diff --git a/gateways/core/stream/amqp/config.go b/gateways/core/stream/amqp/config.go
index 70f1168531..4f556c6e26 100644
--- a/gateways/core/stream/amqp/config.go
+++ b/gateways/core/stream/amqp/config.go
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ package amqp
 import (
 	"github.com/ghodss/yaml"
 	"github.com/rs/zerolog"
+	amqplib "github.com/streadway/amqp"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/wait"
 )
 
 // AMQPEventSourceExecutor implements Eventing
@@ -27,20 +29,21 @@ type AMQPEventSourceExecutor struct {
 }
 
 // amqp contains configuration required to connect to rabbitmq service and process messages
-// +k8s:openapi-gen=true
 type amqp struct {
 	// URL for rabbitmq service
 	URL string `json:"url"`
-
 	// ExchangeName is the exchange name
 	// For more information, visit https://www.rabbitmq.com/tutorials/amqp-concepts.html
 	ExchangeName string `json:"exchangeName"`
-
 	// ExchangeType is rabbitmq exchange type
 	ExchangeType string `json:"exchangeType"`
-
 	// Routing key for bindings
 	RoutingKey string `json:"routingKey"`
+	// Backoff holds parameters applied to connection.
+	Backoff *wait.Backoff `json:"backoff,omitempty"`
+	// Connection manages the serialization and deserialization of frames from IO
+	// and dispatches the frames to the appropriate channel.
+	conn *amqplib.Connection
 }
 
 func parseEventSource(eventSource string) (*amqp, error) {
diff --git a/gateways/core/stream/amqp/start.go b/gateways/core/stream/amqp/start.go
index dd44fd9903..b45b578c2f 100644
--- a/gateways/core/stream/amqp/start.go
+++ b/gateways/core/stream/amqp/start.go
@@ -66,13 +66,19 @@ func getDelivery(ch *amqplib.Channel, a *amqp) (<-chan amqplib.Delivery, error)
 func (ese *AMQPEventSourceExecutor) listenEvents(a *amqp, eventSource *gateways.EventSource, dataCh chan []byte, errorCh chan error, doneCh chan struct{}) {
 	defer gateways.Recover(eventSource.Name)
 
-	conn, err := amqplib.Dial(a.URL)
-	if err != nil {
+	if err := gateways.Connect(a.Backoff, func() error {
+		var err error
+		a.conn, err = amqplib.Dial(a.URL)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		return nil
+	}); err != nil {
 		errorCh <- err
 		return
 	}
 
-	ch, err := conn.Channel()
+	ch, err := a.conn.Channel()
 	if err != nil {
 		errorCh <- err
 		return
@@ -90,7 +96,7 @@ func (ese *AMQPEventSourceExecutor) listenEvents(a *amqp, eventSource *gateways.
 		case msg := <-delivery:
 			dataCh <- msg.Body
 		case <-doneCh:
-			err = conn.Close()
+			err = a.conn.Close()
 			if err != nil {
 				ese.Log.Error().Err(err).Str("event-stream-name", eventSource.Name).Msg("failed to close connection")
 			}
diff --git a/gateways/core/stream/kafka/config.go b/gateways/core/stream/kafka/config.go
index e347a2cfdd..d937c6c3f7 100644
--- a/gateways/core/stream/kafka/config.go
+++ b/gateways/core/stream/kafka/config.go
@@ -17,8 +17,10 @@ limitations under the License.
 package kafka
 
 import (
+	"github.com/Shopify/sarama"
 	"github.com/ghodss/yaml"
 	"github.com/rs/zerolog"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/wait"
 )
 
 // KafkaEventSourceExecutor implements Eventing
@@ -27,7 +29,6 @@ type KafkaEventSourceExecutor struct {
 }
 
 // kafka defines configuration required to connect to kafka cluster
-// +k8s:openapi-gen=true
 type kafka struct {
 	// URL to kafka cluster
 	URL string `json:"url"`
@@ -35,6 +36,10 @@ type kafka struct {
 	Partition string `json:"partition"`
 	// Topic name
 	Topic string `json:"topic"`
+	// Backoff holds parameters applied to connection.
+	Backoff *wait.Backoff `json:"backoff,omitempty"`
+	// Consumer manages PartitionConsumers which process Kafka messages from brokers.
+	consumer sarama.Consumer
 }
 
 func parseEventSource(eventSource string) (*kafka, error) {
diff --git a/gateways/core/stream/kafka/start.go b/gateways/core/stream/kafka/start.go
index 8e9b444cb9..fdfadaa8de 100644
--- a/gateways/core/stream/kafka/start.go
+++ b/gateways/core/stream/kafka/start.go
@@ -53,8 +53,15 @@ func (ese *KafkaEventSourceExecutor) StartEventSource(eventSource *gateways.Even
 func (ese *KafkaEventSourceExecutor) listenEvents(k *kafka, eventSource *gateways.EventSource, dataCh chan []byte, errorCh chan error, doneCh chan struct{}) {
 	defer gateways.Recover(eventSource.Name)
 
