diff --git a/src/tox-weechat-commands.c b/src/tox-weechat-commands.c
index 1a887ac..70d1218 100644
--- a/src/tox-weechat-commands.c
+++ b/src/tox-weechat-commands.c
@@ -628,43 +628,47 @@ tox_weechat_cmd_tox(void *data, struct t_gui_buffer *buffer,
         return WEECHAT_RC_OK;
     }
 
-    else if (argc == 3 && (weechat_strcasecmp(argv[1], "connect") == 0))
+    else if (argc >= 3 && (weechat_strcasecmp(argv[1], "connect") == 0))
     {
-        char *name = argv[2];
-
-        struct t_tox_weechat_identity *identity = tox_weechat_identity_name_search(name);
-        if (!identity)
+        for (int i = 2; i < argc; ++i)
         {
-            weechat_printf(NULL,
-                           "%s%s: Identity \"%s\" does not exist.",
-                           weechat_prefix("error"),
-                           weechat_plugin->name,
-                           name);
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            tox_weechat_identity_connect(identity);
+            char *name = argv[i];
+            struct t_tox_weechat_identity *identity = tox_weechat_identity_name_search(name);
+            if (!identity)
+            {
+                weechat_printf(NULL,
+                               "%s%s: Identity \"%s\" does not exist.",
+                               weechat_prefix("error"),
+                               weechat_plugin->name,
+                               name);
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                tox_weechat_identity_connect(identity);
+            }
         }
 
         return WEECHAT_RC_OK;
     }
 
-    else if (argc == 3 && (weechat_strcasecmp(argv[1], "disconnect") == 0))
+    else if (argc >= 3 && (weechat_strcasecmp(argv[1], "disconnect") == 0))
     {
-        char *name = argv[2];
-
-        struct t_tox_weechat_identity *identity = tox_weechat_identity_name_search(name);
-        if (!identity)
+        for (int i = 2; i < argc; ++i)
         {
-            weechat_printf(NULL,
-                           "%s%s: Identity \"%s\" does not exist.",
-                           weechat_prefix("error"),
-                           weechat_plugin->name,
-                           name);
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            tox_weechat_identity_disconnect(identity);
+            char *name = argv[i];
+            struct t_tox_weechat_identity *identity = tox_weechat_identity_name_search(name);
+            if (!identity)
+            {
+                weechat_printf(NULL,
+                               "%s%s: Identity \"%s\" does not exist.",
+                               weechat_prefix("error"),
+                               weechat_plugin->name,
+                               name);
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                tox_weechat_identity_disconnect(identity);
+            }
         }
 
         return WEECHAT_RC_OK;
@@ -740,8 +744,8 @@ tox_weechat_commands_init()
                          "list"
                          " || create <name>"
                          " || delete <name> -yes|-keepdata"
-                         " || connect <name>"
-                         " || disconnect <name>",
+                         " || connect [<name>...]"
+                         " || disconnect [<name>...]",
                          "      list: list all Tox identity\n"
                          "    create: create a new Tox identity\n"
                          "    delete: delete a Tox identity; requires either "
@@ -752,7 +756,7 @@ tox_weechat_commands_init()
                          "list"
                          " || create"
                          " || delete %(tox_identities) -yes|-keepdata"
-                         " || connect %(tox_disconnected_identities)"
-                         " || disconnect %(tox_connected_identities)",
+                         " || connect %(tox_disconnected_identities)|%*"
+                         " || disconnect %(tox_connected_identities)|%*",
                          tox_weechat_cmd_tox, NULL);
 }
diff --git a/src/tox-weechat-gui.c b/src/tox-weechat-gui.c
index ed7bcca..912a6c1 100644
--- a/src/tox-weechat-gui.c
+++ b/src/tox-weechat-gui.c
@@ -39,10 +39,7 @@ bar_item_away(void *data,
 {
     struct t_tox_weechat_identity *identity = tox_weechat_identity_for_buffer(buffer);
 
-    if (!identity)
-        return NULL;
-
-    if (identity->tox == NULL || identity->tox_online == false)
+    if (!identity || !(identity->tox))
         return NULL;
 
     char *status = NULL;;
@@ -68,7 +65,7 @@ bar_item_input_prompt(void *data,
 {
     struct t_tox_weechat_identity *identity = tox_weechat_identity_for_buffer(buffer);
 
-    if (identity->tox == NULL || identity->tox_online == false)
+    if (!identity || !(identity->tox))
         return NULL;
 
     return tox_weechat_get_self_name_nt(identity->tox);
@@ -88,11 +85,14 @@ bar_item_buffer_plugin(void *data, struct t_gui_bar_item *item,
     const char *identity_name = identity->name;
 
     snprintf(string, sizeof(string),
-             "%s%s/%s%s",
+             "%s%s/%s%s%s/%s%s",
              plugin_name,
              weechat_color("bar_delim"),
              weechat_color("bar_fg"),
-             identity_name);
+             identity_name,
+             weechat_color("bar_delim"),
+             weechat_color("bar_fg"),
+             identity->tox_online ? "online" : "offline");
 
     return strdup(string);
 }
diff --git a/src/tox-weechat-identities.c b/src/tox-weechat-identities.c
index 0aacc13..6a6679d 100644
--- a/src/tox-weechat-identities.c
+++ b/src/tox-weechat-identities.c
@@ -175,6 +175,14 @@ tox_weechat_bootstrap_tox(Tox *tox, const char *address, uint16_t port, const ch
     return result;
 }
 
