diff --git a/include/channelimpl.h b/include/channelimpl.h
index 7ddf1e3..1ba6130 100644
--- a/include/channelimpl.h
+++ b/include/channelimpl.h
@@ -508,7 +508,7 @@ public:
      *  @return bool
      */
     bool reject(uint64_t deliveryTag, int flags);
-
+    
     /**
      *  Recover messages that were not yet ack'ed
      *  @param  flags               optional flags
diff --git a/include/connection.h b/include/connection.h
index 18215f4..e7e1021 100644
--- a/include/connection.h
+++ b/include/connection.h
@@ -94,6 +94,15 @@ public:
         return _implementation.vhost();
     }
 
+    /**
+     *  Send a ping/heartbeat to the channel to keep it alive
+     *  @return bool
+     */
+    bool ping()
+    {
+        return _implementation.ping();
+    }
+
     /**
      *  Parse data that was recevied from RabbitMQ
      *  
@@ -195,15 +204,6 @@ public:
         return _implementation.waiting();
     }
 
-    /**
-     *  Retrieve the heartbeat delay used by this connection
-     *  @return uint16_t
-     */
-    uint16_t heartbeat() const
-    {
-        return _implementation.heartbeat();
-    }
-
     /**
      *  Some classes have access to private properties
      */
diff --git a/include/connectionhandler.h b/include/connectionhandler.h
index e46fa8d..d2c4786 100644
--- a/include/connectionhandler.h
+++ b/include/connectionhandler.h
@@ -51,6 +51,10 @@ public:
      *  alternative heartbeat interval, you can override this method
      *  to use an other interval. You should return 0 if you want to
      *  disable heartbeats.
+     * 
+     *  If heartbeats are enabled, you yourself are responsible to send
+     *  out a heartbeat every *interval* number of seconds by calling
+     *  the Connection::heartbeat() method.
      *
      *  @param  connection      The connection that suggested a heartbeat interval
      *  @param  interval        The suggested interval from the server
diff --git a/include/connectionimpl.h b/include/connectionimpl.h
index aaa8efa..b01486f 100644
--- a/include/connectionimpl.h
+++ b/include/connectionimpl.h
@@ -124,12 +124,6 @@ protected:
      */
     std::queue<CopiedBuffer> _queue;
 
-    /**
-     *  Heartbeat delay
-     *  @var uint16_t
-     */
-    uint16_t _heartbeat = 0;
-
     /**
      *  Helper method to send the close frame
      *  Return value tells if the connection is still valid
@@ -413,15 +407,6 @@ public:
         return _channels.size();
     }
 
-    /**
-     *  Heartbeat delay
-     *  @return uint16_t
-     */
-    uint16_t heartbeat() const
-    {
-        return _heartbeat;
-    }
-
     /**
      *  Set the heartbeat delay
      *  @param  heartbeat       suggested heartbeat by server
@@ -430,7 +415,7 @@ public:
     uint16_t setHeartbeat(uint16_t heartbeat)
     {
         // pass to the handler
-        return _heartbeat = _handler->onNegotiate(_parent, heartbeat);
+        return _handler->onNegotiate(_parent, heartbeat);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -441,6 +426,12 @@ public:
         // pass to handler
         _handler->onHeartbeat(_parent);
     }
+    
+    /**
+     *  Send a heartbeat to keep the connection alive
+     *  @return bool
+     */
+    bool heartbeat();
 
     /**
      *  The actual connection is a friend and can construct this class
diff --git a/include/tcphandler.h b/include/tcphandler.h
index 7c86a4a..5549425 100644
--- a/include/tcphandler.h
+++ b/include/tcphandler.h
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ public:
     /**
     *  Destructor
     */
-    virtual ~TcpHandler() {}
+    virtual ~TcpHandler() = default;
 
     /**
      *  Method that is called when the heartbeat frequency is negotiated
@@ -96,8 +96,6 @@ public:
      *  @param  flags       Should the object be monitored for readability or writability?
      */
     virtual void monitor(TcpConnection *connection, int fd, int flags) = 0;
-
-
 };
     
 /**
diff --git a/src/channelimpl.cpp b/src/channelimpl.cpp
index 1ddf54f..73471ab 100644
--- a/src/channelimpl.cpp
+++ b/src/channelimpl.cpp
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@
 #include "basicrejectframe.h"
 #include "basicgetframe.h"
 
-
 /**
  *  Set up namespace
  */
diff --git a/src/connectionimpl.cpp b/src/connectionimpl.cpp
index ca81a1f..4be9464 100644
--- a/src/connectionimpl.cpp
+++ b/src/connectionimpl.cpp
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
  *
  *  Implementation of an AMQP connection
  *
- *  @copyright 2014 - 2016 Copernica BV
+ *  @copyright 2014 - 2017 Copernica BV
  */
 #include "includes.h"
 #include "protocolheaderframe.h"
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #include "connectioncloseframe.h"
 #include "reducedbuffer.h"
 #include "passthroughbuffer.h"
+#include "heartbeatframe.h"
 
 /**
  *  set namespace
@@ -374,6 +375,16 @@ bool ConnectionImpl::send(CopiedBuffer &&buffer)
     return true;
 }
 
+/**
+ *  Send a ping / heartbeat frame to keep the connection alive
+ *  @return bool
+ */
+bool ConnectionImpl::heartbeat()
+{
+    // send a frame
+    return send(HeartbeatFrame());
+}
+
 /**
  *  End of namspace
  */
diff --git a/src/heartbeatframe.h b/src/heartbeatframe.h
index 955c57d..cd4320b 100644
--- a/src/heartbeatframe.h
+++ b/src/heartbeatframe.h
@@ -59,9 +59,6 @@ public:
     {
         // notify the connection-handler
         connection->reportHeartbeat();
-        
-        // send back the same frame
-        connection->send(*this);
 
         // done
         return true;