diff --git a/ably/http/http.py b/ably/http/http.py
index 8f077e58..a01e6935 100644
--- a/ably/http/http.py
+++ b/ably/http/http.py
@@ -105,12 +105,13 @@ class Http(object):
         'http_max_retry_duration': 15,
     }
 
+    __session = requests.Session()
+
     def __init__(self, ably, options):
         options = options or {}
         self.__ably = ably
         self.__options = options
 
-        self.__session = requests.Session()
         self.__auth = None
 
     def dump_body(self, body):
diff --git a/ably/rest/rest.py b/ably/rest/rest.py
index c6749f3f..20685641 100644
--- a/ably/rest/rest.py
+++ b/ably/rest/rest.py
@@ -64,11 +64,6 @@ def __init__(self, key=None, token=None, token_details=None, **kwargs):
         else:
             options = Options(**kwargs)
 
-        # if self.__keep_alive:
-        #     self.__session = requests.Session()
-        # else:
-        #     self.__session = None
-
         self.__http = Http(self, options)
         self.__auth = Auth(self, options)
         self.__http.auth = self.__auth