diff --git a/socketserver/internal/server/handlecore.go b/socketserver/internal/server/handlecore.go
index ff3b786c..b76762e4 100644
--- a/socketserver/internal/server/handlecore.go
+++ b/socketserver/internal/server/handlecore.go
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ func ServeWebsocketOrCatbag(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 
 var CloseGotBinaryMessage = websocket.CloseError{Code: websocket.CloseUnsupportedData, Text: "got binary packet"}
 var CloseGotMessageId0 = websocket.CloseError{Code: websocket.ClosePolicyViolation, Text: "got messageid 0"}
+var CloseTimedOut = websocket.CloseError{Code: websocket.CloseNoStatusReceived, Text: "no ping replies for 5 minutes"}
 var CloseFirstMessageNotHello = websocket.CloseError{
 	Text: "Error - the first message sent must be a 'hello'",
 	Code: websocket.ClosePolicyViolation,
@@ -183,6 +184,12 @@ func HandleSocketConnection(conn *websocket.Conn) {
 		// exit
 	}(_errorChan, _clientChan)
 
+	conn.SetPongHandler(func(pongBody string) error {
+		fmt.Println("got pong")
+		client.pingCount = 0
+		return nil
+	})
+
 	var errorChan <-chan error = _errorChan
 	var clientChan <-chan ClientMessage = _clientChan
 	var serverMessageChan <-chan ClientMessage = _serverMessageChan
@@ -215,8 +222,18 @@ RunLoop:
 			}
 
 			HandleCommand(conn, &client, msg)
+
 		case smsg := <-serverMessageChan:
 			SendMessage(conn, smsg)
+
+		case <- time.After(1 * time.Minute):
+			client.pingCount++
+			if client.pingCount == 5 {
+				CloseConnection(conn, &CloseTimedOut)
+				break RunLoop
+			} else {
+				conn.WriteControl(websocket.PingMessage, []byte(strconv.FormatInt(time.Now().Unix(), 10)), getDeadline())
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -238,6 +255,10 @@ RunLoop:
 	log.Println("End socket connection from", conn.RemoteAddr())
 }
 
+func getDeadline() time.Time {
+	return time.Now().Add(1 * time.Minute)
+}
+
 func CallHandler(handler CommandHandler, conn *websocket.Conn, client *ClientInfo, cmsg ClientMessage) (rmsg ClientMessage, err error) {
 	defer func() {
 		if r := recover(); r != nil {
@@ -256,7 +277,7 @@ func CloseConnection(conn *websocket.Conn, closeMsg *websocket.CloseError) {
 	if closeMsg != &CloseFirstMessageNotHello {
 		log.Println("Terminating connection with", conn.RemoteAddr(), "-", closeMsg.Text)
 	}
-	conn.WriteControl(websocket.CloseMessage, websocket.FormatCloseMessage(closeMsg.Code, closeMsg.Text), time.Now().Add(2*time.Minute))
+	conn.WriteControl(websocket.CloseMessage, websocket.FormatCloseMessage(closeMsg.Code, closeMsg.Text), getDeadline())
 	conn.Close()
 }
 
@@ -265,6 +286,7 @@ func SendMessage(conn *websocket.Conn, msg ClientMessage) {
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(fmt.Sprintf("failed to marshal: %v %v", err, msg))
 	}
+	conn.SetWriteDeadline(getDeadline())
 	conn.WriteMessage(messageType, packet)
 }
 
diff --git a/socketserver/internal/server/types.go b/socketserver/internal/server/types.go
index 76123277..d3d1224e 100644
--- a/socketserver/internal/server/types.go
+++ b/socketserver/internal/server/types.go
@@ -87,6 +87,9 @@ type ClientInfo struct {
 	// Server-initiated messages should be sent here
 	// Never nil.
 	MessageChannel chan<- ClientMessage
+
+	// The number of pings sent without a response
+	pingCount int
 }
 
 type tgmarray []TimestampedGlobalMessage