diff --git a/component/CMakeLists.txt b/component/CMakeLists.txt
index ba46907..5089020 100644
--- a/component/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/component/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ set(SOURCES
     actor.cpp
     router.cpp
     core.cpp
+    loop.cpp
 )
 
 set(HEADERS
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@ set(HEADERS
     actor.h
     router.h
     core.h
+    loop.h
 )
 
 target_sources(${EXEC_NAME} PRIVATE ${SOURCES})
diff --git a/component/core.cpp b/component/core.cpp
index 5f2dfa9..e65ca51 100644
--- a/component/core.cpp
+++ b/component/core.cpp
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ Core::Core(const std::string& configPath):
     config(configPath),
     logger(config.getLogLevel()),
     router(logger),
-    initialized(false)
+    initialized(false),
+    connection()
 {}
 
 void Core::send(const std::string& jid, const std::string& body) {
diff --git a/component/loop.cpp b/component/loop.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6a965e9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/component/loop.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,185 @@
+// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2024 Yury Gubich <blue@macaw.me>
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+
+#include "loop.h"
+
+#include <fcntl.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <csignal>
+
+Loop::Loop(const Shared::Logger& logger):
+    Shared::Loggable(logger, {"Loop"}),
+    wakePipe(),
+    handlers(),
+    mutex(),
+    running(false)
+{
+    if (pipe(wakePipe) < 0) {
+        fatal(std::string("pipe: ") + strerror(errno));
+        std::exit(1);
+    }
+
+    fcntl(wakePipe[0], F_SETFL, O_NONBLOCK);
+    fcntl(wakePipe[1], F_SETFL, O_NONBLOCK);
+
+    registerInstance(this);
+}
+
+Loop::~Loop() {
+    unregisterInstance(this);
+
+    close(wakePipe[0]);
+    close(wakePipe[1]);
+}
+
+void Loop::run() {
+    if (running.exchange(true)) {
+        warn("an attempt to run already running event loop, skipping");
+        return;
+    }
+
+    debug("entering the loop");
+    while (running) {
+        std::unique_lock lock(mutex);
+
+        fd_set readfds;
+        FD_ZERO(&readfds);
+        FD_SET(wakePipe[0], &readfds);
+
+        int maxFD = wakePipe[0];
+        for (const std::pair<const int, Callback>& pair : handlers) {
+            FD_SET(pair.first, &readfds);
+            maxFD = std::max(maxFD, pair.first);
+        }
+
+        int result = select(maxFD + 1, &readfds, nullptr, nullptr, nullptr);
+
+        if (result < 0) {
+            drain(&readfds);
+            if (errno == EAGAIN) {
+                debug("woke up");
+                continue;
+            };
+
+            if (errno == EINTR) {
+                debug("interrupted");
+                continue;
+            };
+            fatal(std::string("select: ") + strerror(errno));
+            running = false;
+            break;
+        }
+
+        
+        if (drain(&readfds))
+            continue;
+
+        Handlers copy;
+        for (const std::pair<const int, Callback>& pair : handlers)
+            if (FD_ISSET(pair.first, &readfds))
+                copy.insert(pair);
+
+        lock.unlock();
+        
+        if (runCallbacks(copy))
+            continue;
+    }
+
+    debug("left the loop");
+}
+
+void Loop::stop() {
+    if (!running.exchange(false))
+        return;
+
+    debug("stopping the loop");
+    wake();
+}
+
+void Loop::addDescriptor(int descriptor, const Callback& handler) {
+    wake();
+    std::lock_guard lock(mutex);
+
+    if (!handlers.emplace(descriptor, handler).second)
