diff --git a/mopidy_beets/browsers/albums.py b/mopidy_beets/browsers/albums.py
index 9db1494..ebffde0 100644
--- a/mopidy_beets/browsers/albums.py
+++ b/mopidy_beets/browsers/albums.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ def get_toplevel(self):
         keys = self.api.get_sorted_unique_album_attributes(self.field)
         return [
             models.Ref.directory(
-                name=key, uri=assemble_uri(self.ref.uri, id_value=key)
+                name=str(key), uri=assemble_uri(self.ref.uri, id_value=key)
             )
             for key in keys
         ]
diff --git a/mopidy_beets/client.py b/mopidy_beets/client.py
index dfc652d..2bf79e5 100644
--- a/mopidy_beets/client.py
+++ b/mopidy_beets/client.py
@@ -52,17 +52,12 @@ def _memoized(*args):
 
 
 class BeetsRemoteClient:
-    def __init__(self, endpoint, proxy_config):
+    def __init__(self, endpoint, proxy_config, request_timeout=4):
         super().__init__()
+        self._request_timeout = request_timeout
         self.api = self._get_session(proxy_config)
         self.api_endpoint = endpoint
-        logger.info("Connecting to Beets remote library %s", endpoint)
-        try:
-            self.api.get(self.api_endpoint)
-            self.has_connection = True
-        except RequestException as e:
-            logger.error("Beets error - connection failed: %s", e)
-            self.has_connection = False
+        logger.info("Configured for Beets remote library %s", endpoint)
 
     def _get_session(self, proxy_config):
         proxy = httpclient.format_proxy(proxy_config)
@@ -273,7 +268,7 @@ def _get(self, url, raise_not_found=False):
         url = self.api_endpoint + url
         logger.debug("Beets - requesting %s" % url)
         try:
-            req = self.api.get(url)
+            req = self.api.get(url, timeout=self._request_timeout)
         except RequestException as e:
             logger.error("Beets - Request %s, failed with error %s", url, e)
             return None
diff --git a/mopidy_beets/library.py b/mopidy_beets/library.py
index 810057a..f20a056 100644
--- a/mopidy_beets/library.py
+++ b/mopidy_beets/library.py
@@ -89,9 +89,6 @@ def search(self, query=None, uris=None, exact=False):
         logger.debug(
             'Beets Query (exact=%s) within "%s": %s', exact, uris, query
         )
-        if not self.remote.has_connection:
-            return SearchResult(uri="beets:search-disconnected", tracks=[])
-
         self._validate_query(query)
         search_list = []
         for field, values in query.items():
@@ -178,10 +175,7 @@ def lookup(self, uri=None, uris=None):
 
     def get_distinct(self, field, query=None):
         logger.debug("Beets distinct query: %s (uri=%s)", field, query)
-        if not self.remote.has_connection:
-            return []
-        else:
-            return self.remote.get_sorted_unique_track_attributes(field)
+        return self.remote.get_sorted_unique_track_attributes(field)
 
     def _validate_query(self, query):
         for values in query.values():