diff --git a/src/client.c b/src/client.c
index 3e8eda4..c991895 100644
--- a/src/client.c
+++ b/src/client.c
@@ -286,15 +286,15 @@ http_client_read(struct http_client *c) {
 	if(ret <= 0) {
 		/* broken link, free buffer and client object */
 
-		/* disconnect pub/sub client if there is one. */
-		if(c->pub_sub && c->pub_sub->ac) {
-			struct cmd *cmd = c->pub_sub;
+		/* disconnect pub/sub or WS client if there is one. */
+		if(c->self_cmd && c->self_cmd->ac) {
+			struct cmd *cmd = c->self_cmd;
 
 			/* disconnect from all channels */
-			redisAsyncDisconnect(c->pub_sub->ac);
-			// c->pub_sub might be already cleared by an event handler in redisAsyncDisconnect
+			redisAsyncDisconnect(c->self_cmd->ac);
+			// c->self_cmd might be already cleared by an event handler in redisAsyncDisconnect
 			cmd->ac = NULL;
-			c->pub_sub = NULL;
+			c->self_cmd = NULL;
 
 			/* delete command object */
 			cmd_free(cmd);
diff --git a/src/client.h b/src/client.h
index 6b38992..ae571fe 100644
--- a/src/client.h
+++ b/src/client.h
@@ -61,9 +61,12 @@ struct http_client {
 	char *separator; /* list separator for raw lists */
 	char *filename; /* content-disposition */
 
-	struct cmd *pub_sub;
+	struct cmd *self_cmd;
 
-	struct ws_msg *frame; /* websocket frame */
+	struct ws_msg *frame; /* websocket frame (containing *received* data) */
+	struct event ws_wev; /* websocket write event */
+	struct evbuffer *ws_wbuf; /* write buffer for websocket responses */
+	int ws_scheduled_write; /* whether we are already scheduled to send out WS data */
 };
 
 struct http_client *
diff --git a/src/cmd.c b/src/cmd.c
index 290df87..03a2821 100644
--- a/src/cmd.c
+++ b/src/cmd.c
@@ -22,11 +22,12 @@
 #include <ctype.h>
 
 struct cmd *
-cmd_new(int count) {
+cmd_new(struct http_client *client, int count) {
 
 	struct cmd *c = calloc(1, sizeof(struct cmd));
 
 	c->count = count;
+	c->http_client = client;
 
 	c->argv = calloc(count, sizeof(char*));
 	c->argv_len = calloc(count, sizeof(size_t));
@@ -164,7 +165,7 @@ cmd_run(struct worker *w, struct http_client *client,
 		return CMD_PARAM_ERROR;
 	}
 
-	cmd = cmd_new(param_count);
+	cmd = cmd_new(client, param_count);
 	cmd->fd = client->fd;
 	cmd->database = w->s->cfg->database;
 
@@ -224,7 +225,7 @@ cmd_run(struct worker *w, struct http_client *client,
 		cmd->ac = (redisAsyncContext*)pool_connect(w->pool, cmd->database, 0);
 
 		/* register with the client, used upon disconnection */
-		client->pub_sub = cmd;
+		client->self_cmd = cmd;
 		cmd->pub_sub_client = client;
 	} else if(cmd->database != w->s->cfg->database) {
 		/* create a new connection to Redis for custom DBs */
@@ -276,7 +277,7 @@ cmd_run(struct worker *w, struct http_client *client,
 	}
 	/* failed to find a suitable connection to Redis. */
 	cmd_free(cmd);
-	client->pub_sub = NULL;
+	client->self_cmd = NULL;
 	return CMD_REDIS_UNAVAIL;
 }
 
@@ -370,6 +371,9 @@ cmd_select_format(struct http_client *client, struct cmd *cmd,
 int
 cmd_is_subscribe(struct cmd *cmd) {
 
