diff --git a/socketserver/server/handlecore.go b/socketserver/server/handlecore.go
index 3afab285..1ce86984 100644
--- a/socketserver/server/handlecore.go
+++ b/socketserver/server/handlecore.go
@@ -440,24 +440,7 @@ func runSocketReader(conn *websocket.Conn, client *ClientInfo, errorChan chan<-
 	defer close(errorChan)
 	defer close(clientChan)
 
-	for {
-		conn.SetReadDeadline(time.Now().Add(1 * time.Minute))
-		messageType, packet, err = conn.ReadMessage()
-		// handle ReadDeadline by sending a ping
-		// writer loop handles repeated ping timeouts
-		if tmErr, ok := err.(interface {
-			Timeout() bool
-		}); ok && tmErr.Timeout() {
-			select {
-			case <-stoppedChan:
-				return
-			case clientChan <- ClientMessage{Command: "__readTimeout"}:
-			}
-			continue // re-set deadline and wait for pong packet
-		}
-		if err != nil {
-			break
-		}
+	for ; err == nil; messageType, packet, err = conn.ReadMessage() {
 		if messageType == websocket.BinaryMessage {
 			err = &CloseGotBinaryMessage
 			break
@@ -480,22 +463,23 @@ func runSocketReader(conn *websocket.Conn, client *ClientInfo, errorChan chan<-
 		} else if msg.MessageID == 0 {
 			continue
 		}
-
 		select {
+		case clientChan <- msg:
 		case <-stoppedChan:
 			return
-		case clientChan <- msg:
 		}
 	}
 
 	select {
-	case <-stoppedChan:
 	case errorChan <- err:
+	case <-stoppedChan:
 	}
 	// exit goroutine
 }
 
 func runSocketWriter(conn *websocket.Conn, client *ClientInfo, errorChan <-chan error, clientChan <-chan ClientMessage, serverMessageChan <-chan ClientMessage) websocket.CloseError {
+	pingTicker := time.NewTicker(1 * time.Minute)
+	defer pingTicker.Stop()
 	lastPacket := time.Now()
 
 	for {
@@ -516,29 +500,12 @@ func runSocketWriter(conn *websocket.Conn, client *ClientInfo, errorChan <-chan
 			}
 
 		case msg := <-clientChan:
-			if msg.Command == "__readTimeout" {
-				// generated on 60 seconds without a message
-				now := time.Now()
-				if lastPacket.Add(5 * time.Minute).Before(now) {
-					return CloseTimedOut
-				}
-				conn.WriteControl(
-					websocket.PingMessage,
-					[]byte(strconv.FormatInt(time.Now().Unix(), 10)),
-					getDeadline(),
-				)
-				continue
-			}
-
 			if !client.HelloOK && msg.Command != HelloCommand {
 				return CloseFirstMessageNotHello
 			}
 			lastPacket = time.Now()
-
 			if msg.Command == "__ping" {
-				// generated for PONG packets
-				// want this to run AFTER lastPacket was set
-				continue
+				continue // generated by server, not by client
 			}
 
 			for _, char := range msg.Command {
@@ -558,6 +525,14 @@ func runSocketWriter(conn *websocket.Conn, client *ClientInfo, errorChan <-chan
 			}
 			SendMessage(conn, msg)
 
+		case <-pingTicker.C:
+			now := time.Now()
+			if lastPacket.Add(5 * time.Minute).Before(now) {
+				return CloseTimedOut
+			} else if lastPacket.Add(1 * time.Minute).Before(now) {
+				conn.WriteControl(websocket.PingMessage, []byte(strconv.FormatInt(time.Now().Unix(), 10)), getDeadline())
+			}
+
 		case <-StopAcceptingConnectionsCh:
 			return CloseGoingAway
 		}