diff --git a/LCS/Messaging/python/messaging/messagebus.py b/LCS/Messaging/python/messaging/messagebus.py
index 50f51ae1693d86b45c9e7c9dd9a13aaeb613c4c0..a367294f7a43cc41e6fd15c3be99ca90f7a2e123 100644
--- a/LCS/Messaging/python/messaging/messagebus.py
+++ b/LCS/Messaging/python/messaging/messagebus.py
@@ -58,19 +58,20 @@ class FromBus(object):
     but that of __new__().
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, address, options=None, broker=None):
+    def __init__(self, address, options=None, broker=None, broker_options=None):
         """
         Initializer.
         :param address: valid Qpid address
         :param options: valid Qpid address options, e.g. {'create': 'never'}
         :param broker: valid Qpid broker URL, e.g. "localhost:5672"
+        :param broker_options: valid Qpid broker options, e.g. {'reconnect': True}
         """
         self.address = address
         self.options = options if options else DEFAULT_ADDRESS_OPTIONS
         self.broker = broker if broker else DEFAULT_BROKER
+        self.broker_options = broker_options if broker_options else DEFAULT_BROKER_OPTIONS
 
-        self.connection = qpid.messaging.Connection(self.broker,
-                                                    **DEFAULT_BROKER_OPTIONS)
+        self.connection = qpid.messaging.Connection(self.broker, **self.broker_options)
         self.session = None
         self.opened=0
 
@@ -246,19 +247,20 @@ class ToBus(object):
     but that of __new__().
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, address, options=None, broker=None):
+    def __init__(self, address, options=None, broker=None, broker_options=None):
         """
         Initializer.
         :param address: valid Qpid address
         :param options: valid Qpid address options, e.g. {'create': 'never'}
         :param broker: valid Qpid broker URL, e.g. "localhost:5672"
+        :param broker_options: valid Qpid broker options, e.g. {'reconnect': True}
         """
         self.address = address
         self.options = options if options else DEFAULT_ADDRESS_OPTIONS
         self.broker = broker if broker else DEFAULT_BROKER
+        self.broker_options = broker_options if broker_options else DEFAULT_BROKER_OPTIONS
 
-        self.connection = qpid.messaging.Connection(self.broker,
-                                                    **DEFAULT_BROKER_OPTIONS)
+        self.connection = qpid.messaging.Connection(self.broker, **self.broker_options)
         self.session = None
         self.opened = 0
 
diff --git a/LCS/Messaging/python/messaging/test/t_messagebus.py b/LCS/Messaging/python/messaging/test/t_messagebus.py
index 5c86702dba1bdeeb13a8725ee6fba686578dd666..c4a70a0d66dc1df2b6f4930824e659dcf8320333 100644
--- a/LCS/Messaging/python/messaging/test/t_messagebus.py
+++ b/LCS/Messaging/python/messaging/test/t_messagebus.py
@@ -35,9 +35,6 @@ from lofar.messaging.exceptions import MessageBusError, InvalidMessage
 
 TIMEOUT = 1.0
 
-# Disable auto reconnect to test behaviour w.r.t. invalid addresses
-DEFAULT_BROKER_OPTIONS['reconnect'] = False
-
 
 # ========  FromBus unit tests  ======== #
 
@@ -56,7 +53,7 @@ class FromBusInitFailed(unittest.TestCase):
         regexp = re.escape(self.error)
         regexp += '.*' + 'No address associated with hostname'
         with self.assertRaisesRegexp(MessageBusError, regexp):
-            with FromBus(QUEUE, broker="foo.bar"):
+            with FromBus(QUEUE, broker="foo.bar", broker_options={'reconnect': False}):
                 pass
 
     def test_connection_refused(self):
@@ -65,7 +62,7 @@ class FromBusInitFailed(unittest.TestCase):
         """
         regexp = re.escape(self.error) + '.*' + 'Connection refused'
         with self.assertRaisesRegexp(MessageBusError, regexp):
-            with FromBus("fake" + QUEUE, broker="localhost:4"):
+            with FromBus("fake" + QUEUE, broker="localhost:4", broker_options={'reconnect': False}):
                 pass
 
 
@@ -167,7 +164,7 @@ class ToBusInitFailed(unittest.TestCase):
         regexp = re.escape(self.error)
         regexp += '.*' + 'No address associated with hostname'
         with self.assertRaisesRegexp(MessageBusError, regexp):
-            with ToBus(QUEUE, broker="foo.bar"):
+            with ToBus(QUEUE, broker="foo.bar",  broker_options={'reconnect': False}):
                 pass
 
     def test_connection_refused(self):
@@ -176,7 +173,7 @@ class ToBusInitFailed(unittest.TestCase):
         """
         regexp = re.escape(self.error) + '.*' + 'Connection refused'
         with self.assertRaisesRegexp(MessageBusError, regexp):
-            with ToBus(QUEUE, broker="localhost:4"):
+            with ToBus(QUEUE, broker="localhost:4", broker_options={'reconnect': False}):
                 pass