diff --git a/bundles/org.openhab.binding.elkm1/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/elkm1/internal/elk/ElkAlarmConnection.java b/bundles/org.openhab.binding.elkm1/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/elkm1/internal/elk/ElkAlarmConnection.java
index 17744a4b5708e..67efa00e32c33 100644
--- a/bundles/org.openhab.binding.elkm1/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/elkm1/internal/elk/ElkAlarmConnection.java
+++ b/bundles/org.openhab.binding.elkm1/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/elkm1/internal/elk/ElkAlarmConnection.java
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 import javax.net.ssl.HandshakeCompletedEvent;
 import javax.net.ssl.HandshakeCompletedListener;
 import javax.net.ssl.SSLContext;
+import javax.net.ssl.SSLException;
 import javax.net.ssl.SSLSession;
 import javax.net.ssl.SSLSocket;
 import javax.net.ssl.X509TrustManager;
@@ -175,6 +176,10 @@ public boolean sslLogin() {
         } catch (UnknownHostException e) {
             logger.error("Unable to open connection to Elk alarm: {}:{}", config.host, config.port, e);
             return false;
+        } catch (SSLException e) {
+            logger.error("Unable to open connection to Elk alarm: {}:{}.  Must use secure Elk port.", config.host,
+                    config.port, e);
+            return false;
         } catch (IOException e) {
             logger.error("Unable to open connection to Elk alarm: {}:{}", config.host, config.port, e);
             return false;
@@ -276,8 +281,12 @@ public void run() {
                 } catch (IOException e) {
                     if (e.getMessage().equals("Socket closed")) {
                         logger.error("Error reading from Elk alarm.  Socket Closed. {}:{}", config.host, config.port);
+                        return;
                     } else {
-                        logger.error("Error reading from Elk alarm: {}:{}", config.host, config.port, e);
+                        logger.error(
+                                "Error reading from Elk alarm: {}:{}.  Check hostname/address and secure/non-secure port.",
+                                config.host, config.port, e);
+                        return;
                     }
                 }
             }
diff --git a/bundles/org.openhab.binding.elkm1/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/elkm1/internal/handler/ElkM1BridgeHandler.java b/bundles/org.openhab.binding.elkm1/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/elkm1/internal/handler/ElkM1BridgeHandler.java
index 7f570d2e3c912..7705b31621b08 100644
--- a/bundles/org.openhab.binding.elkm1/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/elkm1/internal/handler/ElkM1BridgeHandler.java
+++ b/bundles/org.openhab.binding.elkm1/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/elkm1/internal/handler/ElkM1BridgeHandler.java
@@ -125,20 +125,20 @@ public void removeListener(ElkM1HandlerListener listener) {
     public void initialize() {
         updateStatus(ThingStatus.UNKNOWN);
         initializeFuture = scheduler.schedule(this::scheduledInitialize, 1, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
-        commWatchdogFuture = scheduler.scheduleWithFixedDelay(commWatchdog, 30, 120, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
         return;
     }
 
     public void scheduledInitialize() {
+        commWatchdogFuture = scheduler.scheduleWithFixedDelay(commWatchdog, 120, 120, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
         ElkAlarmConfig config = getConfigAs(ElkAlarmConfig.class);
         messageFactory = new ElkMessageFactory();
         areas = new boolean[ElkMessageFactory.MAX_AREAS];
 
         if (config.useSSL) {
-            updateStatus(ThingStatus.OFFLINE, ThingStatusDetail.CONFIGURATION_PENDING,
+            updateStatus(ThingStatus.UNKNOWN, ThingStatusDetail.CONFIGURATION_PENDING,
                     "Opening SSL/TLS server connection");
         } else {
-            updateStatus(ThingStatus.OFFLINE, ThingStatusDetail.CONFIGURATION_PENDING, "Opening server connection");
+            updateStatus(ThingStatus.UNKNOWN, ThingStatusDetail.CONFIGURATION_PENDING, "Opening server connection");
         }
 
         connection = new ElkAlarmConnection(config, messageFactory);
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ public void scheduledInitialize() {
             connection.sendCommand(new ZonePartition());
             connection.sendCommand(new ZoneStatus());
             connection.sendCommand(new ArmingStatus());
-            updateStatus(ThingStatus.ONLINE, ThingStatusDetail.CONFIGURATION_PENDING, "Requesting version from alarm");
+            updateStatus(ThingStatus.UNKNOWN, ThingStatusDetail.CONFIGURATION_PENDING, "Requesting version from alarm");
         } else {
             updateStatus(ThingStatus.OFFLINE, ThingStatusDetail.COMMUNICATION_ERROR, "Unable to open socket to alarm");
         }
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ public void onZoneAdded(ElkM1ZoneHandler elkM1ZoneHandler) {
      */
     public void updateArmedState(int area, ElkAlarmArmedState armed) throws Exception {
         ElkAlarmConfig config = getConfigAs(ElkAlarmConfig.class);
-        String pincode = String.format("%06d", config.userCode);
+        String pincode = ("000000" + config.userCode).substring(config.userCode.length());
         switch (armed) {
             case ArmedAway:
                 connection.sendCommand(new ArmAway(area, pincode));
@@ -426,14 +426,26 @@ Thing getThingForType(ElkTypeToRequest type, int num) {
         return null;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Cancel Future
+     */
+    public void cancelFuture(@Nullable ScheduledFuture<?> future) {
+        if (future != null) {
+            future.cancel(false);
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      * Shutdown the bridge
      */
     @Override
     public void dispose() {
-        connection.shutdown();
+        cancelFuture(commWatchdogFuture);
+        if (connection != null) {
+            connection.shutdown();
+            connection = null;
+        }
         areas = new boolean[0];
-        connection = null;
         assert (listeners.isEmpty());
         super.dispose();
     }