diff --git a/changelog.md b/changelog.md
index b619c0e..84e1757 100644
--- a/changelog.md
+++ b/changelog.md
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+* 1.10.2 (merge 1.5.13)
+  - Use long-lived metadata connection.
+    This is to avoid having to excessively re-establish connection when there are many concurrent connectivity checks.
+  - Fix connection error reason translation, the error log is now more compact when e.g. connect timeout happens.
+
 * 1.10.1
   - Add `max_partitions` producer config to limit the number of partition producers so the client side is also possible to have control over resource utilization.
 
diff --git a/src/wolff.app.src b/src/wolff.app.src
index 5d0f201..8866472 100644
--- a/src/wolff.app.src
+++ b/src/wolff.app.src
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {application, wolff,
  [{description, "Kafka's publisher"},
-  {vsn, "1.10.1"},
+  {vsn, "1.10.2"},
   {registered, []},
   {applications,
    [kernel,
diff --git a/src/wolff.appup.src b/src/wolff.appup.src
index 312eb38..5a5a3a5 100644
--- a/src/wolff.appup.src
+++ b/src/wolff.appup.src
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 %% -*- mode: erlang; -*-
-{"1.9.1",
+{"1.10.2",
   [
   ],
   [
diff --git a/src/wolff.erl b/src/wolff.erl
index bd0a62f..0491b74 100644
--- a/src/wolff.erl
+++ b/src/wolff.erl
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@
 -export_type([client_id/0, host/0, producers/0, msg/0, ack_fun/0, partitioner/0,
               name/0, offset_reply/0, topic/0]).
 
+-deprecated({check_if_topic_exists, 3}).
 -deprecated({stop_and_delete_supervised_producers, 3}).
 
 -type client_id() :: binary().
@@ -158,7 +159,7 @@ check_connectivity(ClientId) ->
 check_connectivity(Hosts, ConnConfig) ->
    wolff_client:check_connectivity(Hosts, ConnConfig).
 
-%% @doc Check if the cluster is reachable and the topic is created.
+%% @hidden Deprecated. Check if the cluster is reachable and the topic is created.
 -spec check_if_topic_exists([host()], wolff_client:config(), topic()) ->
         ok | {error, unknown_topic_or_partition | [#{host := binary(), reason := term()}] | any()}.
 check_if_topic_exists(Hosts, ConnConfig, Topic) ->
diff --git a/src/wolff_client.erl b/src/wolff_client.erl
index 78f1638..908caa6 100644
--- a/src/wolff_client.erl
+++ b/src/wolff_client.erl
@@ -25,13 +25,16 @@
          get_id/1,
          delete_producers_metadata/2]).
 -export([check_connectivity/1, check_connectivity/2]).
--export([check_if_topic_exists/2, check_if_topic_exists/3, check_topic_exists_with_client_pid/2]).
+-export([check_topic_exists_with_client_pid/2]).
 
 %% gen_server callbacks
 -export([code_change/3, handle_call/3, handle_cast/2, handle_info/2, init/1, terminate/2]).
 
 -export_type([config/0]).
 
+%% deprecated
+-export([check_if_topic_exists/3]).
+
 -type config() :: map().
 -type topic() :: kpro:topic().
 -type partition() :: kpro:partition().
@@ -45,6 +48,7 @@
         config := config(),
         conn_config := kpro:conn_config(),
         conns := #{conn_id() => connection()},
+        metadata_conn := pid() | not_initialized | down,
         metadata_ts := #{topic() => erlang:timestamp()},
         %% only applicable when connection strategy is per_broker
         %% because in this case the connections are keyed by host()
@@ -75,6 +79,7 @@ start_link(ClientId, Hosts, Config) ->
          config => MyCfg,
          conn_config => ConnCfg,
          conns => #{},
+         metadata_conn => not_initialized,
          metadata_ts => #{},
          leaders => #{}
         },
@@ -99,39 +104,29 @@ get_leader_connections(Client, Topic) ->
 get_leader_connections(Client, Topic, MaxPartitions) ->
    safe_call(Client, {get_leader_connections, Topic, MaxPartitions}).
 
+%% @doc Check if client has a metadata connection alive.
+%% Trigger a reconnect if the connection is down for whatever reason.
 -spec check_connectivity(pid()) -> ok | {error, any()}.
 check_connectivity(Pid) ->
   safe_call(Pid, check_connectivity).
 
