diff --git a/apps/els_core/src/els_distribution_server.erl b/apps/els_core/src/els_distribution_server.erl
index 68ef6456a..2ad857bcb 100644
--- a/apps/els_core/src/els_distribution_server.erl
+++ b/apps/els_core/src/els_distribution_server.erl
@@ -134,13 +134,19 @@ handle_info(Request, State) ->
 %%==============================================================================
 -spec connect_and_monitor(atom()) -> ok | error.
 connect_and_monitor(Node) ->
-  case net_kernel:connect_node(Node) of
+  case lists:member(Node, erlang:nodes(connected)) of
     true ->
-      ?LOG_INFO("Connected to node [node=~p]", [Node]),
-      erlang:monitor_node(Node, true),
+      ?LOG_DEBUG("Already connected to node [node=~p]", [Node]),
       ok;
     false ->
-      error
+      case net_kernel:connect_node(Node) of
+        true ->
+          ?LOG_INFO("Connected to node [node=~p]", [Node]),
+          erlang:monitor_node(Node, true),
+          ok;
+        false ->
+          error
+      end
   end.
 
 -spec start(atom()) -> ok.
@@ -170,7 +176,7 @@ wait_connect_and_monitor(Node, Attempts) ->
     ok ->
       ok;
     error ->
-      ?LOG_WARNING( "Trying to connect to node ~p (~p/~p)"
+      ?LOG_DEBUG( "Trying to connect to node ~p (~p/~p)"
                   , [Node, ?WAIT_ATTEMPTS - Attempts + 1, ?WAIT_ATTEMPTS]),
       wait_connect_and_monitor(Node, Attempts - 1)
   end.
diff --git a/apps/els_dap/src/els_dap_general_provider.erl b/apps/els_dap/src/els_dap_general_provider.erl
index 5873a964b..19b7df79d 100644
--- a/apps/els_dap/src/els_dap_general_provider.erl
+++ b/apps/els_dap/src/els_dap_general_provider.erl
@@ -158,10 +158,8 @@ handle_request( {<<"setBreakpoints">>, Params}
   SourceBreakpoints = maps:get(<<"breakpoints">>, Params, []),
   _SourceModified = maps:get(<<"sourceModified">>, Params, false),
   Module = els_uri:module(els_uri:uri(Path)),
-
   els_distribution_server:wait_connect_and_monitor(ProjectNode),
 
-
   {module, Module} = els_dap_rpc:i(ProjectNode, Module),
   Lines = [Line || #{<<"line">> := Line} <- SourceBreakpoints],
 
@@ -377,7 +375,7 @@ handle_request({<<"disconnect">>, _Params}, State) ->
   els_utils:halt(0),
   {#{}, State}.
 
--spec handle_info(any(), state()) -> state().
+-spec handle_info(any(), state()) -> state() | no_return().
 handle_info( {int_cb, ThreadPid}
            , #{ threads := Threads
               , project_node := ProjectNode
@@ -391,7 +389,15 @@ handle_info( {int_cb, ThreadPid}
   els_dap_server:send_event(<<"stopped">>, #{ <<"reason">> => <<"breakpoint">>
                                             , <<"threadId">> => ThreadId
                                             }),
-  State#{threads => maps:put(ThreadId, Thread, Threads)}.
+  State#{threads => maps:put(ThreadId, Thread, Threads)};
+handle_info({nodedown, Node}, State) ->
+  %% the project node is down, there is nothing left to do then to exit
+  ?LOG_NOTICE("project node ~p terminated, ending debug session", [Node]),
+  els_dap_server:send_event(<<"terminated">>, #{}),
+  els_dap_server:send_event(<<"exited">>, #{ <<"exitCode">> => <<"0">>}),
+  ?LOG_NOTICE("terminating debug adapter"),
+  els_utils:halt(0),
+  State.
 
 %%==============================================================================
 %% API
diff --git a/apps/els_dap/test/els_dap_general_provider_SUITE.erl b/apps/els_dap/test/els_dap_general_provider_SUITE.erl
index b7c26756b..26179721e 100644
--- a/apps/els_dap/test/els_dap_general_provider_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/els_dap/test/els_dap_general_provider_SUITE.erl
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@
     frame_variables/1,
     navigation_and_frames/1,
     set_variable/1,
-    breakpoints/1
+    breakpoints/1,
+    project_node_exit/1
 ]).
 
 %% TODO: cleanup after dropping support for OTP 21 and 22
@@ -65,6 +66,7 @@ init_per_testcase(TestCase, Config) when
     TestCase =:= undefined orelse
         TestCase =:= initialize orelse
         TestCase =:= launch_mfa orelse
+        TestCase =:= launch_mfa_with_cookie orelse
         TestCase =:= configuration_done orelse
         TestCase =:= configuration_done_with_breakpoint
 ->
@@ -391,6 +393,23 @@ breakpoints(Config) ->
     ?assertMatch([{{els_dap_test_module, 9}, _}], els_dap_rpc:all_breaks(Node)),
     ok.
 
+-spec project_node_exit(config()) -> ok.
+project_node_exit(Config) ->
+    NodeName = ?config(node, Config),
+    Node = binary_to_atom(NodeName),
+    meck:expect(els_utils, halt, 1, meck:val(ok)),
+    meck:reset(els_dap_server),
+    erlang:monitor_node(Node, true),
+    %% kill node and wait for nodedown message
+    rpc:cast(Node, erlang, halt, []),
+    receive
+        {nodedown, Node} -> ok
+    end,
+    %% wait until els_utils:halt has been called
+    els_dap_test_utils:wait_until_mock_called(els_utils, halt),
+    ?assert(meck:called(els_dap_server, send_event, [<<"terminated">>, '_'])),
+    ?assert(meck:called(els_dap_server, send_event, [<<"exited">>, '_'])).
+
 %%==============================================================================
 %% Requests
 %%==============================================================================