diff --git a/source/jormungandr/jormungandr/default_settings.py b/source/jormungandr/jormungandr/default_settings.py
index fbf17713c2..cb8e20fa89 100644
--- a/source/jormungandr/jormungandr/default_settings.py
+++ b/source/jormungandr/jormungandr/default_settings.py
@@ -137,6 +137,8 @@
 ISOCHRONE_DEFAULT_VALUE = os.getenv('JORMUNGANDR_ISOCHRONE_DEFAULT_VALUE', 1800)  # in s
 
 # circuit breaker parameters.
+CIRCUIT_BREAKER_MAX_INSTANCE_FAIL = 4  # max instance call failures before stopping attempt
+CIRCUIT_BREAKER_INSTANCE_TIMEOUT_S = 60  # the circuit breaker retries after this timeout (in seconds)
 
 CIRCUIT_BREAKER_MAX_TIMEO_FAIL = 4  # max instance call failures before stopping attempt
 CIRCUIT_BREAKER_TIMEO_TIMEOUT_S = 60  # the circuit breaker retries after this timeout (in seconds)
diff --git a/source/jormungandr/jormungandr/instance.py b/source/jormungandr/jormungandr/instance.py
index 0524633237..8915f67c82 100644
--- a/source/jormungandr/jormungandr/instance.py
+++ b/source/jormungandr/jormungandr/instance.py
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@
 from shapely.geos import PredicateError, ReadingError, TopologicalError
 from flask import g
 import flask
+import pybreaker
 from jormungandr import georef, schedule, realtime_schedule, ptref, street_network, fallback_modes
 from jormungandr.scenarios.ridesharing.ridesharing_service_manager import RidesharingServiceManager
 import six
@@ -138,6 +139,10 @@ def __init__(
         self.timezone = None  # timezone will be fetched from the kraken
         self.publication_date = -1
         self.is_initialized = False  # kraken hasn't been called yet we don't have geom nor timezone
+        self.breaker = pybreaker.CircuitBreaker(
+            fail_max=app.config.get(str('CIRCUIT_BREAKER_MAX_INSTANCE_FAIL'), 5),
+            reset_timeout=app.config.get(str('CIRCUIT_BREAKER_INSTANCE_TIMEOUT_S'), 60),
+        )
         self.georef = georef.Kraken(self)
         self._streetnetwork_backend_manager = streetnetwork_backend_manager
 
@@ -717,14 +722,21 @@ def places_proximity_radius(self):
         instance_db = self.get_models()
         return get_value_or_default('places_proximity_radius', instance_db, self.name)
 
-    def send_and_receive(
-        self, request, timeout=app.config.get('INSTANCE_TIMEOUT', 10), quiet=False, request_id=None, **kwargs
-    ):
+    def send_and_receive(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        """
+        encapsulate all call to kraken in a circuit breaker, this way we don't loose time calling dead instance
+        """
+        try:
+            return self.breaker.call(self._send_and_receive, *args, **kwargs)
+        except pybreaker.CircuitBreakerError as e:
+            raise DeadSocketException(self.name, self.socket_path)
+
+    def _send_and_receive(self, request, timeout=app.config.get('INSTANCE_TIMEOUT', 10), quiet=False, **kwargs):
         deadline = datetime.utcnow() + timedelta(milliseconds=timeout * 1000)
         request.deadline = deadline.strftime('%Y%m%dT%H%M%S,%f')
 
-        if request_id:
-            request.request_id = request_id
+        if 'request_id' in kwargs and kwargs['request_id']:
+            request.request_id = kwargs['request_id']
         else:
             try:
                 request.request_id = flask.request.id
@@ -839,7 +851,8 @@ def init(self):
         req.requested_api = type_pb2.METADATAS
         request_id = "instance_init"
         try:
-            resp = self.send_and_receive(req, request_id=request_id, timeout=1, quiet=True)
+            # we use _send_and_receive to avoid the circuit breaker, we don't want fast fail on init :)
+            resp = self._send_and_receive(req, request_id=request_id, timeout=1, quiet=True)
             # the instance is automatically updated on a call
             if self.publication_date != pub_date:
                 return True
diff --git a/source/jormungandr/jormungandr/pt_planners/common.py b/source/jormungandr/jormungandr/pt_planners/common.py
index 170f7d8756..5fba7aabad 100644
--- a/source/jormungandr/jormungandr/pt_planners/common.py
+++ b/source/jormungandr/jormungandr/pt_planners/common.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 from __future__ import absolute_import, print_function, unicode_literals, division
 
 import logging
+import pybreaker
 import zmq
 
 from datetime import datetime, timedelta
@@ -59,13 +60,17 @@ def __init__(
             name=name, zmq_context=zmq_context, zmq_socket=zmq_socket, socket_ttl=socket_ttl
         )
         self.timeout = timeout
+        self.breaker = pybreaker.CircuitBreaker(
+            fail_max=app.config.get(str('CIRCUIT_BREAKER_MAX_INSTANCE_FAIL'), 5),
+            reset_timeout=app.config.get(str('CIRCUIT_BREAKER_INSTANCE_TIMEOUT_S'), 60),
+        )
 
-    def send_and_receive(self, request, quiet=False, request_id=None, **kwargs):
+    def _send_and_receive(self, request, quiet=False, **kwargs):
         deadline = datetime.utcnow() + timedelta(milliseconds=self.timeout * 1000)
         request.deadline = deadline.strftime('%Y%m%dT%H%M%S,%f')
 
-        if request_id:
-            request.request_id = request_id
+        if 'request_id' in kwargs and kwargs['request_id']:
+            request.request_id = kwargs['request_id']
         else:
             try:
                 request.request_id = flask.request.id
@@ -81,6 +86,15 @@ def send_and_receive(self, request, quiet=False, request_id=None, **kwargs):
         resp.ParseFromString(pb)
         return resp
 
+    def send_and_receive(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        """
+        encapsulate all call to kraken in a circuit breaker, this way we don't lose time calling dead instance
+        """
+        try:
+            return self.breaker.call(self._send_and_receive, *args, **kwargs)
+        except pybreaker.CircuitBreakerError:
+            raise DeadSocketException(self.name, self._zmq_socket)
+
     def clean_up_zmq_sockets(self):
         for socket in self._sockets:
             socket.setsockopt(zmq.LINGER, 0)
diff --git a/source/jormungandr/tests/integration_tests_settings.py b/source/jormungandr/tests/integration_tests_settings.py
index 7900bb7b0b..ea87a2ff67 100644
--- a/source/jormungandr/tests/integration_tests_settings.py
+++ b/source/jormungandr/tests/integration_tests_settings.py
@@ -65,6 +65,9 @@
     }
 }
 
+# circuit breaker parameters, for the tests by default we don't want the circuit breaker
+CIRCUIT_BREAKER_MAX_INSTANCE_FAIL = 99999
+CIRCUIT_BREAKER_INSTANCE_TIMEOUT_S = 1
 
 GRAPHICAL_ISOCHRONE = True
 HEAT_MAP = True