diff --git a/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocket.cpp b/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocket.cpp
index d507c62b..e2a674a6 100644
--- a/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocket.cpp
+++ b/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocket.cpp
@@ -203,7 +203,11 @@ namespace ix
             WebSocketOpenInfo(status.uri, status.headers, status.protocol),
             WebSocketCloseInfo()));
 
-        _ws.sendHeartBeat();
+        if (_pingIntervalSecs > 0)
+        {
+            // Send a heart beat right away
+            _ws.sendHeartBeat();
+        }
 
         return status;
     }
@@ -232,7 +236,11 @@ namespace ix
                                                WebSocketOpenInfo(status.uri, status.headers),
                                                WebSocketCloseInfo()));
 
-        _ws.sendHeartBeat();
+        if (_pingIntervalSecs > 0)
+        {
+            // Send a heart beat right away
+            _ws.sendHeartBeat();
+        }
 
         return status;
     }
diff --git a/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocketTransport.cpp b/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocketTransport.cpp
index 3e8e475a..22e12fa5 100644
--- a/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocketTransport.cpp
+++ b/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocketTransport.cpp
@@ -215,14 +215,12 @@ namespace ix
         return now - _lastSendPingTimePoint > std::chrono::seconds(_pingIntervalSecs);
     }
 
-    void WebSocketTransport::sendHeartBeat()
+    WebSocketSendInfo WebSocketTransport::sendHeartBeat()
     {
-        if (_pingIntervalSecs <= 0) return;
-
         _pongReceived = false;
         std::stringstream ss;
         ss << kPingMessage << "::" << _pingIntervalSecs << "s";
-        sendPing(ss.str());
+        return sendPing(ss.str());
     }
 
     bool WebSocketTransport::closingDelayExceeded()
diff --git a/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocketTransport.h b/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocketTransport.h
index 66652537..64c18f54 100644
--- a/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocketTransport.h
+++ b/ixwebsocket/IXWebSocketTransport.h
@@ -105,7 +105,8 @@ namespace ix
         void dispatch(PollResult pollResult, const OnMessageCallback& onMessageCallback);
         size_t bufferedAmount() const;
 
-        void sendHeartBeat();
+        // internal
+        WebSocketSendInfo sendHeartBeat();
 
     private:
         std::string _url;