+%% @doc Connect to any host in the list and immediately disconnect.
 -spec check_connectivity([host()], kpro:conn_config()) -> ok | {error, any()}.
 check_connectivity(Hosts, ConnConfig) when Hosts =/= [] ->
-    case kpro:connect_any(Hosts, ConnConfig) of
-        {ok, Conn} ->
-            close_connection(Conn),
-            ok;
-        {error, Reasons} ->
-            {error, tr_reasons(Reasons)}
-    end.
+  case kpro:connect_any(Hosts, ConnConfig) of
+    {ok, Conn} ->
+      ok = close_connection(Conn);
+    {error, Reasons} ->
+      {error, tr_reasons(Reasons)}
+  end.
 
-%% @doc Check if a topic exists by creating a temp connecton to any of the seed hosts.
+%% @hidden Deprecated. Check if a topic exists by creating a temp connecton to any of the seed hosts.
 -spec check_if_topic_exists([host()], kpro:conn_config(), topic()) ->
         ok | {error, unknown_topic_or_partition | [#{host := binary(), reason := term()}] | any()}.
 check_if_topic_exists(Hosts, ConnConfig, Topic) when Hosts =/= [] ->
   case get_metadata(Hosts, ConnConfig, Topic) of
-    {ok, _} ->
-      ok;
-    {error, Errors} ->
-      {error, Errors}
-  end.
-
--spec check_if_topic_exists(pid(), topic()) ->
-        ok | {error, unknown_topic_or_partition | [#{host := binary(), reason := term()}] | any()}.
-check_if_topic_exists(Pid, Topic) when is_pid(Pid) ->
-  {ok, Vsns} = kpro:get_api_versions(Pid),
-  {_, Vsn} = maps:get(metadata, Vsns),
-  case do_get_metadata(Vsn, Pid, Topic) of
-    {ok, _} ->
-      ok;
+    {ok, {Pid, _}} ->
+      ok = close_connection(Pid);
     {error, Errors} ->
       {error, Errors}
   end.
@@ -164,8 +159,14 @@ handle_call(Call, From, #{connect := _Fun} = St) ->
     handle_call(Call, From, upgrade(St));
 handle_call(get_id, _From, #{client_id := Id} = St) ->
   {reply, Id, St};
-handle_call({check_if_topic_exists, Topic}, _From, #{seed_hosts := Hosts, conn_config := ConnConfig} = St) ->
-  {reply, check_if_topic_exists(Hosts, ConnConfig, Topic), St};
+handle_call({check_if_topic_exists, Topic}, _From, #{conn_config := ConnConfig} = St0) ->
+  case ensure_metadata_conn(St0) of
+    {ok, #{metadata_conn := ConnPid} = St} ->
+      Timeout = maps:get(request_timeout, ConnConfig, ?DEFAULT_METADATA_TIMEOUT),
+      {reply, check_if_topic_exists2(ConnPid, Topic, Timeout), St};
+    {error, Reason} ->
+      {reply, {error, Reason}, St0}
+  end;
 handle_call({get_leader_connections, Topic, MaxPartitions}, _From, St0) ->
   case ensure_leader_connections(St0, Topic, MaxPartitions) of
     {ok, St} ->
@@ -178,9 +179,13 @@ handle_call(stop, From, #{conns := Conns} = St) ->
   ok = close_connections(Conns),
   gen_server:reply(From, ok),
   {stop, normal, St#{conns := #{}}};
-handle_call(check_connectivity, _From, #{seed_hosts := Hosts, conn_config := ConnConfig} = St) ->
-  Res = check_connectivity(Hosts, ConnConfig),
-  {reply, Res, St};
+handle_call(check_connectivity, _From, St0) ->
+  case ensure_metadata_conn(St0) of
+    {ok, St} ->
+      {reply, ok, St};
+    {error, Reason} ->
+      {reply, {error, Reason}, St0}
+  end;
 handle_call(Call, _From, St) ->
   {reply, {error, {unknown_call, Call}}, St}.
 
@@ -215,11 +220,34 @@ code_change(_OldVsn, St, _Extra) ->
 
 terminate(_, #{client_id := ClientID, conns := Conns} = St) ->
   ok = wolff_client_sup:deregister_client(ClientID),
+  MetadataConn = maps:get(metadata_conn, St, none),
   ok = close_connections(Conns),
+  ok = close_connection(MetadataConn),
   {ok, St#{conns := #{}}}.
 