-	consumer, err := sarama.NewConsumer([]string{k.URL}, nil)
-	if err != nil {
+	if err := gateways.Connect(k.Backoff, func() error {
+		var err error
+		k.consumer, err = sarama.NewConsumer([]string{k.URL}, nil)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		return nil
+	}); err != nil {
+		ese.Log.Error().Err(err).Str("event-source-name", eventSource.Name).Str("url", k.URL).Msg("failed to connect")
 		errorCh <- err
 		return
 	}
@@ -66,7 +73,7 @@ func (ese *KafkaEventSourceExecutor) listenEvents(k *kafka, eventSource *gateway
 	}
 	partition := int32(pInt)
 
-	availablePartitions, err := consumer.Partitions(k.Topic)
+	availablePartitions, err := k.consumer.Partitions(k.Topic)
 	if err != nil {
 		errorCh <- err
 		return
@@ -76,7 +83,7 @@ func (ese *KafkaEventSourceExecutor) listenEvents(k *kafka, eventSource *gateway
 		return
 	}
 
-	partitionConsumer, err := consumer.ConsumePartition(k.Topic, partition, sarama.OffsetNewest)
+	partitionConsumer, err := k.consumer.ConsumePartition(k.Topic, partition, sarama.OffsetNewest)
 	if err != nil {
 		errorCh <- err
 		return
diff --git a/gateways/core/stream/mqtt/config.go b/gateways/core/stream/mqtt/config.go
index 4afd62da82..c8c93fa562 100644
--- a/gateways/core/stream/mqtt/config.go
+++ b/gateways/core/stream/mqtt/config.go
@@ -17,8 +17,10 @@ limitations under the License.
 package mqtt
 
 import (
+	mqttlib "github.com/eclipse/paho.mqtt.golang"
 	"github.com/ghodss/yaml"
 	"github.com/rs/zerolog"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/wait"
 )
 
 // MqttEventSourceExecutor implements Eventing
@@ -27,7 +29,6 @@ type MqttEventSourceExecutor struct {
 }
 
 // mqtt contains information to connect to MQTT broker
-// +k8s:openapi-gen=true
 type mqtt struct {
 	// URL to connect to broker
 	URL string `json:"url"`
@@ -35,6 +36,10 @@ type mqtt struct {
 	Topic string `json:"topic"`
 	// Client ID
 	ClientId string `json:"clientId"`
+	// Backoff holds parameters applied to connection.
+	Backoff *wait.Backoff `json:"backoff,omitempty"`
+	// It is an MQTT client for communicating with an MQTT server
+	client mqttlib.Client
 }
 
 func parseEventSource(eventSource string) (*mqtt, error) {
diff --git a/gateways/core/stream/mqtt/start.go b/gateways/core/stream/mqtt/start.go
index 81d341c2cb..3ecfb00947 100644
--- a/gateways/core/stream/mqtt/start.go
+++ b/gateways/core/stream/mqtt/start.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ package mqtt
 
 import (
 	"github.com/argoproj/argo-events/gateways"
-	MQTTlib "github.com/eclipse/paho.mqtt.golang"
+	mqttlib "github.com/eclipse/paho.mqtt.golang"
 )
 
 // StartEventSource starts an event source
@@ -41,24 +41,32 @@ func (ese *MqttEventSourceExecutor) StartEventSource(eventSource *gateways.Event
 func (ese *MqttEventSourceExecutor) listenEvents(m *mqtt, eventSource *gateways.EventSource, dataCh chan []byte, errorCh chan error, doneCh chan struct{}) {
 	defer gateways.Recover(eventSource.Name)
 
-	handler := func(c MQTTlib.Client, msg MQTTlib.Message) {
+	handler := func(c mqttlib.Client, msg mqttlib.Message) {
 		dataCh <- msg.Payload()
 	}
-	opts := MQTTlib.NewClientOptions().AddBroker(m.URL).SetClientID(m.ClientId)
-	client := MQTTlib.NewClient(opts)
-	if token := client.Connect(); token.Wait() && token.Error() != nil {
-		errorCh <- token.Error()
+	opts := mqttlib.NewClientOptions().AddBroker(m.URL).SetClientID(m.ClientId)
+
+	if err := gateways.Connect(m.Backoff, func() error {
+		client := mqttlib.NewClient(opts)
+		if token := client.Connect(); token.Wait() && token.Error() != nil {
+			return token.Error()
+		}
+		return nil
+	}); err != nil {
+		ese.Log.Error().Err(err).Str("url", m.URL).Str("client-id", m.ClientId).Msg("failed to connect")
+		errorCh <- err
 		return
 	}
 
-	ese.Log.Info().Str("event-source-name", eventSource.Name).Msg("starting to subscribe to topic")
-	if token := client.Subscribe(m.Topic, 0, handler); token.Wait() && token.Error() != nil {
+	ese.Log.Info().Str("event-source-name", eventSource.Name).Msg("subscribing to topic")
+	if token := m.client.Subscribe(m.Topic, 0, handler); token.Wait() && token.Error() != nil {
+		ese.Log.Error().Err(token.Error()).Str("url", m.URL).Str("client-id", m.ClientId).Msg("failed to subscribe")
 		errorCh <- token.Error()
 		return
 	}
 
