diff --git a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/chat/ChatClient.groovy b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/chat/ChatClient.groovy
index a2e883c3..3e7dd791 100644
--- a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/chat/ChatClient.groovy
+++ b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/chat/ChatClient.groovy
@@ -110,4 +110,8 @@ class ChatClient implements Closeable {
         connectThread?.interrupt()
         connection?.close()
     }
+    
+    void ping() {
+        connection?.sendPing()
+    }
 }
diff --git a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/chat/ChatManager.groovy b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/chat/ChatManager.groovy
index 7f31e4bb..e625b87e 100644
--- a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/chat/ChatManager.groovy
+++ b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/chat/ChatManager.groovy
@@ -56,7 +56,10 @@ class ChatManager {
     }
     
     private void connect() {
-        clients.each { k, v -> v.connectIfNeeded() }
+        clients.each { k, v -> 
+            v.connectIfNeeded()
+            v.ping() 
+        }
     }
     
     void shutdown() {
diff --git a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/chat/ChatServer.groovy b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/chat/ChatServer.groovy
index e9cfab65..03aaff7b 100644
--- a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/chat/ChatServer.groovy
+++ b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/chat/ChatServer.groovy
@@ -39,12 +39,21 @@ class ChatServer {
         this.settings = settings
         this.trustService = trustService
         this.me = me
+        
+        Timer timer = new Timer("chat-server-pinger", true)
+        timer.schedule({sendPings()} as TimerTask, 1000, 1000)
     }
     
     public void start() {
         running.set(true)
     }
     
+    private void sendPings() {
+        connections.each { k,v -> 
+            v.sendPing()
+        }
+    }
+    
     public void handle(Endpoint endpoint) {
         InputStream is = endpoint.getInputStream()
         OutputStream os = endpoint.getOutputStream()