 %% == internals ======================================================
 
+ensure_metadata_conn(#{seed_hosts := Hosts, conn_config := ConnConfig, metadata_conn := Pid} = St) ->
+  case is_alive(Pid) of
+    true ->
+      {ok, St};
+    false ->
+      case kpro:connect_any(Hosts, ConnConfig) of
+        {ok, NewPid} ->
+          {ok, St#{metadata_conn => NewPid}};
+        {error, Reasons} ->
+          {error, tr_reasons(Reasons)}
+      end
+  end.
+
+check_if_topic_exists2(Pid, Topic, Timeout) when is_pid(Pid) ->
+  case do_get_metadata(Pid, Topic, Timeout) of
+    {ok, _} ->
+      ok;
+    {error, Reason} ->
+      {error, Reason}
+  end.
+
 close_connections(Conns) ->
   lists:foreach(fun({_, Pid}) -> close_connection(Pid) end, maps:to_list(Conns)).
 
@@ -272,25 +300,40 @@ is_metadata_fresh(#{metadata_ts := Topics, config := Config}, Topic) ->
 ensure_leader_connections(St, Topic, MaxPartitions) ->
   case is_metadata_fresh(St, Topic) of
     true -> {ok, St};
-    false -> do_ensure_leader_connections(St, Topic, MaxPartitions)
+    false -> ensure_leader_connections2(St, Topic, MaxPartitions)
   end.
 
-do_ensure_leader_connections(#{conn_config := ConnConfig,
-                               seed_hosts := SeedHosts,
-                               metadata_ts := MetadataTs
-                              } = St0, Topic, MaxPartitions) ->
-  case get_metadata(SeedHosts, ConnConfig, Topic) of
-    {ok, {Brokers, PartitionMetaList0}} ->
-      PartitionMetaList = limit_partitions_count(PartitionMetaList0, MaxPartitions),
-      St = lists:foldl(fun(PartitionMeta, StIn) ->
-                           ensure_leader_connection(StIn, Brokers, Topic, PartitionMeta)
-                       end, St0, PartitionMetaList),
-      {ok, St#{metadata_ts := MetadataTs#{Topic => erlang:timestamp()}}};
+ensure_leader_connections2(#{metadata_conn := Pid, conn_config := ConnConfig} = St, Topic, MaxPartitions) when is_pid(Pid) ->
+  Timeout = maps:get(request_timeout, ConnConfig, ?DEFAULT_METADATA_TIMEOUT),
+  case do_get_metadata(Pid, Topic, Timeout) of
+    {ok, {Brokers, PartitionMetaList}} ->
+      ensure_leader_connections3(St, Topic, Pid, Brokers, PartitionMetaList, MaxPartitions);
+    {error, _Reason} ->
+      %% ensure metadata connection is down, try to establish a new one in the next clause,
+      %% reason is discarded here, because the next clause will log error if the immediate retry fails
+      exit(Pid, kill),
+      ensure_leader_connections2(St#{metadata_conn => down}, Topic, MaxPartitions)
+  end;
+ensure_leader_connections2(#{conn_config := ConnConfig,
+                             seed_hosts := SeedHosts} = St, Topic, MaxPartitions) ->
+  case get_metadata(SeedHosts, ConnConfig, Topic, []) of
+    {ok, {ConnPid, {Brokers, PartitionMetaList}}} ->
+      ensure_leader_connections3(St, Topic, ConnPid, Brokers, PartitionMetaList, MaxPartitions);
     {error, Errors} ->
       log_warn(failed_to_fetch_metadata, #{topic => Topic, errors => Errors}),
       {error, failed_to_fetch_metadata}
   end.
 
+ensure_leader_connections3(#{metadata_ts := MetadataTs} = St0, Topic,
+                           ConnPid, Brokers, PartitionMetaList0, MaxPartitions) ->
+  PartitionMetaList = limit_partitions_count(PartitionMetaList0, MaxPartitions),
+  St = lists:foldl(fun(PartitionMeta, StIn) ->
+                       ensure_leader_connection(StIn, Brokers, Topic, PartitionMeta)
+                   end, St0, PartitionMetaList),
+  {ok, St#{metadata_ts := MetadataTs#{Topic => erlang:timestamp()},
+           metadata_conn => ConnPid
+          }}.
+
 limit_partitions_count(PartitionMetaList, Max) when is_integer(Max) andalso Max < length(PartitionMetaList) ->
   lists:sublist(PartitionMetaList, Max);
 limit_partitions_count(PartitionMetaList, _) ->
@@ -409,27 +452,33 @@ get_metadata(Hosts, ConnectFun, Topic) ->
   get_metadata(Hosts, ConnectFun, Topic, []).
 