 	<-doneCh
-	token := client.Unsubscribe(m.Topic)
+	token := m.client.Unsubscribe(m.Topic)
 	if token.Error() != nil {
 		ese.Log.Error().Err(token.Error()).Str("event-source-name", eventSource.Name).Msg("failed to unsubscribe client")
 	}
diff --git a/gateways/core/stream/nats/config.go b/gateways/core/stream/nats/config.go
index df87805f4c..b439302293 100644
--- a/gateways/core/stream/nats/config.go
+++ b/gateways/core/stream/nats/config.go
@@ -18,7 +18,9 @@ package nats
 
 import (
 	"github.com/ghodss/yaml"
+	natslib "github.com/nats-io/go-nats"
 	"github.com/rs/zerolog"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/wait"
 )
 
 // NatsEventSourceExecutor implements Eventing
@@ -27,13 +29,15 @@ type NatsEventSourceExecutor struct {
 }
 
 // Nats contains configuration to connect to NATS cluster
-// +k8s:openapi-gen=true
 type natsConfig struct {
 	// URL to connect to natsConfig cluster
 	URL string `json:"url"`
-
 	// Subject name
 	Subject string `json:"subject"`
+	// Backoff holds parameters applied to connection.
+	Backoff *wait.Backoff `json:"backoff,omitempty"`
+	// conn represents a bare connection to a nats-server.
+	conn *natslib.Conn
 }
 
 func parseEventSource(es string) (*natsConfig, error) {
diff --git a/gateways/core/stream/nats/start.go b/gateways/core/stream/nats/start.go
index 00f66d3a25..5c8f95f575 100644
--- a/gateways/core/stream/nats/start.go
+++ b/gateways/core/stream/nats/start.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ package nats
 
 import (
 	"github.com/argoproj/argo-events/gateways"
-	"github.com/nats-io/go-nats"
+	natslib "github.com/nats-io/go-nats"
 )
 
 // StartEventSource starts an event source
@@ -41,23 +41,29 @@ func (ese *NatsEventSourceExecutor) StartEventSource(eventSource *gateways.Event
 func (ese *NatsEventSourceExecutor) listenEvents(n *natsConfig, eventSource *gateways.EventSource, dataCh chan []byte, errorCh chan error, doneCh chan struct{}) {
 	defer gateways.Recover(eventSource.Name)
 
-	nc, err := nats.Connect(n.URL)
-	if err != nil {
-		ese.Log.Error().Str("url", n.URL).Err(err).Msg("connection failed")
+	if err := gateways.Connect(n.Backoff, func() error {
+		var err error
+		if n.conn, err = natslib.Connect(n.URL); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		return nil
+	}); err != nil {
+		ese.Log.Error().Str("event-source-name", eventSource.Name).Str("url", n.URL).Err(err).Msg("connection failed")
 		errorCh <- err
 		return
 	}
 
-	ese.Log.Info().Str("event-source-name", eventSource.Name).Msg("starting to subscribe to messages")
-	_, err = nc.Subscribe(n.Subject, func(msg *nats.Msg) {
+	ese.Log.Info().Str("event-source-name", eventSource.Name).Msg("subscribing to messages")
+	_, err := n.conn.Subscribe(n.Subject, func(msg *natslib.Msg) {
 		dataCh <- msg.Data
 	})
 	if err != nil {
+		ese.Log.Error().Str("event-source-name", eventSource.Name).Str("url", n.URL).Str("subject", n.Subject).Err(err).Msg("failed to subscribe")
 		errorCh <- err
 		return
 	}
-	nc.Flush()
-	if err := nc.LastError(); err != nil {
+	n.conn.Flush()
+	if err := n.conn.LastError(); err != nil {
 		errorCh <- err
 		return
 	}
diff --git a/gateways/utils.go b/gateways/utils.go
index e652be5776..f4a663eff7 100644
--- a/gateways/utils.go
+++ b/gateways/utils.go
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ package gateways
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"hash/fnv"
+
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/wait"
 )
 
 // Hasher hashes a string
@@ -33,3 +35,24 @@ func SetValidEventSource(v *ValidEventSource, reason string, valid bool) {
 	v.Reason = reason
 	v.IsValid = valid
 }
+
+// InitBackoff initializes backoff
+func InitBackoff(backoff *wait.Backoff) {
+	if backoff == nil {
+		backoff = &wait.Backoff{
+			Steps: 1,
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// General connection helper
+func Connect(backoff *wait.Backoff, conn func() error) error {
+	InitBackoff(backoff)
+	err := wait.ExponentialBackoff(*backoff, func() (bool, error) {
+		if err := conn(); err != nil {
+			return false, nil
+		}
+		return true, nil
+	})
+	return err
+}