diff --git a/client.go b/client.go
index 890134a3..210e79c6 100644
--- a/client.go
+++ b/client.go
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/eclipse/paho.mqtt.golang/packets"
+
+	"github.com/desertbit/timer"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -96,10 +98,9 @@ type Client interface {
 
 // client implements the Client interface
 type client struct {
-	lastSent        atomic.Value
-	lastReceived    atomic.Value
-	pingOutstanding int32
-	status          uint32
+	keepaliveTimer   *timer.Timer
+	pingTimeoutTimer *timer.Timer
+	status           uint32
 	sync.RWMutex
 	messageIds
 	conn            net.Conn
@@ -333,9 +334,6 @@ func (c *client) Connect() Token {
 		c.options.protocolVersionExplicit = true
 
 		if c.options.KeepAlive != 0 {
-			atomic.StoreInt32(&c.pingOutstanding, 0)
-			c.lastReceived.Store(time.Now())
-			c.lastSent.Store(time.Now())
 			c.workers.Add(1)
 			go keepalive(c)
 		}
@@ -454,9 +452,6 @@ func (c *client) reconnect() {
 	c.stop = make(chan struct{})
 
 	if c.options.KeepAlive != 0 {
-		atomic.StoreInt32(&c.pingOutstanding, 0)
-		c.lastReceived.Store(time.Now())
-		c.lastSent.Store(time.Now())
 		c.workers.Add(1)
 		go keepalive(c)
 	}
diff --git a/net.go b/net.go
index 804cb3fc..bb74f444 100644
--- a/net.go
+++ b/net.go
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import (
 	"net/url"
 	"os"
 	"reflect"
-	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/eclipse/paho.mqtt.golang/packets"
@@ -118,7 +117,7 @@ func incoming(c *client) {
 		case c.ibound <- cp:
 			// Notify keepalive logic that we recently received a packet
 			if c.options.KeepAlive != 0 {
-				c.lastReceived.Store(time.Now())
+				resetKeepaliveTimer(c)
 			}
 		case <-c.stop:
 			// This avoids a deadlock should a message arrive while shutting down.
@@ -196,7 +195,7 @@ func outgoing(c *client) {
 		}
 		// Reset ping timer after sending control packet.
 		if c.options.KeepAlive != 0 {
-			c.lastSent.Store(time.Now())
+			resetKeepaliveTimer(c)
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -219,7 +218,7 @@ func alllogic(c *client) {
 			switch m := msg.(type) {
 			case *packets.PingrespPacket:
 				DEBUG.Println(NET, "received pingresp")
-				atomic.StoreInt32(&c.pingOutstanding, 0)
+				stopPingTimeOutTimer(c)
 			case *packets.SubackPacket:
 				DEBUG.Println(NET, "received suback, id:", m.MessageID)
 				token := c.getToken(m.MessageID)
diff --git a/ping.go b/ping.go
index dbc1ff45..1f6c9719 100644
--- a/ping.go
+++ b/ping.go
@@ -16,54 +16,49 @@ package mqtt
 
 import (
 	"errors"
-	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/eclipse/paho.mqtt.golang/packets"
+
+	"github.com/desertbit/timer"
 )
 
 func keepalive(c *client) {
 	defer c.workers.Done()
 	DEBUG.Println(PNG, "keepalive starting")
-	var checkInterval int64
-	var pingSent time.Time
 
-	if c.options.KeepAlive > 10 {
-		checkInterval = 5
-	} else {
-		checkInterval = c.options.KeepAlive / 2
-	}
+	c.keepaliveTimer = timer.NewTimer(time.Duration(c.options.KeepAlive * int64(time.Second)))
+	defer c.keepaliveTimer.Stop()
 
-	intervalTicker := time.NewTicker(time.Duration(checkInterval * int64(time.Second)))
-	defer intervalTicker.Stop()
+	c.pingTimeoutTimer = timer.NewTimer(c.options.PingTimeout)
+	c.pingTimeoutTimer.Stop()
+	defer c.pingTimeoutTimer.Stop()
 
 	for {
 		select {
 		case <-c.stop:
 			DEBUG.Println(PNG, "keepalive stopped")
 			return
-		case <-intervalTicker.C:
-			lastSent := c.lastSent.Load().(time.Time)
-			lastReceived := c.lastReceived.Load().(time.Time)
-
-			DEBUG.Println(PNG, "ping check", time.Since(lastSent).Seconds())
-			if time.Since(lastSent) >= time.Duration(c.options.KeepAlive*int64(time.Second)) || time.Since(lastReceived) >= time.Duration(c.options.KeepAlive*int64(time.Second)) {
-				if atomic.LoadInt32(&c.pingOutstanding) == 0 {
-					DEBUG.Println(PNG, "keepalive sending ping")
-					ping := packets.NewControlPacket(packets.Pingreq).(*packets.PingreqPacket)
-					//We don't want to wait behind large messages being sent, the Write call
-					//will block until it it able to send the packet.
-					atomic.StoreInt32(&c.pingOutstanding, 1)
-					ping.Write(c.conn)
-					c.lastSent.Store(time.Now())
-					pingSent = time.Now()
-				}
-			}
-			if atomic.LoadInt32(&c.pingOutstanding) > 0 && time.Since(pingSent) >= c.options.PingTimeout {
-				CRITICAL.Println(PNG, "pingresp not received, disconnecting")
-				c.errors <- errors.New("pingresp not received, disconnecting")
-				return
-			}
+		case <-c.keepaliveTimer.C:
+			resetKeepaliveTimer(c)
+			DEBUG.Println(PNG, "keepalive sending ping")
+			ping := packets.NewControlPacket(packets.Pingreq).(*packets.PingreqPacket)
+			//We don't want to wait behind large messages being sent, the Write call
+			//will block until it it able to send the packet.
+			ping.Write(c.conn)
+			c.pingTimeoutTimer.Reset(c.options.PingTimeout)
+		case <-c.pingTimeoutTimer.C:
+			CRITICAL.Println(PNG, "pingresp not received, disconnecting")
+			c.errors <- errors.New("pingresp not received, disconnecting")
+			return
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func resetKeepaliveTimer(c *client) {
+	c.keepaliveTimer.Reset(time.Duration(c.options.KeepAlive * int64(time.Second)))
+}
+
+func stopPingTimeOutTimer(c *client) {
+	c.pingTimeoutTimer.Stop()
+}