diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index f916227..d1a5c9c 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 1.11.1 - 2025-10-06
+
+- quiet logging for SSE reconnections
+- let the SSE::Client handle the Last-Event-ID header
+
 ## 1.10.0 - 2025-10-02
 
 - require `base64` for newest ruby versions
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 81c871d..720c738 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-1.10.0
+1.11.1
diff --git a/lib/reforge/sse_config_client.rb b/lib/reforge/sse_config_client.rb
index 79b55b0..473d177 100644
--- a/lib/reforge/sse_config_client.rb
+++ b/lib/reforge/sse_config_client.rb
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ def connect(&load_configs)
                       headers: headers,
                       read_timeout: @options.sse_read_timeout,
                       reconnect_time: @options.sse_default_reconnect_time,
+                      last_event_id: (@config_loader.highwater_mark&.positive? ? @config_loader.highwater_mark.to_s : nil),
                       logger: Reforge::InternalLogger.new(SSE::Client)) do |client|
         client.on_event do |event|
           if event.data.nil? || event.data.empty?
@@ -92,7 +93,12 @@ def connect(&load_configs)
         end
 
         client.on_error do |error|
-          @logger.error "SSE Streaming Error: #{error.inspect} for url #{url}"
+          # SSL "unexpected eof" is expected when SSE sessions timeout normally
+          if error.is_a?(OpenSSL::SSL::SSLError) && error.message.include?('unexpected eof')
+            @logger.debug "SSE Streaming: Connection closed (expected timeout) for url #{url}"
+          else
+            @logger.error "SSE Streaming Error: #{error.inspect} for url #{url}"
+          end
 
           if @options.errors_to_close_connection.any? { |klass| error.is_a?(klass) }
             @logger.debug "Closing SSE connection for url #{url}"
@@ -106,7 +112,6 @@ def headers
       auth = "#{AUTH_USER}:#{@prefab_options.sdk_key}"
       auth_string = Base64.strict_encode64(auth)
       return {
-        'Last-Event-ID' => @config_loader.highwater_mark,
         'Authorization' => "Basic #{auth_string}",
         'Accept' => 'text/event-stream',
         'X-Reforge-SDK-Version' => "sdk-ruby-#{Reforge::VERSION}"
diff --git a/sdk-reforge.gemspec b/sdk-reforge.gemspec
index 2726313..1eee29a 100644
--- a/sdk-reforge.gemspec
+++ b/sdk-reforge.gemspec
@@ -2,16 +2,16 @@
 # DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE DIRECTLY
 # Instead, edit Juwelier::Tasks in Rakefile, and run 'rake gemspec'
 # -*- encoding: utf-8 -*-
-# stub: sdk-reforge 1.10.0 ruby lib
+# stub: sdk-reforge 1.11.1 ruby lib
 
 Gem::Specification.new do |s|
   s.name = "sdk-reforge".freeze
-  s.version = "1.10.0"
+  s.version = "1.11.1"
 
   s.required_rubygems_version = Gem::Requirement.new(">= 0".freeze) if s.respond_to? :required_rubygems_version=
   s.require_paths = ["lib".freeze]
   s.authors = ["Jeff Dwyer".freeze]
-  s.date = "2025-10-02"
+  s.date = "2025-10-06"
   s.description = "Feature Flags, Live Config as a service".freeze
   s.email = "jeff.dwyer@reforge.com.cloud".freeze
   s.extra_rdoc_files = [
diff --git a/test/test_sse_config_client.rb b/test/test_sse_config_client.rb
index 966d27e..e2628de 100644
--- a/test/test_sse_config_client.rb
+++ b/test/test_sse_config_client.rb
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ def test_client
 
     client = Reforge::SSEConfigClient.new(options, config_loader)
 
-    assert_equal 4, client.headers['Last-Event-ID']
     assert_equal "https://stream.goatsofreforge.com", client.source
 
     result = nil
@@ -48,8 +47,6 @@ def test_failing_over
 
     client = Reforge::SSEConfigClient.new(prefab_options, config_loader, sse_options)
 
-    assert_equal 4, client.headers['Last-Event-ID']
-
     result = nil
 
     # fake our load_configs block
@@ -247,4 +244,41 @@ def test_empty_data_validation
            'Expected to have logged an error about empty data for nil'
     mock_client.verify
   end
+
+  def test_last_event_id_initialization
+    # Test with positive highwater_mark
+    config_loader = OpenStruct.new(highwater_mark: 42)
+    prefab_options = OpenStruct.new(sse_sources: ['http://localhost:4567'], sdk_key: 'test')
+    client = Reforge::SSEConfigClient.new(prefab_options, config_loader)
+
+    # Mock SSE::Client.new to capture the last_event_id argument
+    SSE::Client.stub :new, ->(*args, **kwargs, &block) {
+      assert_equal '42', kwargs[:last_event_id], 'Expected last_event_id to be "42"'
+      OpenStruct.new(closed?: false, close: nil)
+    } do
+      client.connect { |_configs, _event, _source| }
+    end
+
+    # Test with nil highwater_mark
+    config_loader = OpenStruct.new(highwater_mark: nil)
+    client = Reforge::SSEConfigClient.new(prefab_options, config_loader)
+
+    SSE::Client.stub :new, ->(*args, **kwargs, &block) {
+      assert_nil kwargs[:last_event_id], 'Expected last_event_id to be nil when highwater_mark is nil'
+      OpenStruct.new(closed?: false, close: nil)
+    } do
+      client.connect { |_configs, _event, _source| }
+    end
+
+    # Test with zero highwater_mark
+    config_loader = OpenStruct.new(highwater_mark: 0)
+    client = Reforge::SSEConfigClient.new(prefab_options, config_loader)
+
+    SSE::Client.stub :new, ->(*args, **kwargs, &block) {
+      assert_nil kwargs[:last_event_id], 'Expected last_event_id to be nil when highwater_mark is 0'
+      OpenStruct.new(closed?: false, close: nil)
+    } do
+      client.connect { |_configs, _event, _source| }
+    end
+  end
 end