diff --git a/client/karma.js b/client/karma.js
index d0074f0f6..238a4d3ac 100644
--- a/client/karma.js
+++ b/client/karma.js
@@ -13,9 +13,8 @@ var Karma = function(socket, iframe, opener, navigator, location) {
   var queryParams = util.parseQueryParams(location.search);
   var browserId = queryParams.id || util.generateId('manual-');
   var returnUrl = queryParams['return_url' + ''] || null;
-  var currentTransport;
 
-  var resultsBufferLimit = 1;
+  var resultsBufferLimit = 50;
   var resultsBuffer = [];
 
   this.VERSION = constant.VERSION;
@@ -104,7 +103,6 @@ var Karma = function(socket, iframe, opener, navigator, location) {
 
   this.stringify = stringify;
 
-
   var clearContext = function() {
     reloadingContext = true;
     navigateContextTo('about:blank');
@@ -218,14 +216,9 @@ var Karma = function(socket, iframe, opener, navigator, location) {
 
   // report browser name, id
   socket.on('connect', function() {
-    currentTransport = socket.socket.transport.name;
-
-    // TODO(vojta): make resultsBufferLimit configurable
-    if (currentTransport === 'websocket') {
+    socket.io.engine.on('upgrade', function() {
       resultsBufferLimit = 1;
-    } else {
-      resultsBufferLimit = 50;
-    }
+    })
 
     socket.emit('register', {
       name: navigator.userAgent,
diff --git a/client/main.js b/client/main.js
index 11fba2934..e891f0849 100644
--- a/client/main.js
+++ b/client/main.js
@@ -5,14 +5,13 @@ var util = require('./util');
 var KARMA_URL_ROOT = require('./constants').KARMA_URL_ROOT;
 
 
-// connect socket.io
-// https://github.com/LearnBoost/Socket.IO/wiki/Configuring-Socket.IO
-var socket = io.connect('http://' + location.host, {
-  'reconnection delay': 500,
-  'reconnection limit': 2000,
-  'resource': KARMA_URL_ROOT.substr(1) + 'socket.io',
-  'sync disconnect on unload': true,
-  'max reconnection attempts': Infinity
+// Connect to the server using socket.io http://socket.io
+var socket = io('http://' + location.host, {
+  reconnectionDelay: 500,
+  reconnectionDelayMax: Infinity,
+  timeout: 2000,
+  path: '/' + KARMA_URL_ROOT.substr(1) + 'socket.io',
+  'sync disconnect on unload': true
 });
 
 // instantiate the updater of the view
diff --git a/lib/config.js b/lib/config.js
index 81423fb64..368c267ef 100644
--- a/lib/config.js
+++ b/lib/config.js
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ var Config = function() {
   this.urlRoot = '/';
   this.reportSlowerThan = 0;
   this.loggers = [constant.CONSOLE_APPENDER];
-  this.transports = ['websocket', 'polling'];
+  this.transports = ['polling', 'websocket'];
   this.plugins = ['karma-*'];
   this.client = {
     args: [],
diff --git a/lib/server.js b/lib/server.js
index abdcda943..79d733d95 100644
--- a/lib/server.js
+++ b/lib/server.js
@@ -200,8 +200,8 @@ var start = function(injector, config, launcher, globalEmitter, preprocess, file
     // to suppress "browser disconnect" warnings
     // TODO(vojta): change the client to not send the event (if disconnected by purpose)
     var sockets = socketServer.sockets.sockets;
-    Object.getOwnPropertyNames(sockets).forEach(function(key) {
-      var socket = sockets[key];
+
+    sockets.forEach(function(socket) {
       socket.removeAllListeners('disconnect');
       if (!socket.disconnected) {
         socket.disconnect();
@@ -230,11 +230,6 @@ var start = function(injector, config, launcher, globalEmitter, preprocess, file
         clearTimeout(closeTimeout);
         removeAllListeners();
       });
-
-      // shutdown socket.io flash transport, if defined
-      if (socketServer.flashPolicyServer) {
-        socketServer.flashPolicyServer.close();
-      }
     });
   };
 
diff --git a/test/client/karma.spec.js b/test/client/karma.spec.js
index e6440771e..c6d3d7516 100644
--- a/test/client/karma.spec.js
+++ b/test/client/karma.spec.js
@@ -161,6 +161,8 @@ describe('Karma', function() {
         log.push('start');
       });
 
+      setTransportTo('websocket');
+
       // adapter didn't call info({total: x})
       k.result();
       expect(log).toEqual(['start', 'result']);
@@ -178,6 +180,8 @@ describe('Karma', function() {
 
       socket.on('start', spyStart);
 
+      setTransportTo('websocket');
+
       k.info({total: 321});
       k.result();
       expect(log).toEqual(['start', 'result']);
diff --git a/test/client/mocks.js b/test/client/mocks.js
index 67a746d1d..f3909cec9 100644
--- a/test/client/mocks.js
+++ b/test/client/mocks.js
@@ -26,15 +26,26 @@ var Emitter = function() {
 var MockSocket = function() {
   Emitter.call(this);
 
-  this.socket = {transport: {name: 'websocket'}};
+  var transportName = 'websocket';
+
+  this.io = {
+    engine: {
+      on: function(event, cb) {
+        if (event === 'upgrade' && transportName === 'websocket') {
+          //setTimeout(cb, 0);
+          cb();
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  };
 
   this.disconnect = function() {
     this.emit('disconnect');
   };
 
   // MOCK API
-  this._setTransportNameTo = function(transportName) {
-    this.socket.transport.name = transportName;
+  this._setTransportNameTo = function(name) {
+    transportName = name;
   };
 };