+	if(cmd->pub_sub_client) { /* persistent command */
+		return 1;
+	}
 	if(cmd->count >= 1 && cmd->argv[0] &&
 		(strncasecmp(cmd->argv[0], "SUBSCRIBE", cmd->argv_len[0]) == 0 ||
 		strncasecmp(cmd->argv[0], "PSUBSCRIBE", cmd->argv_len[0]) == 0)) {
diff --git a/src/cmd.h b/src/cmd.h
index e216bde..196a732 100644
--- a/src/cmd.h
+++ b/src/cmd.h
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ struct cmd {
 	int http_version;
 	int database;
 
+	struct http_client *http_client;
 	struct http_client *pub_sub_client;
 	redisAsyncContext *ac;
 	struct worker *w;
@@ -54,7 +55,7 @@ struct subscription {
 };
 
 struct cmd *
-cmd_new(int count);
+cmd_new(struct http_client *c, int count);
 
 void
 cmd_free(struct cmd *c);
diff --git a/src/formats/common.c b/src/formats/common.c
index 296b822..7842935 100644
--- a/src/formats/common.c
+++ b/src/formats/common.c
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ format_send_error(struct cmd *cmd, short code, const char *msg) {
 
 	/* for pub/sub, remove command from client */
 	if(cmd->pub_sub_client) {
-		cmd->pub_sub_client->pub_sub = NULL;
+		cmd->pub_sub_client->self_cmd = NULL;
 	} else {
 		cmd_free(cmd);
 	}
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ format_send_reply(struct cmd *cmd, const char *p, size_t sz, const char *content
 	struct http_response *resp;
 
 	if(cmd->is_websocket) {
-		ws_reply(cmd, p, sz);
+		ws_frame_and_send_response(cmd, p, sz);
 
 		/* If it's a subscribe command, there'll be more responses */
 		if(!cmd_is_subscribe(cmd))
diff --git a/src/formats/json.c b/src/formats/json.c
index 006bb1f..0cbcb52 100644
--- a/src/formats/json.c
+++ b/src/formats/json.c
@@ -522,7 +522,7 @@ json_ws_extract(struct http_client *c, const char *p, size_t sz) {
 	}
 
 	/* create command and add args */
-	cmd = cmd_new(argc);
+	cmd = cmd_new(c, argc);
 	for(i = 0, cur = 0; i < json_array_size(j); ++i) {
 		json_t *jelem = json_array_get(j, i);
 		char *tmp;
diff --git a/src/formats/raw.c b/src/formats/raw.c
index 20c3927..7caff97 100644
--- a/src/formats/raw.c
+++ b/src/formats/raw.c
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ raw_ws_extract(struct http_client *c, const char *p, size_t sz) {
 	}
 
 	/* create cmd object */
-	cmd = cmd_new(reply->elements);
+	cmd = cmd_new(c, reply->elements);
 
 	for(i = 0; i < reply->elements; ++i) {
 		redisReply *ri = reply->element[i];
diff --git a/src/websocket.c b/src/websocket.c
index e0891fd..0bd337b 100644
--- a/src/websocket.c
+++ b/src/websocket.c
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <sys/param.h>
 
+static void
+ws_schedule_write(struct http_client *c);
+
 /**
  * This code uses the WebSocket specification from RFC 6455.
  * A copy is available at http://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc6455.txt
@@ -171,15 +174,22 @@ ws_handshake_reply(struct http_client *c) {
 	memcpy(p, template_end, sizeof(template_end)-1);
 	p += sizeof(template_end)-1;
 
-	/* build HTTP response object by hand, since we have the full response already */
-	struct http_response *r = http_response_init_with_buffer(c->w, buffer, sz, 1);
-	if(!r) {
+	/* create buffer that will hold data to send out */
+	c->ws_wbuf = evbuffer_new();
+	if(!c->ws_wbuf) {
 		slog(c->s, WEBDIS_ERROR, "Failed to allocate response for WS handshake", 0);
 		free(buffer);
 		return -1;
 	}
 
-	http_schedule_write(c->fd, r); /* will free buffer and response once sent */
+	int add_ret = evbuffer_add(c->ws_wbuf, buffer, sz);
+	if(add_ret < 0) {
+		slog(c->s, WEBDIS_ERROR, "Failed to add response for WS handshake", 0);
+		free(buffer);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	ws_schedule_write(c); /* will free buffer and response once sent */
 
