diff --git a/lib/include/mqtt_msg.h b/lib/include/mqtt_msg.h
index f409003..52f0e9e 100644
--- a/lib/include/mqtt_msg.h
+++ b/lib/include/mqtt_msg.h
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ typedef struct mqtt_connect_info {
     char *password;
     char *will_topic;
     char *will_message;
-    int keepalive;          /*!< keepalive=0 -> keepalive is disabled */
+    int64_t keepalive;          /*!< keepalive=0 -> keepalive is disabled */
     int will_length;
     int will_qos;
     int will_retain;
diff --git a/lib/include/platform_esp32_idf.h b/lib/include/platform_esp32_idf.h
index 673e856..dc16040 100644
--- a/lib/include/platform_esp32_idf.h
+++ b/lib/include/platform_esp32_idf.h
@@ -9,11 +9,12 @@
 #include "freertos/FreeRTOS.h"
 #include "freertos/event_groups.h"
 
+#include <stdint.h>
 #include <sys/time.h>
 
 char *platform_create_id_string(void);
 int platform_random(int max);
-long long platform_tick_get_ms(void);
+int64_t platform_tick_get_ms(void);
 void ms_to_timeval(int timeout_ms, struct timeval *tv);
 
 #define ESP_MEM_CHECK(TAG, a, action) if (!(a)) {                                                      \
diff --git a/lib/platform_esp32_idf.c b/lib/platform_esp32_idf.c
index 9a50473..7ba6294 100644
--- a/lib/platform_esp32_idf.c
+++ b/lib/platform_esp32_idf.c
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ int platform_random(int max)
     return esp_random() % max;
 }
 
-long long platform_tick_get_ms(void)
+int64_t platform_tick_get_ms(void)
 {
     struct timeval te;
     gettimeofday(&te, NULL); // get current time
diff --git a/mqtt_client.c b/mqtt_client.c
index 0dbeba5..32c97f2 100644
--- a/mqtt_client.c
+++ b/mqtt_client.c
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
+#include "esp_err.h"
 #include "platform.h"
 
 #include "esp_event.h"
@@ -106,7 +107,7 @@ struct esp_mqtt_client {
     mqtt_connect_info_t connect_info;
     mqtt_client_state_t state;
     uint64_t refresh_connection_tick;
-    uint64_t keepalive_tick;
+    int64_t keepalive_tick;
     uint64_t reconnect_tick;
     int wait_timeout_ms;
     int auto_reconnect;
@@ -601,6 +602,35 @@ static void esp_mqtt_destroy_config(esp_mqtt_client_handle_t client)
     client->config = NULL;
 }
 
+static esp_err_t process_keepalive(esp_mqtt_client_handle_t client)
+{
+    if (client->connect_info.keepalive > 0) {
+        const int64_t time_since_last_keepalive = platform_tick_get_ms() - client->keepalive_tick;
+        const int64_t keepalive_ms = client->connect_info.keepalive * 1000;
+
+        if (client->wait_for_ping_resp == true ) {
+            if ( time_since_last_keepalive > keepalive_ms) {
+                ESP_LOGE(TAG, "No PING_RESP, disconnected");
+                esp_mqtt_abort_connection(client);
+                client->wait_for_ping_resp = false;
+                return ESP_FAIL;
+            }
+            return ESP_OK;
+        }
+
+        if (time_since_last_keepalive > keepalive_ms / 2) {
+            if (esp_mqtt_client_ping(client) == ESP_FAIL) {
+                ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Can't send ping, disconnected");
+                esp_mqtt_abort_connection(client);
+                return ESP_FAIL;
+            }
+            client->wait_for_ping_resp = true;
+            return ESP_OK;
+        }
+    }
+    return ESP_OK;
+}
+
 static inline esp_err_t esp_mqtt_write(esp_mqtt_client_handle_t client)
 {
     int wlen = 0, widx = 0, len = client->mqtt_state.outbound_message->length;
@@ -927,10 +957,6 @@ static esp_err_t mqtt_write_data(esp_mqtt_client_handle_t client)
         esp_mqtt_client_dispatch_transport_error(client);
         return ESP_FAIL;
     }
-    /* we've just sent a mqtt control packet, update keepalive counter
-     * [MQTT-3.1.2-23]
-     */
-    client->keepalive_tick = platform_tick_get_ms();
     return ESP_OK;
 }
 
@@ -1332,6 +1358,12 @@ static esp_err_t mqtt_process_receive(esp_mqtt_client_handle_t client)
     case MQTT_MSG_TYPE_PINGRESP:
         ESP_LOGD(TAG, "MQTT_MSG_TYPE_PINGRESP");
         client->wait_for_ping_resp = false;
+        /* It is the responsibility of the Client to ensure that the interval between Control Packets
+         * being sent does not exceed the Keep Alive value. In the absence of sending any other Control
+         * Packets, the Client MUST send a PINGREQ Packet [MQTT-3.1.2-23].
+         * [MQTT-3.1.2-23]
+         */
+        client->keepalive_tick = platform_tick_get_ms();
         break;
     }
 
@@ -1483,23 +1515,8 @@ static void esp_mqtt_task(void *pv)
                 }
             }
 
-            if (client->connect_info.keepalive &&       // connect_info.keepalive=0 means that the keepslive is disabled
-                    platform_tick_get_ms() - client->keepalive_tick > client->connect_info.keepalive * 1000 / 2) {
-                //No ping resp from last ping => Disconnected
-                if (client->wait_for_ping_resp) {
-                    ESP_LOGE(TAG, "No PING_RESP, disconnected");
-                    esp_mqtt_abort_connection(client);
-                    client->wait_for_ping_resp = false;
-                    break;
-                }
-                if (esp_mqtt_client_ping(client) == ESP_FAIL) {
-                    ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Can't send ping, disconnected");
-                    esp_mqtt_abort_connection(client);
-                    break;
-                } else {
-                    client->wait_for_ping_resp = true;
-                }
-                ESP_LOGD(TAG, "PING sent");
+            if (process_keepalive(client) != ESP_OK) {
+                break;
             }
 
             if (client->config->refresh_connection_after_ms &&