diff --git a/backend/sync_server/src/app_state/cursors.rs b/backend/sync_server/src/app_state/cursors.rs
index d5aa01e4..a48aceec 100644
--- a/backend/sync_server/src/app_state/cursors.rs
+++ b/backend/sync_server/src/app_state/cursors.rs
@@ -100,6 +100,14 @@ impl Cursors {
                 .await;
         }
     }
+
+    pub async fn remove_cursors_of_device(&self, vault_id: &str, device_id: &str) {
+        let mut vault_to_cursors = self.vault_to_cursors.lock().await;
+
+        if let Some(cursors) = vault_to_cursors.get_mut(vault_id) {
+            cursors.retain(|c| c.client_cursors.device_id != device_id);
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 #[derive(Clone, Debug)]
diff --git a/backend/sync_server/src/app_state/websocket/utils.rs b/backend/sync_server/src/app_state/websocket/utils.rs
index 7c4e2c05..cf337e39 100644
--- a/backend/sync_server/src/app_state/websocket/utils.rs
+++ b/backend/sync_server/src/app_state/websocket/utils.rs
@@ -12,12 +12,12 @@ use crate::{
     server::auth::auth,
 };
 
-pub fn get_handshake(
+pub fn get_authenticated_handshake(
     state: &AppState,
     vault_id: &VaultId,
-    message: Message,
+    message: Option<Message>,
 ) -> Result<WebSocketHandshake, SyncServerError> {
-    if let Message::Text(message) = message {
+    if let Some(Message::Text(message)) = message {
         let message: WebSocketClientMessage = serde_json::from_str(&message)
             .context("Failed to parse message")
             .map_err(server_error)?;
diff --git a/backend/sync_server/src/server/websocket.rs b/backend/sync_server/src/server/websocket.rs
index 822c211c..4a7d7833 100644
--- a/backend/sync_server/src/server/websocket.rs
+++ b/backend/sync_server/src/server/websocket.rs
@@ -20,10 +20,12 @@ use crate::{
                 CursorPositionFromServer, WebSocketClientMessage, WebSocketServerMessage,
                 WebSocketVaultUpdate,
             },
-            utils::{get_handshake, get_unseen_documents, send_update_over_websocket},
+            utils::{
+                get_authenticated_handshake, get_unseen_documents, send_update_over_websocket,
+            },
         },
     },
-    errors::{SyncServerError, client_error, server_error, unauthenticated_error},
+    errors::{SyncServerError, client_error, server_error},
     utils::normalize::normalize,
 };
 
@@ -61,13 +63,15 @@ async fn websocket(
 ) -> Result<(), SyncServerError> {
     let (mut sender, mut websocket_receiver) = stream.split();
 
-    let handshake = if let Some(Ok(message)) = websocket_receiver.next().await {
-        get_handshake(&state, &vault_id, message)?
-    } else {
-        return Err(unauthenticated_error(anyhow::anyhow!(
-            "Failed to authenticate due to invalid message"
-        )));
-    };
+    let handshake = get_authenticated_handshake(
+        &state,
+        &vault_id,
+        websocket_receiver
+            .next()
+            .await
+            .transpose()
+            .unwrap_or_default(),
+    )?;
 
     let mut broadcast_receiver = state.broadcasts.get_receiver(vault_id.clone()).await;
 
@@ -103,6 +107,8 @@ async fn websocket(
     });
 
     let device_id = handshake.device_id.clone();
+    let vault_id_clone = vault_id.clone();
+    let cursor_manager = state.cursors.clone();
     let mut receive_task = tokio::spawn(async move {
         while let Some(Ok(Message::Text(message))) = websocket_receiver.next().await {
             let message: WebSocketClientMessage = serde_json::from_str(&message)
@@ -116,9 +122,12 @@ async fn websocket(
                     )));
                 }
                 WebSocketClientMessage::CursorPositions(cursors) => {
-                    state
-                        .cursors
-                        .update_cursors(vault_id.clone(), &device_id, cursors.document_to_cursors)
+                    cursor_manager
+                        .update_cursors(
+                            vault_id_clone.clone(),
+                            &device_id,
+                            cursors.document_to_cursors,
+                        )
                         .await;
                 }
             }
@@ -132,15 +141,26 @@ async fn websocket(
         _ = &mut receive_task => send_task.abort(),
     };
 
-    send_task
-        .await
-        .context("WebSocket send task failed")
-        .map_err(server_error)??;
+    let result = {
+        send_task
+            .await
+            .context("WebSocket send task failed")
+            .map_err(server_error)
+            .and_then(|x| x)?;
 
-    receive_task
-        .await
-        .context("WebSocket receive task failed")
-        .map_err(server_error)??;
+        receive_task
+            .await
+            .context("WebSocket receive task failed")
+            .map_err(server_error)
+            .and_then(|x| x)?;
 
-    Ok(())
+        Ok(())
+    };
+
+    state
+        .cursors
+        .remove_cursors_of_device(&vault_id, &handshake.device_id)
+        .await;
+
+    result
 }