diff --git a/core/null.c b/core/null.c
index 3ea6fa8..e06298d 100644
--- a/core/null.c
+++ b/core/null.c
@@ -148,6 +148,11 @@ void* ipfs_null_listen (void *ptr)
 
     libp2p_logger_error("null", "Ipfs listening on %d\n", listen_param->port);
 
+    // when we have nothing to do, check on the connections to see if we're still connected
+    struct Libp2pLinkedList* current_peer_entry = NULL;
+    if (listen_param->local_node->peerstore->head_entry != NULL)
+    		current_peer_entry = listen_param->local_node->peerstore->head_entry;
+
     // the main loop, listening for new connections
     for (;;) {
 		//libp2p_logger_debug("null", "%s Attempting socket read with fd %d.\n", listen_param->local_node->identity->peer->id, socketfd);
@@ -179,6 +184,19 @@ void* ipfs_null_listen (void *ptr)
 				// Create pthread for ipfs_null_connection.
 				thpool_add_work(thpool, ipfs_null_connection, connection_param);
 			}
+    		} else {
+    			// timeout... do maintenance
+    			struct PeerEntry* entry = current_peer_entry->item;
+    			if (current_peer_entry != NULL && !entry->peer->is_local && entry->peer->connection_type == CONNECTION_TYPE_CONNECTED) {
+    				libp2p_logger_debug("null", "Attempting to ping %s.\n", entry->peer->id);
+    				if (!listen_param->local_node->routing->Ping(listen_param->local_node->routing, entry->peer)) {
+    					entry->peer->connection_type = CONNECTION_TYPE_NOT_CONNECTED;
+    				}
+    			}
+    			if (current_peer_entry != NULL)
+    				current_peer_entry = current_peer_entry->next;
+    			if (current_peer_entry == NULL)
+    				current_peer_entry = listen_param->local_node->peerstore->head_entry;
     		}
     }
 
diff --git a/routing/online.c b/routing/online.c
index 9af2475..a187ea4 100644
--- a/routing/online.c
+++ b/routing/online.c
@@ -301,39 +301,39 @@ int ipfs_routing_online_provide(struct IpfsRouting* routing, const unsigned char
  * @returns true(1) on success, otherwise false(0)
  */
 int ipfs_routing_online_ping(struct IpfsRouting* routing, struct Libp2pPeer* peer) {
-	struct Libp2pMessage* msg = NULL;
-	unsigned char *protobuf;
-	size_t protobuf_size;
+	struct Libp2pMessage *outMsg = NULL, *inMsg = NULL;
+	int retVal = 0;
 
 	if (peer->connection_type != CONNECTION_TYPE_CONNECTED) {
 		if (!libp2p_peer_connect(&routing->local_node->identity->private_key, peer, routing->local_node->peerstore, 5))
-			return 0;
+			goto exit;
 	}
 	if (peer->connection_type == CONNECTION_TYPE_CONNECTED) {
 
 		// build the message
-		msg = libp2p_message_new();
-		msg->message_type = MESSAGE_TYPE_PING;
-		protobuf_size = libp2p_message_protobuf_encode_size(msg);
-		protobuf = (unsigned char*)malloc(protobuf_size);
-		libp2p_message_protobuf_encode(msg, protobuf, protobuf_size, &protobuf_size);
-		libp2p_message_free(msg);
-		msg = NULL;
+		outMsg = libp2p_message_new();
+		if (outMsg == NULL)
+			goto exit;
+		outMsg->message_type = MESSAGE_TYPE_PING;
+		// send the message
+		inMsg = ipfs_routing_online_send_receive_message(peer->sessionContext, outMsg);
 
-		// connect using a dialer
-		struct Dialer *dialer = libp2p_conn_dialer_new(routing->local_node->identity->peer->id, libp2p_crypto_rsa_to_private_key(routing->sk));
-		struct Connection *conn = libp2p_conn_dialer_get_connection(dialer, peer->addr_head->item);
-		// send the record
-		conn->write(conn, (char*)protobuf, protobuf_size);
-		free(protobuf);
-		conn->read(conn, (char**)&protobuf, &protobuf_size);
-		libp2p_message_protobuf_decode(protobuf, protobuf_size, &msg);
+		if (inMsg == NULL) {
+			goto exit;
+		}
 
-		if (msg == NULL || msg->message_type != MESSAGE_TYPE_PING)
-			return 0;
+		if (inMsg == NULL || inMsg->message_type != MESSAGE_TYPE_PING)
+			goto exit;
 	}
 
-	return 1;
+	retVal = 1;
+	exit:
+	if (inMsg != NULL)
+		libp2p_message_free(inMsg);
+	if (outMsg != NULL)
+		libp2p_message_free(outMsg);
+
+	return retVal;
 }
 
 /***