diff --git a/config/template_config.ini b/config/template_config.ini
index 53ec169..78abe7a 100644
--- a/config/template_config.ini
+++ b/config/template_config.ini
@@ -3,11 +3,14 @@
 # Config file parameters
 [Config]
 ; Config file version. DO NOT EDIT THIS!
-version = 1
+version = 2
 ; Set this to no when you are done editing the file
 is_template = yes
 
 # Telegram bot parameters
 [Telegram]
 ; Your bot token goes here. Get one from @BotFather!
-token = 123456789:YOUR_TOKEN_GOES_HERE_______________
\ No newline at end of file
+token = 123456789:YOUR_TOKEN_GOES_HERE_______________
+; Time in seconds before a conversation with no new messages expires
+; A lower value reduces memory usage but can be inconvenient for the users
+conversation_timeout = 7200
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/configloader.py b/configloader.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0893add
--- /dev/null
+++ b/configloader.py
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+import sys
+import os
+import configparser
+
+def load_config() -> configparser.ConfigParser:
+    # Check if a configuration file exists, create one if it doesn't and get the template version number.
+    with open("config/template_config.ini") as template_file:
+        # Check if the config file exists
+        if not os.path.isfile("config/config.ini"):
+            # Copy the template file to the config file
+            with open("config/config.ini", "w") as config_file:
+                config_file.write(template_file.read())
+        # Find the template version number
+        config = configparser.ConfigParser()
+        config.read_file(template_file)
+        template_version = int(config["Config"]["version"])
+
+    # Overwrite the template config with the values in the config
+    with open("config/config.ini") as config_file:
+        config.read_file(config_file)
+
+    # Check if the file has been edited
+    if config["Config"]["is_template"] == "yes":
+        print("A config file has been created in config/config.ini.\n"
+              "Edit it with your configuration, set the is_template flag to false and restart this script.")
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    # Check if the version has changed from the template
+    if template_version > int(config["Config"]["version"]):
+        # Reset the is_template flag
+        config["Config"]["is_template"] = "yes"
+        # Update the config version
+        config["Config"]["version"] = str(template_version)
+        # Save the file
+        with open("config/config.ini", "w") as config_file:
+            config.write(config_file)
+        # Notify the user and quit
+        print("The config file in config/config.ini has been updated.\n"
+              "Edit it with the new required data, set the is_template flag to true and restart this script.")
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    return config
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/core.py b/core.py
index 9ed44eb..b7cf678 100644
--- a/core.py
+++ b/core.py
@@ -1,49 +1,15 @@
-import os
 import sys
-import configparser
 import telegram
 import time
 import strings
 import worker
+import configloader
 
 def main():
     """The core code of the program. Should be run only in the main process!"""
 
-    # Check if a configuration file exists, create one if it doesn't and get the template version number.
-    with open("config/template_config.ini") as template_file:
-        # Check if the config file exists
-        if not os.path.isfile("config/config.ini"):
-            # Copy the template file to the config file
-            with open("config/config.ini", "w") as config_file:
-                config_file.write(template_file.read())
-        # Find the template version number
-        config = configparser.ConfigParser()
-        config.read_file(template_file)
-        template_version = int(config["Config"]["version"])
-
-    # Overwrite the template config with the values in the config
-    with open("config/config.ini") as config_file:
-        config.read_file(config_file)
-
-    # Check if the file has been edited
-    if config["Config"]["is_template"] == "yes":
-        print("A config file has been created in config/config.ini.\n"
-              "Edit it with your configuration, set the is_template flag to false and restart this script.")
-        sys.exit(1)
-
-    # Check if the version has changed from the template
-    if template_version > int(config["Config"]["version"]):
-        # Reset the is_template flag
-        config["Config"]["is_template"] = "yes"
-        # Update the config version
-        config["Config"]["version"] = str(template_version)
-        # Save the file
-        with open("config/config.ini", "w") as config_file:
-            config.write(config_file)
-        # Notify the user and quit
-        print("The config file in config/config.ini has been updated.\n"
-              "Edit it with the new required data, set the is_template flag to true and restart this script.")
-        sys.exit(1)
+    # Load the config from config.ini
+    config = configloader.load_config()
 