+void
+tox_weechat_bootstrap_random_node(Tox *tox)
+{
+    int i = rand() % tox_weechat_bootstrap_count;
+    tox_weechat_bootstrap_tox(tox, tox_weechat_bootstrap_addresses[i],
+                                   tox_weechat_bootstrap_ports[i],
+                                   tox_weechat_bootstrap_keys[i]);
+}
 
 struct t_tox_weechat_identity *
 tox_weechat_identity_new(const char *name)
@@ -207,15 +215,6 @@ tox_weechat_identity_new(const char *name)
     return identity;
 }
 
-void
-tox_weechat_bootstrap_random_node(Tox *tox)
-{
-    int i = rand() % tox_weechat_bootstrap_count;
-    tox_weechat_bootstrap_tox(tox, tox_weechat_bootstrap_addresses[i],
-                                   tox_weechat_bootstrap_ports[i],
-                                   tox_weechat_bootstrap_keys[i]);
-}
-
 void
 tox_weechat_identity_connect(struct t_tox_weechat_identity *identity)
 {
@@ -230,6 +229,12 @@ tox_weechat_identity_connect(struct t_tox_weechat_identity *identity)
                                               tox_weechat_identity_buffer_close_callback, identity);
     }
 
+    weechat_printf(identity->buffer,
+                   "%s%s: identity %s connecting",
+                   weechat_prefix("network"),
+                   weechat_plugin->name,
+                   identity->name);
+
     // create Tox
     identity->tox = tox_new(NULL);
 
@@ -302,10 +307,12 @@ tox_weechat_identity_disconnect(struct t_tox_weechat_identity *identity)
         free(path);
     }
 
-    tox_weechat_identity_set_online_status(identity, false);
-
     // stop Tox timer
     weechat_unhook(identity->tox_do_timer);
+
+    // have to refresh and hide bar items even if we were already offline
+    tox_weechat_identity_refresh_online_status(identity);
+    tox_weechat_identity_set_online_status(identity, false);
 }
 
 void
@@ -320,32 +327,40 @@ tox_weechat_identity_autoconnect()
     }
 }
 
+void
+tox_weechat_identity_refresh_online_status(struct t_tox_weechat_identity *identity)
+{
+    weechat_bar_item_update("buffer_plugin");
+    weechat_bar_item_update("input_prompt");
+    weechat_bar_item_update("away");
+}
+
 void
 tox_weechat_identity_set_online_status(struct t_tox_weechat_identity *identity,
                                        bool online)
 {
-    identity->tox_online = identity->tox && online;
-
-    weechat_bar_item_update("input_prompt");
-    weechat_bar_item_update("away");
-
-    struct t_gui_buffer *buffer = identity->buffer ?: NULL;
-
-    if (identity->tox_online)
+    if (identity->tox_online ^ online)
     {
-        weechat_printf(buffer,
-                       "%s%s: identity %s connected",
-                       weechat_prefix("network"),
-                       weechat_plugin->name,
-                       identity->name);
-    }
-    else
-    {
-        weechat_printf(buffer,
-                       "%s%s: identity %s disconnected",
-                       weechat_prefix("network"),
-                       weechat_plugin->name,
-                       identity->name);
+        identity->tox_online = online;
+        tox_weechat_identity_refresh_online_status(identity);
+
+        struct t_gui_buffer *buffer = identity->buffer ?: NULL;
+        if (identity->tox_online)
+        {
+            weechat_printf(buffer,
+                           "%s%s: identity %s connected",
+                           weechat_prefix("network"),
+                           weechat_plugin->name,
+                           identity->name);
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            weechat_printf(buffer,
+                           "%s%s: identity %s disconnected",
+                           weechat_prefix("network"),
+                           weechat_plugin->name,
+                           identity->name);
+        }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/tox-weechat-identities.h b/src/tox-weechat-identities.h
index 93b6b6a..ea8a4e2 100644
--- a/src/tox-weechat-identities.h
+++ b/src/tox-weechat-identities.h
@@ -70,6 +70,9 @@ tox_weechat_identity_disconnect(struct t_tox_weechat_identity *identity);
 void
 tox_weechat_identity_autoconnect();
 
+void
+tox_weechat_identity_refresh_online_status(struct t_tox_weechat_identity *identity);
+
 void
 tox_weechat_identity_set_online_status(struct t_tox_weechat_identity *identity,
                                        bool online);
diff --git a/src/tox-weechat-tox-callbacks.c b/src/tox-weechat-tox-callbacks.c
index cfaabaa..31ec3ef 100644
--- a/src/tox-weechat-tox-callbacks.c
+++ b/src/tox-weechat-tox-callbacks.c
@@ -45,10 +45,7 @@ tox_weechat_do_timer_cb(void *data,
 
         // check connection status
         int connected = tox_isconnected(identity->tox);
-        if (connected ^ identity->tox_online)
-        {
-            tox_weechat_identity_set_online_status(identity, connected);
-        }
+        tox_weechat_identity_set_online_status(identity, connected);
     }
 
     return WEECHAT_RC_OK;