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -210,20 +220,17 @@ ws_execute(struct http_client *c, const char *frame, size_t frame_len) {
 			cmd_setup(cmd, c);
 			cmd->is_websocket = 1;
 
-			if (c->pub_sub != NULL) {
+			if (c->self_cmd != NULL) {
 				/* This client already has its own connection
-				 * to Redis due to a subscription; use it from
+				 * to Redis from a previous command; use it from
 				 * now on. */
-				cmd->ac = c->pub_sub->ac;
-			} else if (cmd_is_subscribe(cmd)) {
-				/* New subscribe command; make new Redis context
+				cmd->ac = c->self_cmd->ac;
+			} else {
+				/* First WS command; make new Redis context
 				 * for this client */
 				cmd->ac = pool_connect(c->w->pool, cmd->database, 0);
-				c->pub_sub = cmd;
+				c->self_cmd = cmd;
 				cmd->pub_sub_client = c;
-			} else {
-				/* get Redis connection from pool */
-				cmd->ac = (redisAsyncContext*)pool_get_context(c->w->pool);
 			}
 
 			/* send it off */
@@ -348,11 +355,10 @@ ws_add_data(struct http_client *c) {
 }
 
 int
-ws_reply(struct cmd *cmd, const char *p, size_t sz) {
+ws_frame_and_send_response(struct cmd *cmd, const char *p, size_t sz) {
 
 	char *frame = malloc(sz + 8); /* create frame by prepending header */
 	size_t frame_sz = 0;
-	struct http_response *r;
 	if (frame == NULL)
 		return -1;
 
@@ -383,15 +389,50 @@ ws_reply(struct cmd *cmd, const char *p, size_t sz) {
 	}
 
 	/* mark as keep alive, otherwise we'll close the connection after the first reply */
-	r = http_response_init_with_buffer(cmd->w, frame, frame_sz, 1);
-	if (r == NULL) {
+	int add_ret = evbuffer_add(cmd->http_client->ws_wbuf, frame, frame_sz);
+	if (add_ret < 0) {
 		free(frame);
-		slog(cmd->w->s, WEBDIS_ERROR, "Failed response allocation in ws_reply", 0);
+		slog(cmd->w->s, WEBDIS_ERROR, "Failed response allocation in ws_frame_and_send_response", 0);
 		return -1;
 	}
 
 	/* send WS frame */
-	http_schedule_write(cmd->fd, r);
+	ws_schedule_write(cmd->http_client);
 
 	return 0;
 }
+
+static void
+ws_can_write(int fd, short event, void *p) {
+
+	int ret;
+	struct http_client *c = p;
+	(void)event;
+
+	c->ws_scheduled_write = 0;
+
+	/* send pending data */
+	ret = evbuffer_write(c->ws_wbuf, fd);
+
+	if(ret < 0) {
+		close(fd);
+	} else if(ret > 0 && evbuffer_get_length(c->ws_wbuf) > 0) { /* more data to send */
+		ws_schedule_write(c);
+	}
+}
+
+static void
+ws_schedule_write(struct http_client *c) {
+
+	if(c->ws_scheduled_write) {
+		return;
+	}
+	event_set(&c->ws_wev, c->fd, EV_WRITE, ws_can_write, c);
+	event_base_set(c->w->base, &c->ws_wev);
+	int ret = event_add(&c->ws_wev, NULL);
+	if(ret == 0) {
+		c->ws_scheduled_write = 1;
+	} else { /* could not schedule write */
+		slog(c->w->s, WEBDIS_ERROR, "Could not schedule WS write", 0);
+	}
+}
diff --git a/src/websocket.h b/src/websocket.h
index dc9d764..09886ca 100644
--- a/src/websocket.h
+++ b/src/websocket.h
@@ -25,6 +25,6 @@ enum ws_state
 ws_add_data(struct http_client *c);
 
 int
-ws_reply(struct cmd *cmd, const char *p, size_t sz);
+ws_frame_and_send_response(struct cmd *cmd, const char *p, size_t sz);
 
 #endif