     # Create a bot instance
     bot = telegram.Bot(config["Telegram"]["token"])
@@ -95,8 +61,8 @@ def main():
                     continue
                 # Otherwise, forward the update to the corresponding worker
                 receiving_worker = chat_workers.get(update.message.chat.id)
-                # Ensure a worker exists for the chat
-                if receiving_worker is None:
+                # Ensure a worker exists for the chat and is alive
+                if receiving_worker is None or not receiving_worker.process.is_alive():
                     # Suggest that the user restarts the chat with /start
                     bot.send_message(update.message.chat.id, strings.error_no_worker_for_chat)
                     # Skip the update
@@ -119,7 +85,8 @@ def main():
         if len(updates):
             # Mark them as read by increasing the update_offset
             next_update = updates[-1].update_id + 1
-        # Temporarily prevent rate limits (remove this later)
+        # Temporarily prevent rate limits
+        # TODO: (remove this later)
         time.sleep(5)
 
 
diff --git a/strings.py b/strings.py
index 4115cb6..747b844 100644
--- a/strings.py
+++ b/strings.py
@@ -6,9 +6,13 @@
 conversation_after_start = "Ciao!\n" \
                            "Benvenuto su greed!"
 
+# Notification: the conversation has expired
+conversation_expired = "🕐 Il bot non ha ricevuto messaggi per un po' di tempo, quindi ha chiuso la conversazione.\n" \
+                       "Per riavviarne una nuova, invia il comando /start."
+
 # Error: message received not in a private chat
 error_nonprivate_chat = "⚠️ Questo bot funziona solo in chat private."
 
 # Error: a message was sent in a chat, but no worker exists for that chat. Suggest the creation of a new worker with /start
-error_no_worker_for_chat = "⚠️ La conversazione con il bot si è interrotta.\n" \
+error_no_worker_for_chat = "⚠️ La conversazione con il bot è interrotta.\n" \
                            "Per riavviarla, manda il comando /start al bot."
diff --git a/worker.py b/worker.py
index 3a86163..2b8ed34 100644
--- a/worker.py
+++ b/worker.py
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 import multiprocessing
 import telegram
 import strings
+import configloader
+import sys
+
+# Load the configuration
+config = configloader.load_config()
 
 class StopSignal:
     """A data class that should be sent to the worker when the conversation has to be stopped abnormally."""
@@ -31,26 +36,33 @@ class ChatWorker:
         # Wait for the process to stop
         self.process.join()
 
+# TODO: maybe move these functions to a class
 
-def receive_next_update(pipe) -> telegram.Update:
+def graceful_stop(bot: telegram.Bot, chat: telegram.Chat, pipe):
+    """Handle the graceful stop of the process."""
+    # Notify the user that the session has expired
+    bot.send_message(chat.id, strings.conversation_expired)
+    # End the process
+    sys.exit(0)
+
+def receive_next_update(bot: telegram.Bot, chat: telegram.Chat, pipe) -> telegram.Update:
     """Get the next update from a pipe.
     If no update is found, block the process until one is received.
     If a stop signal is sent, try to gracefully stop the process."""
+    # Wait until some data is present in the pipe or the wait time runs out
+    if not pipe.poll(int(config["Telegram"]["conversation_timeout"])):
+        # If the conversation times out, gracefully stop the process
+        graceful_stop(bot, chat, pipe)
     # Receive data from the pipe
     data = pipe.recv()
     # Check if the data is a stop signal instance
     if isinstance(data, StopSignal):
         # Gracefully stop the process
-        graceful_stop()
+        graceful_stop(bot, chat, pipe)
     # Return the received update
     return data
 
 
-def graceful_stop():
-    """Handle the graceful stop of the process."""
-    raise NotImplementedError()
-
-
 def conversation_handler(bot: telegram.Bot, chat: telegram.Chat, pipe):
     """This function is ran once for every conversation (/start command) by a separate process."""
     # TODO: catch all the possible exceptions
@@ -59,5 +71,5 @@ def conversation_handler(bot: telegram.Bot, chat: telegram.Chat, pipe):
     # TODO: Send a command list or something
     while True:
         # For now, echo the sent message
-        update = receive_next_update(pipe)
-        bot.send_message(chat.id, update.message.text)
\ No newline at end of file
+        update = receive_next_update(bot, chat, pipe)
+        bot.send_message(chat.id, f"{multiprocessing.current_process().name} {update.message.text}")
\ No newline at end of file