diff --git a/examples/pico-echo-server/main.go b/examples/pico-echo-server/main.go
index 69d55462d..46970fb34 100644
--- a/examples/pico-echo-server/main.go
+++ b/examples/pico-echo-server/main.go
@@ -43,8 +43,7 @@ type server struct {
 func (s *server) handleWS(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	if s.token != "" {
 		auth := r.Header.Get("Authorization")
-		qtoken := r.URL.Query().Get("token")
-		if auth != "Bearer "+s.token && qtoken != s.token {
+		if auth != "Bearer "+s.token {
 			http.Error(w, "unauthorized", http.StatusUnauthorized)
 			return
 		}
@@ -141,22 +140,21 @@ func main() {
 
 	http.HandleFunc("/ws", s.handleWS)
 
+	log.Printf("listening on %s", *addr)
+	log.Printf("connect with: ws://localhost%s/ws", *addr)
+	fmt.Println("Type messages to send to connected clients (Ctrl+C to quit):")
+
 	go func() {
-		log.Printf("listening on %s (token=%q)", *addr, *token)
-		log.Printf("connect with: ws://localhost%s/ws", *addr)
-		if err := http.ListenAndServe(*addr, nil); err != nil {
-			log.Fatal(err)
+		scanner := bufio.NewScanner(os.Stdin)
+		for scanner.Scan() {
+			line := strings.TrimSpace(scanner.Text())
+			if line == "" {
+				continue
+			}
+			s.broadcast(line)
+			log.Printf("[server] sent: %s", line)
 		}
 	}()
 
-	fmt.Println("Type messages to send to connected clients (Ctrl+C to quit):")
-	scanner := bufio.NewScanner(os.Stdin)
-	for scanner.Scan() {
-		line := strings.TrimSpace(scanner.Text())
-		if line == "" {
-			continue
-		}
-		s.broadcast(line)
-		log.Printf("[server] sent: %s", line)
-	}
+	log.Fatal(http.ListenAndServe(*addr, nil))
 }
diff --git a/pkg/channels/pico/client.go b/pkg/channels/pico/client.go
index f03b2a200..2c335050d 100644
--- a/pkg/channels/pico/client.go
+++ b/pkg/channels/pico/client.go
@@ -93,10 +93,13 @@ func (c *PicoClientChannel) dial() error {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	connCtx, connCancel := context.WithCancel(c.ctx)
+
 	pc := &picoConn{
 		id:        uuid.New().String(),
 		conn:      ws,
 		sessionID: c.config.SessionID,
+		cancel:    connCancel,
 	}
 	if pc.sessionID == "" {
 		pc.sessionID = uuid.New().String()
@@ -106,7 +109,7 @@ func (c *PicoClientChannel) dial() error {
 	c.conn = pc
 	c.mu.Unlock()
 
-	go c.readLoop(pc)
+	go c.readLoop(connCtx, pc)
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -148,7 +151,7 @@ func (c *PicoClientChannel) reconnectLoop() {
 	}
 }
 
-func (c *PicoClientChannel) readLoop(pc *picoConn) {
+func (c *PicoClientChannel) readLoop(connCtx context.Context, pc *picoConn) {
 	defer pc.close()
 
 	readTimeout := time.Duration(c.config.ReadTimeout) * time.Second
@@ -165,11 +168,11 @@ func (c *PicoClientChannel) readLoop(pc *picoConn) {
 	if pingInterval <= 0 {
 		pingInterval = 30 * time.Second
 	}
-	go c.pingLoop(pc, pingInterval)
+	go c.pingLoop(connCtx, pc, pingInterval)
 
 	for {
 		select {
-		case <-c.ctx.Done():
+		case <-connCtx.Done():
 			return
 		default:
 		}
@@ -199,12 +202,12 @@ func (c *PicoClientChannel) readLoop(pc *picoConn) {
 	}
 }
 
-func (c *PicoClientChannel) pingLoop(pc *picoConn, interval time.Duration) {
+func (c *PicoClientChannel) pingLoop(connCtx context.Context, pc *picoConn, interval time.Duration) {
 	ticker := time.NewTicker(interval)
 	defer ticker.Stop()
 	for {
 		select {
-		case <-c.ctx.Done():
+		case <-connCtx.Done():
 			return
 		case <-ticker.C:
 			if pc.closed.Load() {
@@ -303,8 +306,14 @@ func (c *PicoClientChannel) StartTyping(ctx context.Context, chatID string) (fun
 		return func() {}, err
 	}
 	return func() {
+		c.mu.Lock()
+		currentPC := c.conn
+		c.mu.Unlock()
+		if currentPC == nil {
+			return
+		}
 		stopMsg := newMessage(TypeTypingStop, nil)
 		stopMsg.SessionID = strings.TrimPrefix(chatID, "pico_client:")
-		pc.writeJSON(stopMsg)
+		currentPC.writeJSON(stopMsg)
 	}, nil
 }
diff --git a/pkg/channels/pico/pico.go b/pkg/channels/pico/pico.go
index 8d8b62a67..600eaaf13 100644
--- a/pkg/channels/pico/pico.go
+++ b/pkg/channels/pico/pico.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ type picoConn struct {
 	sessionID string
 	writeMu   sync.Mutex
 	closed    atomic.Bool
+	cancel    context.CancelFunc // cancels per-connection goroutines (e.g. pingLoop)
 }
 
 // writeJSON sends a JSON message to the connection with write locking.
@@ -42,6 +43,9 @@ func (pc *picoConn) writeJSON(v any) error {
 // close closes the connection.
 func (pc *picoConn) close() {
 	if pc.closed.CompareAndSwap(false, true) {
+		if pc.cancel != nil {
+			pc.cancel()
+		}
 		pc.conn.Close()
 	}
 }