diff --git a/helpers/postgresql.py b/helpers/postgresql.py
index 4bde365c..7f4ccaad 100644
--- a/helpers/postgresql.py
+++ b/helpers/postgresql.py
@@ -12,6 +12,13 @@ class Postgresql:
     def __init__(self, config, aws_host_address=None):
         self.name = config["name"]
         self.host, self.port = config["listen"].split(":")
+        self.libpq_parameters = {
+            'host' : aws_host_address or self.host,
+            'port' : self.port,
+            'fallback_application_name' : 'Governor',
+            'connect_timeout' : 5,
+            'options' : '-c statement_timeout=2000'
+        }
         self.data_dir = config["data_dir"]
         self.replication = config["replication"]
         self.superuser = config.get('superuser')
@@ -20,15 +27,15 @@ class Postgresql:
         self.config = config
 
         self.cursor_holder = None
-        connection_host = aws_host_address or self.host
-        self.connection_string = "postgres://%s:%s@%s:%s/postgres" % (self.replication["username"], self.replication["password"], connection_host, self.port)
+        self.connection_string = "postgres://%s:%s@%s:%s/postgres" % (self.replication["username"], self.replication["password"], self.libpq_parameters['host'], self.port)
 
         self.conn = None
 
     def cursor(self):
-        if not self.cursor_holder:
-            self.conn = psycopg2.connect("postgres://%s:%s/postgres" % (self.host, self.port))
-            self.conn.autocommit = True
+        if (self.cursor_holder is None) or self.cursor_holder.closed:
+            if (self.conn is None) or self.conn.closed:
+                self.conn = psycopg2.connect(**self.libpq_parameters)
+                self.conn.autocommit = True
             self.cursor_holder = self.conn.cursor()
 
         return self.cursor_holder
diff --git a/helpers/statuspage.py b/helpers/statuspage.py
index 67fdb4ab..9aae769b 100644
--- a/helpers/statuspage.py
+++ b/helpers/statuspage.py
@@ -2,28 +2,59 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 
 from BaseHTTPServer import BaseHTTPRequestHandler, HTTPServer
+import json
 
 
 class StatusPage(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
 
     def do_GET(self):
-        try:
-            if self.path == '/pg_master':
-                response = (200 if self.server.postgresql.is_leader else 503)
-                self.send_response(response)
-            elif self.path == '/pg_slave':
-                response = (503 if self.server.postgresql.is_leader else 200)
-                self.send_response(response)
-            elif self.path == '/pg_status':
-                self.send_response(200)
-                self.end_headers()
-                self.wfile.write(self.server.postgresql.status())
-            else:
-                self.send_response(404)
-        except Exception, e:
-            self.send_response(500)
-            self.end_headers()
-            self.wfile.write(repr(e))
+        if self.path == '/pg_master':
+            self.pg_master()
+        elif self.path == '/pg_slave':
+            self.pg_slave()
+        elif self.path == '/pg_status':
+            self.pg_status()
+        else:
+            self.send_response(404)
+
+    def pg_master(self):
+        if not self.pg_is_in_recovery():
+            self.send_response(200)
+            return
+
+        self.send_response(503)
+
+    def pg_slave(self):
+        if self.pg_is_in_recovery():
+            self.send_response(200)
+            return
+
+        self.send_response(503)
+
+    def pg_is_in_recovery(self):
+        cursor = self.server.postgresql.cursor()
+        cursor.execute('SELECT pg_is_in_recovery()')
+        res = cursor.fetchone()
+        return res[0]
+
+    def pg_status(self):
+        cursor = self.server.postgresql.cursor()
+        cursor.execute("""
+            SELECT pg_is_in_recovery(),
+                   to_char(pg_last_xact_replay_timestamp(), 'YYYY-MM-DD HH24:MI:SS.MS TZ'),
+                   extract(epoch from now() - pg_last_xact_replay_timestamp()),
+                   inet_server_addr(),
+                   inet_server_port(),
+                   to_char(pg_postmaster_start_time(), 'YYYY-MM-DD HH24:MI:SS.MS TZ')
+                    """)
+        res = cursor.fetchone()
+        status = {'role': ('master' if not res[0] else 'slave'), 'recovery': {'last_transaction_replayed': res[1],
+                  'delay': res[2]}, 'server': {'hostaddr': res[3], 'port': res[4], 'start_time': res[5]}}
+
+        self.send_response(200)
+        self.send_header('Content-Type', 'application/json')
+        self.end_headers()
+        self.wfile.write(json.dumps(status))
 
 
 def getHTTPServer(postgresql, http_port=8081, listen_address='0.0.0.0'):
@@ -36,7 +67,6 @@ def getHTTPServer(postgresql, http_port=8081, listen_address='0.0.0.0'):
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     import sys
     import logging
-    from BaseHTTPServer import HTTPServer
 
     logging.basicConfig(format='%(levelname)-6s %(asctime)s - %(message)s', level=logging.DEBUG)
     logging.debug('Starting as a standalone application')