diff --git a/lib/Phantom.js b/lib/Phantom.js
index f75909f..2169383 100644
--- a/lib/Phantom.js
+++ b/lib/Phantom.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ var phantomMethods = require("./phantom/methods.js");
 
 var pageId = 0;
 var slice = Array.prototype.slice;
-var heartbeatInterval = 10;
+var pingInterval = 100;
 var nextRequestId = 0;
 
 /**
@@ -29,12 +29,12 @@ function Phantom(childProcess) {
 Phantom.prototype.childProcess = null;
 
 /**
- * The current active heartbeat interval id as returned by setInterval()
+ * The current scheduled ping id as returned by setTimeout()
  *
  * @type {*}
  * @private
  */
-Phantom.prototype._heartbeatIntervalId = null;
+Phantom.prototype._pingTimeoutId = null;
 
 /**
  * The number of currently pending requests. This is necessary so we can stop the interval
@@ -62,7 +62,6 @@ Phantom.prototype._pendingDeferreds = null;
 Phantom.prototype.constructor = function (childProcess) {
     var self = this;
 
-    this._sendHeartbeat = this._sendHeartbeat.bind(this);
     this._receive = this._receive.bind(this);
 
     this.childProcess = childProcess;
@@ -148,7 +147,7 @@ Phantom.prototype.dispose = function () {
         self.run(phantomMethods.exitPhantom).catch(reject);
 
         self.childProcess = null;
-        clearInterval(self._heartbeatIntervalId);
+        clearTimeout(self._pingTimeoutId);
     });
 };
 
@@ -174,8 +173,8 @@ Phantom.prototype._send = function (message, fnIsSync) {
             resolve: resolve,
             reject: reject
         };
-        if (!fnIsSync && self._heartbeatIntervalId === null) {
-            self._heartbeatIntervalId = setInterval(self._sendHeartbeat, heartbeatInterval);
+        if (!fnIsSync) {
+            self._schedulePing();
         }
         self._pending++;
 
@@ -201,6 +200,18 @@ Phantom.prototype._receive = function (message) {
     // we have no chance to map it back to a pending promise.
     // Luckily this JSON can't be invalid because it has been JSON.stringified by PhantomJS.
     message = JSON.parse(message);
+
+    // pong messages are special
+    if (message.status === "pong") {
+        this._pingTimeoutId = null;
+
+        // If we're still waiting for a message, we need to schedule a new ping
+        if (this._pending > 0) {
+            this._schedulePing();
+        }
+        return;
+    }
+
     deferred = this._pendingDeferreds[message.id];
 
     // istanbul ignore next because this is tested in a separated process and thus isn't recognized by istanbul
@@ -216,11 +227,6 @@ Phantom.prototype._receive = function (message) {
     delete this._pendingDeferreds[message.id];
     this._pending--;
 
-    if (this._pending === 0) {
-        clearInterval(this._heartbeatIntervalId);
-        this._heartbeatIntervalId = null;
-    }
-
     if (message.status === "success") {
         deferred.resolve(message.data);
     } else {
@@ -229,17 +235,21 @@ Phantom.prototype._receive = function (message) {
 };
 
 /**
- * Sends an heartbeat action to the PhantomJS process. This function is passed to setInterval().
- * Check out lib/phantom/start.js for an explanation of the heartbeat action.
+ * Sends a ping to the PhantomJS process after a given delay.
+ * Check out lib/phantom/start.js for an explanation of the ping action.
  *
  * @private
  */
-Phantom.prototype._sendHeartbeat = function () {
-    write(this.childProcess, { action: "heartbeat" });
+Phantom.prototype._schedulePing = function () {
+    // Don't schedule ping when we're already disposed or another timeout is already set
+    if (!this.childProcess || this._pingTimeoutId) {
+        return;
+    }
+    this._pingTimeoutId = setTimeout(write, pingInterval, this.childProcess, { action: "ping" });
 };
 
 /**
- * Helpers function that stringifies the given message-object, appends an end of line character
+ * Helper function that stringifies the given message-object, appends an end of line character
  * and writes it to childProcess.stdin.
  *
  * @param {child_process.ChildProcess} childProcess
diff --git a/lib/phantom/start.js b/lib/phantom/start.js
index da90227..4ac2b94 100644
--- a/lib/phantom/start.js
+++ b/lib/phantom/start.js
@@ -43,11 +43,11 @@ function createResolver(message) {
      * @param {Object} data
      */
     function resolve(data) {
-        system.stdout.writeLine("message to node: " + JSON.stringify({
+        write({
             status: "success",
             id: message.done? null : message.id,
             data: data
-        }));
+        });
         message.done = true;
     }
 
@@ -82,11 +82,11 @@ function createRejecter(message) {
             };
         }
 
-        system.stdout.writeLine("message to node: " + JSON.stringify({
+        write({
             status: "fail",
             id: message.done? null : message.id,
             data: data
-        }));
+        });
         message.done = true;
     }
 
@@ -123,6 +123,15 @@ function evalSrc(src, context, resolve, reject) {
     eval(src);
 }
 
+/**
+ * Helper function that stringifies the given object and writes it to system.stdout
+ *
+ * @param {Object} message
+ */
+function write(message) {
+    system.stdout.writeLine("message to node: " + JSON.stringify(message));
+}
+
 /**
  * Collection of request-able commands (as defined in the action-property of the message).
  *
@@ -131,11 +140,16 @@ function evalSrc(src, context, resolve, reject) {
 commandHandlers = {
 
     /**
-     * The heartbeat command is a neat trick so phantomjs isn't stuck in the stdin.readLine()-loop
-     * when waiting for an asynchronous event. A heartbeat-command is sent by node every 10m while waiting
-     * for a result. It is necessary because phantomjs' stdin is completely synchronous.
+     * The ping command is a neat trick so phantomjs isn't stuck in the stdin.readLine()-loop
+     * while waiting for an asynchronous event. A ping-command is sent by node as long as it
+     * waits for PhantomJS to respond. We're responding with a pong to tell node that we're waiting
+     * for the next ping.
      */
-    heartbeat: noop,
+    ping: function () {
+        write({
+            status: "pong"
+        });
+    },
 
     /**
      * Runs message.data.src in the default context.