diff --git a/include/amqpcpp/connectionimpl.h b/include/amqpcpp/connectionimpl.h
index 7f8e1b7..aa040b3 100644
--- a/include/amqpcpp/connectionimpl.h
+++ b/include/amqpcpp/connectionimpl.h
@@ -125,12 +125,6 @@ protected:
      */
     std::queue<CopiedBuffer> _queue;
     
-    /**
-     *  Is the connection idle (meaning: a heartbeat is necessary)
-     *  @var    bool
-     */
-    bool _idle = true;
-
     /**
      *  Helper method to send the close frame
      *  Return value tells if the connection is still valid
@@ -432,9 +426,9 @@ public:
     }
 
     /**
-     *  Set the heartbeat delay
-     *  @param  heartbeat       suggested heartbeat by server
-     *  @return uint16_t        accepted heartbeat by client
+     *  Set the heartbeat timeout
+     *  @param  heartbeat       suggested heartbeat timeout by server
+     *  @return uint16_t        accepted heartbeat timeout from client
      */
     uint16_t setHeartbeat(uint16_t heartbeat)
     {
@@ -453,11 +447,9 @@ public:
     
     /**
      *  Send a heartbeat to keep the connection alive
-     *  By default, this function does nothing if the connection is not in an idle state
-     *  @param  force           always send the heartbeat, even if the connection is not idle
      *  @return bool
      */
-    bool heartbeat(bool force=false);
+    bool heartbeat();
 
     /**
      *  The actual connection is a friend and can construct this class
diff --git a/src/connectionimpl.cpp b/src/connectionimpl.cpp
index bc06c4d..9ef5ce0 100644
--- a/src/connectionimpl.cpp
+++ b/src/connectionimpl.cpp
@@ -327,9 +327,6 @@ void ConnectionImpl::setReady()
         // get the next message
         const auto &buffer = _queue.front();
         
-        // data is going to be sent, thus connection is not idle
-        _idle = false;
-
         // send it
         _handler->onData(_parent, buffer.data(), buffer.size());
         
@@ -397,9 +394,6 @@ bool ConnectionImpl::send(const Frame &frame)
     // are we still setting up the connection?
     if ((_state == state_connected && _queue.empty()) || frame.partOfHandshake())
     {
-        // the data will be sent, so connection is not idle
-        _idle = false;
-        
         // we need an output buffer (this will immediately send the data)
         PassthroughBuffer buffer(_parent, _handler, frame);
     }
@@ -426,9 +420,6 @@ bool ConnectionImpl::send(CopiedBuffer &&buffer)
     // are we waiting for other frames to be sent before us?
     if (_queue.empty())
     {
-        // data will be sent, thus connection is not empty
-        _idle = false;
-        
         // send it directly
         _handler->onData(_parent, buffer.data(), buffer.size());
     }
@@ -444,20 +435,12 @@ bool ConnectionImpl::send(CopiedBuffer &&buffer)
 
 /**
  *  Send a ping / heartbeat frame to keep the connection alive
- *  @param  force       also send heartbeat if connection is not idle
  *  @return bool
  */
-bool ConnectionImpl::heartbeat(bool force)
+bool ConnectionImpl::heartbeat()
 {
-    // do nothing if the connection is not idle (but we do reset the idle state to ensure
-    // that the next heartbeat will be sent if nothing is going to change from now on)
-    if (!force && !_idle) return _idle = true;
-    
     // send a frame
-    if (!send(HeartbeatFrame())) return false;
-    
-    // frame has been sent, we treat the connection as idle now until some other data is sent over it
-    return _idle = true;
+    return send(HeartbeatFrame());
 }
 
 /**