diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index f82acfc47..3ec3ce330 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 ## Changelog
 
+### `@jupyter-lsp/jupyterlab-lsp 5.0.0-rc.1`
+
+- restore re-use of unused standalone connections
+
 ### `@jupyter-lsp/jupyterlab-lsp 5.0.0-rc.0`
 
 - fixes diagnostics not showing up in text editor in certain circumstances
diff --git a/packages/jupyterlab-lsp/package.json b/packages/jupyterlab-lsp/package.json
index 4b1306814..dd7a6dc25 100644
--- a/packages/jupyterlab-lsp/package.json
+++ b/packages/jupyterlab-lsp/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@jupyter-lsp/jupyterlab-lsp",
-  "version": "5.0.0-rc.0",
+  "version": "5.0.0-rc.1",
   "description": "Language Server Protocol integration for JupyterLab",
   "keywords": [
     "jupyter",
diff --git a/packages/jupyterlab-lsp/src/virtual/document.ts b/packages/jupyterlab-lsp/src/virtual/document.ts
index 29f8e643d..44d601fef 100644
--- a/packages/jupyterlab-lsp/src/virtual/document.ts
+++ b/packages/jupyterlab-lsp/src/virtual/document.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@ import type {
   IVirtualPosition,
   IRootPosition,
   Document,
-  ForeignDocumentsMap
+  ForeignDocumentsMap,
+  IForeignCodeExtractor
 } from '@jupyterlab/lsp';
 import { VirtualDocument as VirtualDocumentBase } from '@jupyterlab/lsp';
 
@@ -33,6 +34,9 @@ export class VirtualDocument extends VirtualDocumentBase {
     this.lineMagicsOverrides = new ReversibleOverridesMap(
       overrides ? overrides.line : []
     );
+    // override private `chooseForeignDocument` as a workaround for
+    // https://github.com/jupyter-lsp/jupyterlab-lsp/issues/959
+    this['chooseForeignDocument'] = this._chooseForeignDocument;
   }
 
   // TODO: this could be moved out
@@ -202,4 +206,38 @@ export class VirtualDocument extends VirtualDocumentBase {
     }
     return [...maps.values()];
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Get the foreign document that can be opened with the input extractor.
+   */
+  private _chooseForeignDocument(
+    extractor: IForeignCodeExtractor
+  ): VirtualDocumentBase {
+    let foreignDocument: VirtualDocumentBase;
+    // if not standalone, try to append to existing document
+    let foreignExists = this.foreignDocuments.has(extractor.language);
+    if (!extractor.standalone && foreignExists) {
+      foreignDocument = this.foreignDocuments.get(extractor.language)!;
+    } else {
+      // if standalone, try to re-use existing connection to the server
+      let unusedStandalone = this.unusedStandaloneDocuments.get(
+        extractor.language
+      );
+      if (extractor.standalone && unusedStandalone.length > 0) {
+        foreignDocument = unusedStandalone.pop()!;
+        this.unusedDocuments.delete(foreignDocument);
+      } else {
+        // if (previous document does not exists) or (extractor produces standalone documents
+        // and no old standalone document could be reused): create a new document
+        // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/ban-ts-comment
+        // @ts-ignore
+        foreignDocument = this.openForeign(
+          extractor.language,
+          extractor.standalone,
+          extractor.fileExtension
+        );
+      }
+    }
+    return foreignDocument;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/packages/metapackage/package.json b/packages/metapackage/package.json
index 520219f66..355ac623e 100644
--- a/packages/metapackage/package.json
+++ b/packages/metapackage/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@jupyter-lsp/jupyterlab-lsp-metapackage",
-  "version": "5.0.0-rc.0",
+  "version": "5.0.0-rc.1",
   "description": "JupyterLab LSP - Meta Package. All of the packages used by JupyterLab LSP",
   "homepage": "https://github.com/jupyter-lsp/jupyterlab-lsp",
   "bugs": {