diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index 07701afeaf2..4a31c16b0ee 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -318,9 +318,9 @@ GEM
     shoulda-context (1.1.6)
     shoulda-matchers (2.5.0)
       activesupport (>= 3.0.0)
-    sidekiq (2.17.6)
+    sidekiq (3.0.0)
       celluloid (>= 0.15.2)
-      connection_pool (>= 1.0.0)
+      connection_pool (>= 2.0.0)
       json
       redis (>= 3.0.6)
       redis-namespace (>= 1.3.1)
diff --git a/config/initializers/sidekiq.rb b/config/initializers/sidekiq.rb
index 1c8d76756d8..0cfdbf90f90 100644
--- a/config/initializers/sidekiq.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/sidekiq.rb
@@ -1,13 +1,11 @@
 require "sidekiq/pausable"
 
-sidekiq_redis = { url: $redis.url, namespace: 'sidekiq' }
-
 Sidekiq.configure_client do |config|
-  config.redis = sidekiq_redis
+  config.redis = Discourse.sidekiq_redis_config
 end
 
 Sidekiq.configure_server do |config|
-  config.redis = sidekiq_redis
+  config.redis = Discourse.sidekiq_redis_config
   # add our pausable middleware
   config.server_middleware do |chain|
     chain.add Sidekiq::Pausable
diff --git a/lib/discourse.rb b/lib/discourse.rb
index 2d652cc0538..835636aba0f 100644
--- a/lib/discourse.rb
+++ b/lib/discourse.rb
@@ -245,8 +245,14 @@ module Discourse
     SiteSetting.after_fork
     $redis.client.reconnect
     Rails.cache.reconnect
-    # /!\ HACK /!\ force sidekiq to create a new connection to redis
-    Sidekiq.instance_variable_set(:@redis, nil)
+    # shuts down all connections in the pool
+    Sidekiq.redis_pool.shutdown{|c| nil}
+    # re-establish
+    Sidekiq.redis = sidekiq_redis_config
+  end
+
+  def self.sidekiq_redis_config
+    { url: $redis.url, namespace: 'sidekiq' }
   end
 
 end