+        warn("an attempt to add descriptor " + std::to_string(descriptor) + " for the second time");
+}
+
+void Loop::removeDescriptor(int descriptor) {
+    wake();
+    std::lock_guard lock(mutex);
+
+    if (handlers.erase(descriptor) == 0)
+        warn("an attempt to remove unknown descriptor " + std::to_string(descriptor));
+}
+
+void Loop::wake() {
+    char w = 'w';
+    if (write(wakePipe[1], &w, 1) < 0 && errno != EAGAIN)
+        error("failed to wake up event loop: " + std::string(strerror(errno)));
+}
+
+bool Loop::drain(fd_set* readfds) {
+    if (!FD_ISSET(wakePipe[0], readfds))
+        return false;
+
+    char buf[64];
+    while (true) {
+        ssize_t r = read(wakePipe[0], buf, sizeof(buf));
+        if (r > 0)
+            continue;
+
+        if (r == -1) {
+            if (errno == EAGAIN) 
+                break;
+            
+            error("failed to drain wake pipe: " + std::string(strerror(errno)));
+            break;
+        }
+
+        if (r == 0) 
+            break; // pipe closed
+    }
+
+    return true;
+}
+
+bool Loop::runCallbacks(const Handlers& copy) {
+    for (const std::pair<const int, Callback>& pair : copy) 
+        try {
+            pair.second();
+            return true;
+        } catch (const std::exception& e) {
+            error("exception in event loop from handler with file descriptor " + std::to_string(pair.first) + ":\n" + e.what());
+        } catch (...) {
+            error("unhandled throw in event loop from handler with file descriptor " + std::to_string(pair.first));
+        }
+
+    return false;
+}
+
+void Loop::registerInstance(Loop* loop) {
+    std::lock_guard lock(instanceMutex);
+    if (instances.size() == 0) {
+        std::signal(SIGINT, signalHandler);
+        std::signal(SIGTERM, signalHandler);
+    }
+
+    instances.insert(loop);
+}
+
+void Loop::unregisterInstance(Loop* loop) {
+    std::lock_guard lock(instanceMutex);
+    instances.erase(loop);
+
+    if (instances.size() == 0) {
+        std::signal(SIGINT, SIG_DFL);
+        std::signal(SIGTERM, SIG_DFL);
+    }
+}
+
+void Loop::signalHandler(int signum) {
+    for (Loop* loop : instances)
+        loop->stop();
+}
diff --git a/component/loop.h b/component/loop.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..632a16d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/component/loop.h
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2024 Yury Gubich <blue@macaw.me>
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include <set>
+#include <map>
+#include <functional>
+#include <mutex>
+#include <atomic>
+
+#include <sys/select.h>
+
+#include "shared/loggable.h"
+#include "shared/logger.h"
+
+class Loop : Shared::Loggable {
+public:
+    typedef std::function<void()> Callback;
+    typedef std::map<int, Callback> Handlers;
+
+    Loop(const Shared::Logger& logger);
+    ~Loop();
+
+    void run();
+    void stop();
+    void addDescriptor(int descriptor, const Callback& handler);
+    void removeDescriptor(int descriptor);
+
+private:
+    void wake();
+    bool drain(fd_set* readfds);
+    bool runCallbacks(const Handlers& copy);
+
+private:
+
+    int wakePipe[2];
+    Handlers handlers;
+    std::mutex mutex;
+    std::atomic<bool> running;
+
+private:
+    static void registerInstance(Loop* loop);
+    static void unregisterInstance(Loop* loop);
+    static void signalHandler(int signum);
+
+    static inline std::set<Loop*> instances;
+    static inline std::mutex instanceMutex;
+
+};
diff --git a/connection/connection.cpp b/connection/connection.cpp
index 7390563..c9f0e3e 100644
--- a/connection/connection.cpp
+++ b/connection/connection.cpp
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 
 #include "connection.h"
 