 get_metadata([], _ConnectFun, _Topic, Errors) ->
-  %% failed to connect to ALL seed hosts, crash instead of return {error, Reason}
   {error, Errors};
 get_metadata([Host | Rest], ConnConfig, Topic, Errors) ->
   case do_connect(Host, ConnConfig) of
     {ok, Pid} ->
-      try
-        {ok, Vsns} = kpro:get_api_versions(Pid),
-        {_, Vsn} = maps:get(metadata, Vsns),
-        Timeout = maps:get(request_timeout, ConnConfig, ?DEFAULT_METADATA_TIMEOUT),
-        do_get_metadata(Vsn, Pid, Topic, Timeout)
-      after
-        _ = close_connection(Pid)
+      Timeout = maps:get(request_timeout, ConnConfig, ?DEFAULT_METADATA_TIMEOUT),
+      case do_get_metadata(Pid, Topic, Timeout) of
+        {ok, Result} ->
+          {ok, {Pid, Result}};
+        {error, Reason} ->
+          %% failed to fetch metadata, make sure this connection is closed
+          ok = close_connection(Pid),
+          {error, Reason}
       end;
     {error, Reason} ->
       get_metadata(Rest, ConnConfig, Topic, [Reason | Errors])
   end.
 
-do_get_metadata(Vsn, Connection, Topic) ->
-    do_get_metadata(Vsn, Connection, Topic, ?DEFAULT_METADATA_TIMEOUT).
+do_get_metadata(Connection, Topic, Timeout) ->
+  case kpro:get_api_versions(Connection) of
+    {ok, Vsns} ->
+      {_, Vsn} = maps:get(metadata, Vsns),
+      do_get_metadata2(Vsn, Connection, Topic, Timeout);
+    {error, Reason} ->
+      {error, Reason}
+  end.
 
-do_get_metadata(Vsn, Connection, Topic, Timeout) ->
+do_get_metadata2(Vsn, Connection, Topic, Timeout) ->
   Req = kpro_req_lib:metadata(Vsn, [Topic], _IsAutoCreateAllowed = false),
   case kpro:request_sync(Connection, Req, Timeout) of
     {ok, #kpro_rsp{msg = Meta}} ->
@@ -439,8 +488,10 @@ do_get_metadata(Vsn, Connection, Topic, Timeout) ->
       ErrorCode = kpro:find(error_code, TopicMeta),
       Partitions = kpro:find(partitions, TopicMeta),
       case ErrorCode =:= ?no_error of
-        true  -> {ok, {Brokers, Partitions}};
-        false -> {error, ErrorCode} %% no such topic ?
+        true ->
+          {ok, {Brokers, Partitions}};
+        false ->
+          {error, ErrorCode} %% no such topic ?
       end;
     {error, Reason} ->
       {error, Reason}
diff --git a/test/wolff_tests.erl b/test/wolff_tests.erl
index 9cefc5e..4f2869a 100644
--- a/test/wolff_tests.erl
+++ b/test/wolff_tests.erl
@@ -45,6 +45,42 @@ ack_cb(Partition, Offset, Self, Ref) ->
   Self ! {ack, Ref, Partition, Offset},
   ok.
 
+metadata_connection_restart_test() ->
+  ClientCfg = client_config(),
+  ClientId = <<"client-1">>,
+  {ok, Client} = start_client(ClientId, ?HOSTS, ClientCfg),
+  GetMetadataConn = fun() ->
+    ok = wolff:check_connectivity(ClientId),
+    ok = wolff_client:check_connectivity(Client),
+    State = sys:get_state(Client),
+    Pid = maps:get(metadata_conn, State),
+    ?assert(is_process_alive(Pid)),
+    Pid
+  end,
+  Pid1 = GetMetadataConn(),
+  exit(Pid1, kill),
+  Pid2 = GetMetadataConn(),
+  ok = stop_client(Client),
+  ?assertNot(is_process_alive(Pid2)).
+
+metadata_connection_restart2_test() ->
+  ClientCfg0 = client_config(),
+  ClientCfg = ClientCfg0#{min_metadata_refresh_interval => 0},
+  ClientId = <<"client-1">>,
+  {ok, Client} = start_client(ClientId, ?HOSTS, ClientCfg),
+  GetMetadataConn = fun() ->
+    ?assertMatch({ok, _}, wolff_client:get_leader_connections(Client, <<"test-topic">>)),
+    State = sys:get_state(Client),
+    Pid = maps:get(metadata_conn, State),
+    ?assert(is_process_alive(Pid)),
+    Pid
+  end,
+  Pid1 = GetMetadataConn(),
+  exit(Pid1, kill),
+  Pid2 = GetMetadataConn(),
+  ok = stop_client(Client),
+  ?assertNot(is_process_alive(Pid2)).
+
 send_test() ->
   CntrEventsTable = ets:new(cntr_events, [public]),
   install_event_logging(?FUNCTION_NAME, CntrEventsTable, false),