diff --git a/src/general.cpp b/src/general.cpp
index 18078d2e..61a721cb 100644
--- a/src/general.cpp
+++ b/src/general.cpp
@@ -538,8 +538,8 @@ void SwitcherData::loadSettings(obs_data_t *obj)
 	// selections to be available.
 	loadSceneGroups(obj);
 	loadVariables(obj);
-	loadMacros(obj);
 	loadConnections(obj);
+	loadMacros(obj);
 	loadWindowTitleSwitches(obj);
 	loadScreenRegionSwitches(obj);
 	loadPauseSwitches(obj);
diff --git a/src/macro-core/macro-action-websocket.cpp b/src/macro-core/macro-action-websocket.cpp
index d78d9ff4..9ef47f87 100644
--- a/src/macro-core/macro-action-websocket.cpp
+++ b/src/macro-core/macro-action-websocket.cpp
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ static std::map<MacroActionWebsocket::Type, std::string> actionTypes = {
 
 void MacroActionWebsocket::SendRequest()
 {
-	auto connection = GetConnectionByName(_connection);
+	auto connection = _connection.lock();
 	if (!connection) {
 		return;
 	}
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ void MacroActionWebsocket::LogAction() const
 	switch (_type) {
 	case MacroActionWebsocket::Type::REQUEST:
 		vblog(LOG_INFO, "sent msg \"%s\" via \"%s\"", _message.c_str(),
-		      _connection.c_str());
+		      GetWeakConnectionName(_connection).c_str());
 		break;
 	case MacroActionWebsocket::Type::EVENT:
 		vblog(LOG_INFO, "sent event \"%s\" to connected clients",
@@ -62,7 +62,8 @@ bool MacroActionWebsocket::Save(obs_data_t *obj) const
 	MacroAction::Save(obj);
 	obs_data_set_int(obj, "type", static_cast<int>(_type));
 	_message.Save(obj, "message");
-	obs_data_set_string(obj, "connection", _connection.c_str());
+	obs_data_set_string(obj, "connection",
+			    GetWeakConnectionName(_connection).c_str());
 	return true;
 }
 
@@ -71,14 +72,15 @@ bool MacroActionWebsocket::Load(obs_data_t *obj)
 	MacroAction::Load(obj);
 	_type = static_cast<Type>(obs_data_get_int(obj, "type"));
 	_message.Load(obj, "message");
-	_connection = obs_data_get_string(obj, "connection");
+	_connection =
+		GetWeakConnectionByName(obs_data_get_string(obj, "connection"));
 	return true;
 }
 
 std::string MacroActionWebsocket::GetShortDesc() const
 {
 	if (_type == Type::REQUEST) {
-		return _connection;
+		return GetWeakConnectionName(_connection);
 	}
 	return "";
 }
@@ -206,6 +208,6 @@ void MacroActionWebsocketEdit::ConnectionSelectionChanged(
 	}
 
 	std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(switcher->m);
-	_entryData->_connection = connection.toStdString();
+	_entryData->_connection = GetWeakConnectionByQString(connection);
 	emit(HeaderInfoChanged(connection));
 }
diff --git a/src/macro-core/macro-action-websocket.hpp b/src/macro-core/macro-action-websocket.hpp
index ec17c388..491bc0bd 100644
--- a/src/macro-core/macro-action-websocket.hpp
+++ b/src/macro-core/macro-action-websocket.hpp
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ public:
 
 	Type _type = Type::REQUEST;
 	StringVariable _message = obs_module_text("AdvSceneSwitcher.enterText");
-	std::string _connection;
+	std::weak_ptr<Connection> _connection;
 
 private:
 	void SendRequest();
diff --git a/src/macro-core/macro-condition-websocket.cpp b/src/macro-core/macro-condition-websocket.cpp
index 167530aa..b9ffd6b7 100644
--- a/src/macro-core/macro-condition-websocket.cpp
+++ b/src/macro-core/macro-condition-websocket.cpp
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ bool MacroConditionWebsocket::CheckCondition()
 		messages = &switcher->websocketMessages;
 		break;
 	case MacroConditionWebsocket::Type::EVENT: {
-		auto connection = GetConnectionByName(_connection);
+		auto connection = _connection.lock();
 		if (!connection) {
 			return false;
 		}
@@ -76,7 +76,8 @@ bool MacroConditionWebsocket::Save(obs_data_t *obj) const
 	obs_data_set_int(obj, "type", static_cast<int>(_type));
 	_message.Save(obj, "message");
 	_regex.Save(obj);
-	obs_data_set_string(obj, "connection", _connection.c_str());
+	obs_data_set_string(obj, "connection",
+			    GetWeakConnectionName(_connection).c_str());
 	return true;
 }
 