+#include "gloox/connectiontcpclient.h"
+
 Connection::Connection(const std::shared_ptr<Core>& core):
     Shared::Loggable(core->logger, {"Connection"}),
     state(initial),
@@ -53,14 +55,26 @@ void Connection::deinitialize() {
     state = initial;
 }
 
-void Connection::connect() {
-    if (state != disconnected)
-        return;
+int Connection::connect() {
+    if (state != disconnected) {
+        std::string message("an attempt to call connect in the wrong state");
+        fatal(message);
+        throw std::runtime_error(message);
+    }
 
     debug("connecting");
-    state = connected;
-    gloox->connect(true);
-    state = disconnected;
+    state = connecting;
+    gloox->connect(false);
+
+    return static_cast<gloox::ConnectionTCPClient*>(gloox->connectionImpl())->socket();
+}
+
+void Connection::disconnect() {
+    if (state != connecting || state != connected)
+        return;
+
+    gloox->disconnect();
+    state = disconnecting;
 }
 
 void Connection::send(const std::string& jid, const std::string& body) {
@@ -87,6 +101,10 @@ void Connection::publish(const std::string& service, const std::string& node, co
     pubsub->publishItem(service, node, list, nullptr, this);
 }
 
+void Connection::processMessages() {
+    gloox->recv();
+}
+
 std::string Connection::errorTypeToString(gloox::StanzaErrorType err) {
     switch (err) {
         case gloox::StanzaErrorTypeAuth: 
@@ -131,10 +149,12 @@ void Connection::handleItemPublication(const std::string& id, const gloox::JID&
 }
 
 void Connection::onConnect() {
+    state = connected;
     info("connection established");
 }
 
 void Connection::onDisconnect(gloox::ConnectionError e) {
+    state = disconnected;
     std::string error;
 
     switch (e) {
diff --git a/connection/connection.h b/connection/connection.h
index 0e4395e..6693232 100644
--- a/connection/connection.h
+++ b/connection/connection.h
@@ -28,7 +28,9 @@ public:
     enum State {
         initial,
         disconnected,
-        connected
+        connecting,
+        connected,
+        disconnecting
     };
 
 public:
@@ -37,9 +39,11 @@ public:
 
     void initialize();
     void deinitialize();
-    void connect();
+    int connect();
+    void disconnect();
     void send(const std::string& jid, const std::string& body);
     void publish(const std::string& service, const std::string& node, const std::string& title, const std::string& body);
+    void processMessages();
     
     static std::string errorTypeToString(gloox::StanzaErrorType err);
 
diff --git a/jay.cpp b/jay.cpp
index 476865e..fce86b0 100644
--- a/jay.cpp
+++ b/jay.cpp
@@ -28,7 +28,9 @@ static const std::map<
 Jay::Jay(const std::string& configPath):
     core(std::make_shared<Core>(configPath)),
     connection(std::make_shared<Connection>(core)),
-    modules()
+    modules(),
+    loop(core->logger),
+    initialized(false)
 {}
 
 Jay::~Jay() {
@@ -41,13 +43,25 @@ bool Jay::isConfigValid() const {
 
 void Jay::run() {
     initialize();
-    connection->connect();
+
+    int fd = connection->connect();
+    loop.addDescriptor(fd, std::bind(&Connection::processMessages, connection.get()));
+
+    loop.run();
+
+    connection->disconnect();
+    loop.removeDescriptor(fd);
 }
 
 void Jay::initialize() {
+    if (initialized)
+        return;
+
     createModules();
     core->initialize(connection);
     connection->initialize();
+
+    initialized = true;
 }
 
 void Jay::createModules() {
diff --git a/jay.h b/jay.h
index 0f3c694..ec85592 100644
--- a/jay.h
+++ b/jay.h
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 
 #include "shared/definitions.h"
 #include "component/core.h"
+#include "component/loop.h"
 #include "connection/connection.h"
 #include "module/module.h"
 
@@ -35,4 +36,6 @@ private:
     std::shared_ptr<Core> core;
     std::shared_ptr<Connection> connection;
     std::vector<std::shared_ptr<Module::Module>> modules;
+    Loop loop;
+    bool initialized;
 };
diff --git a/shared/loggable.cpp b/shared/loggable.cpp
index 52dbcf0..7828e28 100644
--- a/shared/loggable.cpp
+++ b/shared/loggable.cpp
@@ -27,3 +27,7 @@ void Shared::Loggable::warn(const std::string& message) const {
 void Shared::Loggable::error(const std::string& message) const {
     logger.log(Logger::error, message, domain);
 }
+
+void Shared::Loggable::fatal(const std::string& message) const {
+    logger.log(Logger::fatal, message, domain);
+}
diff --git a/shared/loggable.h b/shared/loggable.h
index 48d9eb7..d65adee 100644
--- a/shared/loggable.h
+++ b/shared/loggable.h
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ protected:
     void info(const std::string& message) const;
     void warn(const std::string& message) const;
     void error(const std::string& message) const;
+    void fatal(const std::string& message) const;
 };
 
 }
\ No newline at end of file