (onFailure) {
+                $("#hostgrid-" + host.serverUid).addClass('host-cell-inactive');
+            });
+        }, 5000);
+    }, function () { // initial attempt was a failure
+        $("#hostgrid-" + host.serverUid).addClass('host-cell-inactive');
+        window.setInterval(function() {
+            if(host.refreshServerInfoAtAddress(host.address)) {
+                $("#hostgrid-" + host.serverUid).removeClass('host-cell-inactive');
+            } else {
+                $("#hostgrid-" + host.serverUid).addClass('host-cell-inactive');
+            }
+        }, 5000);
+    });
 }
 
 function snackbarLog(givenMessage) {
diff --git a/static/js/utils.js b/static/js/utils.js
index f129df0..90320f3 100644
--- a/static/js/utils.js
+++ b/static/js/utils.js
@@ -90,9 +90,10 @@ NvHTTP.prototype = {
         // try HTTPS first
         return sendMessage('openUrl', [ 'https://' + givenAddress + ':47984' + '/serverinfo?' + _self._buildUidStr(), false]).then(function(ret) {
             if (!_self._parseServerInfo(ret)) {  // if that fails
+                console.log('Failed to parse serverinfo from HTTPS, falling back to HTTP');
                 // try HTTP as a failover.  Useful to clients who aren't paired yet
                 return sendMessage('openUrl', [ 'http://' + givenAddress + ':47989' + '/serverinfo?' + _self._buildUidStr(), false]).then(function(retHttp) {
-                    _self._parseServerInfo(retHttp);
+                    return _self._parseServerInfo(retHttp);
                 });
             }
         });
@@ -147,6 +148,11 @@ NvHTTP.prototype = {
         if($root.attr("status_code") != 200) {
             return false;
         }
+
+        if(_self.serverUid != $root.find('uniqueid').text().trim() && _self.serverUid != null) {
+            // if we received a UID that isn't the one we expected, fail.
+            return false;
+        }
         
         console.log('parsing server info: ');
         console.log($root);