@@ -91,7 +92,8 @@ bool MacroConditionWebsocket::Load(obs_data_t *obj)
 		_regex.CreateBackwardsCompatibleRegex(
 			obs_data_get_bool(obj, "useRegex"), false);
 	}
-	_connection = obs_data_get_string(obj, "connection");
+	_connection =
+		GetWeakConnectionByName(obs_data_get_string(obj, "connection"));
 	return true;
 }
 
@@ -100,7 +102,7 @@ std::string MacroConditionWebsocket::GetShortDesc() const
 	if (_type == Type::REQUEST) {
 		return "";
 	}
-	return _connection;
+	return GetWeakConnectionName(_connection);
 }
 
 static inline void populateConditionSelection(QComboBox *list)
@@ -237,7 +239,7 @@ void MacroConditionWebsocketEdit::ConnectionSelectionChanged(
 	}
 
 	std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(switcher->m);
-	_entryData->_connection = connection.toStdString();
+	_entryData->_connection = GetWeakConnectionByQString(connection);
 	emit(HeaderInfoChanged(connection));
 }
 
diff --git a/src/macro-core/macro-condition-websocket.hpp b/src/macro-core/macro-condition-websocket.hpp
index 377fd90a..163d53d1 100644
--- a/src/macro-core/macro-condition-websocket.hpp
+++ b/src/macro-core/macro-condition-websocket.hpp
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ public:
 	Type _type = Type::REQUEST;
 	StringVariable _message = obs_module_text("AdvSceneSwitcher.enterText");
 	RegexConfig _regex;
-	std::string _connection;
+	std::weak_ptr<Connection> _connection;
 
 private:
 	static bool _registered;
diff --git a/src/utils/connection-manager.cpp b/src/utils/connection-manager.cpp
index b2c92eb2..732ec2b6 100644
--- a/src/utils/connection-manager.cpp
+++ b/src/utils/connection-manager.cpp
@@ -133,6 +133,32 @@ Connection *GetConnectionByName(const std::string &name)
 	return nullptr;
 }
 
+std::weak_ptr<Connection> GetWeakConnectionByName(const std::string &name)
+{
+	for (const auto &c : switcher->connections) {
+		if (c->Name() == name) {
+			std::weak_ptr<Connection> wp =
+				std::dynamic_pointer_cast<Connection>(c);
+			return wp;
+		}
+	}
+	return std::weak_ptr<Connection>();
+}
+
+std::weak_ptr<Connection> GetWeakConnectionByQString(const QString &name)
+{
+	return GetWeakConnectionByName(name.toStdString());
+}
+
+std::string GetWeakConnectionName(std::weak_ptr<Connection> connection)
+{
+	auto con = connection.lock();
+	if (!con) {
+		return "invalid connection selection";
+	}
+	return con->Name();
+}
+
 bool ConnectionNameAvailable(const QString &name)
 {
 	return !GetConnectionByName(name);
@@ -187,6 +213,18 @@ void ConnectionSelection::SetConnection(const std::string &con)
 	}
 }
 
+void ConnectionSelection::SetConnection(
+	const std::weak_ptr<Connection> &connection_)
+{
+	const QSignalBlocker blocker(_selection);
+	auto connection = connection_.lock();
+	if (connection) {
+		SetConnection(connection->Name());
+	} else {
+		_selection->setCurrentIndex(0);
+	}
+}
+
 ConnectionSettingsDialog::ConnectionSettingsDialog(QWidget *parent,
 						   const Connection &settings)
 	: ItemSettingsDialog(settings, switcher->connections,
diff --git a/src/utils/connection-manager.hpp b/src/utils/connection-manager.hpp
index 4d41a590..8020dc00 100644
--- a/src/utils/connection-manager.hpp
+++ b/src/utils/connection-manager.hpp
@@ -56,6 +56,9 @@ private:
 
 Connection *GetConnectionByName(const QString &);
 Connection *GetConnectionByName(const std::string &);
+std::weak_ptr<Connection> GetWeakConnectionByName(const std::string &name);
+std::weak_ptr<Connection> GetWeakConnectionByQString(const QString &name);
+std::string GetWeakConnectionName(std::weak_ptr<Connection>);
 
 class ConnectionSettingsDialog : public ItemSettingsDialog {
 	Q_OBJECT
@@ -92,4 +95,5 @@ class ConnectionSelection : public ItemSelection {
 public:
 	ConnectionSelection(QWidget *parent = 0);
 	void SetConnection(const std::string &);
+	void SetConnection(const std::weak_ptr<Connection> &);
 };