diff --git a/amqpy/connection.py b/amqpy/connection.py
index 809bf63..b4ce7c3 100644
--- a/amqpy/connection.py
+++ b/amqpy/connection.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 """AMQP Connections
 """
+import datetime
 import logging
 import socket
 from array import array
@@ -332,17 +333,29 @@ def close(self, reply_code=0, reply_text='', method_type=method_t(0, 0)):
         return self.wait_any([spec.Connection.Close, spec.Connection.CloseOk])
 
     def _heartbeat_run(self):
-        # `is_alive()` sends heartbeats if the connection is alive
-        while self.is_alive():
-            # `close` is set to true if the `close_event` is signalled
-            close = self._close_event.wait(self._heartbeat_final / 1.5)
-            if close:
+        maxdiff = datetime.timedelta(seconds=1.5*self._heartbeat_final)
+        while True:
+            closed = self._close_event.wait(self._heartbeat_final / 1.5)
+            transport = self.transport
+            if transport is None or closed:
+                break
+            try:
+                transport.send_heartbeat()
+            except socket.error as err:
+                log.error("Failed sending heartbeat to server: %s ; closing "
+                          "connection..", err)
                 break
+            diff = datetime.datetime.now() - transport.last_heartbeat_received
+            if diff > maxdiff:
+                log.warning("Heartbeat timeout: diff=%s ; closing "
+                            "connection..", diff)
+                break
+        if not closed and transport is not None:
+            self._close()
 
     def _close(self):
         try:
             self.transport.close()
-
             channels = [x for x in self.channels.values() if x is not self]
             for ch in channels:
                 # noinspection PyProtectedMember
diff --git a/amqpy/transport.py b/amqpy/transport.py
index aeb2353..a1d81db 100644
--- a/amqpy/transport.py
+++ b/amqpy/transport.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ def __init__(self, host, port, connect_timeout, buf_size):
         #: :type: datetime.datetime
         self.last_heartbeat_sent = None
         #: :type: datetime.datetime
-        self.last_heartbeat_received = None
+        self.last_heartbeat_received = datetime.datetime.now()
 
         self.last_heartbeat_sent_monotonic = 0.0