diff --git a/glue_jupyter/widgets/disconnect.py b/glue_jupyter/widgets/disconnect.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6c7cbb2e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/glue_jupyter/widgets/disconnect.py
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+import ipyvue
+import ipyvuetify as v
+import traitlets
+import ipywidgets as widgets
+from traitlets import Unicode, Dict, List
+import ipywidgets as w
+
+class Disconnect(v.VuetifyTemplate):
+    main = traitlets.Instance(widgets.Widget).tag(sync=True, **widgets.widget_serialization)
+    broken = traitlets.Instance(widgets.Widget).tag(sync=True, **widgets.widget_serialization)
+    connected = traitlets.Bool(True).tag(sync=True)
+    template = Unicode("""
+    <template>
+        <view-context-wrapper :widget="connected ? main : broken"></view-context-wrapper>
+    </template>
+    """).tag(sync=True)
+    
+    # we need to put our code in a component, otherwise inject: ['viewCtx'] does not work
+    components = Dict({
+        'view-context-wrapper': """
+            <template>
+                <jupyter-widget :widget="widget"></jupyter-widget>
+            </template>
+            <script>
+            module.exports = {
+                props: ["widget"],
+                inject: ['viewCtx'],
+                created() {
+                    const model = this.viewCtx.getView().model;
+                    model.set('connected', Boolean(model.comm_live));
+                    model.on('comm_live_update', () => {
+                        const connected = Boolean(model.comm_live)
+                        model.set('connected', connected);
+                        model.save_changes()
+                    })
+                },
+            };
+            </script>
+        """
+    }).tag(sync=True)