diff --git a/Peer.go b/Peer.go
index 274c1a4..970154d 100644
--- a/Peer.go
+++ b/Peer.go
@@ -22,10 +22,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ordishs/go-utils/batcher"
 )
 
-var (
-	pingInterval = 2 * time.Minute
-)
-
 const (
 	defaultMaximumMessageSize     = 32 * 1024 * 1024
 	defaultBatchDelayMilliseconds = 200
@@ -40,6 +36,9 @@ const (
 
 	retryReadWriteMessageInterval = 10 * time.Second
 	retryReadWriteMessageAttempts = 5
+
+	pingInterval                   = 2 * time.Minute
+	connectionHealthTickerDuration = 3 * time.Minute
 )
 
 type Block struct {
@@ -62,6 +61,7 @@ type Peer struct {
 	peerHandler        PeerHandlerI
 	writeChan          chan wire.Message
 	quit               chan struct{}
+	pingPongAlive      chan struct{}
 	logger             *slog.Logger
 	sentVerAck         atomic.Bool
 	receivedVerAck     atomic.Bool
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ type Peer struct {
 	invBatcher         *batcher.Batcher[chainhash.Hash]
 	dataBatcher        *batcher.Batcher[chainhash.Hash]
 	maximumMessageSize int64
+	isHealthy          bool
 }
 
 // NewPeer returns a new bitcoin peer for the provided address and configuration.
@@ -86,6 +87,7 @@ func NewPeer(logger *slog.Logger, address string, peerHandler PeerHandlerI, netw
 		network:            network,
 		address:            address,
 		writeChan:          writeChan,
+		pingPongAlive:      make(chan struct{}, 1),
 		peerHandler:        peerHandler,
 		logger:             peerLogger,
 		dial:               net.Dial,
@@ -104,6 +106,7 @@ func NewPeer(logger *slog.Logger, address string, peerHandler PeerHandlerI, netw
 
 func (p *Peer) initialize() {
 
+	go p.monitorConnectionHealth()
 	go p.pingHandler()
 	for i := 0; i < 10; i++ {
 		// start 10 workers that will write to the peer
@@ -311,6 +314,9 @@ func (p *Peer) readHandler() {
 			p.sentVerAck.Store(true)
 
 		case wire.CmdPing:
+			commandLogger.Debug(receivedMsg, slog.String(commandKey, strings.ToUpper(wire.CmdPing)))
+			p.pingPongAlive <- struct{}{}
+
 			pingMsg, ok := msg.(*wire.MsgPing)
 			if !ok {
 				continue
@@ -404,7 +410,12 @@ func (p *Peer) readHandler() {
 			commandLogger.Debug(receivedMsg)
 			p.receivedVerAck.Store(true)
 
+		case wire.CmdPong:
+			commandLogger.Debug(receivedMsg, slog.String(commandKey, strings.ToUpper(wire.CmdPong)))
+			p.pingPongAlive <- struct{}{}
+
 		default:
+
 			commandLogger.Debug("command ignored")
 		}
 	}
@@ -605,12 +616,11 @@ func (p *Peer) versionMessage(address string) *wire.MsgVersion {
 	return msg
 }
 
-// pingHandler periodically pings the peer.  It must be run as a goroutine.
+// pingHandler periodically pings the peer. It must be run as a goroutine.
 func (p *Peer) pingHandler() {
 	pingTicker := time.NewTicker(pingInterval)
 	defer pingTicker.Stop()
 
-out:
 	for {
 		select {
 		case <-pingTicker.C:
@@ -622,7 +632,38 @@ out:
 			p.writeChan <- wire.NewMsgPing(nonce)
 
 		case <-p.quit:
-			break out
+			return
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func (p *Peer) monitorConnectionHealth() {
+	// if no ping/pong signal is received for certain amount of time, mark peer as unhealthy
+	checkConnectionHealthTicker := time.NewTicker(connectionHealthTickerDuration)
+	defer checkConnectionHealthTicker.Stop()
+
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-p.pingPongAlive:
+			p.mu.Lock()
+			p.isHealthy = true
+			p.mu.Unlock()
+
+			// if ping/pong is received signal reset the ticker
+			checkConnectionHealthTicker.Reset(connectionHealthTickerDuration)
+		case <-checkConnectionHealthTicker.C:
+			p.mu.Lock()
+			p.isHealthy = false
+			p.mu.Unlock()
+		case <-p.quit:
+			return
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func (p *Peer) IsHealthy() bool {
+	p.mu.Lock()
+	defer p.mu.Unlock()
+
+	return p.isHealthy
+}