diff --git a/pubsub/google/cloud/pubsub_v1/subscriber/_protocol/heartbeater.py b/pubsub/google/cloud/pubsub_v1/subscriber/_protocol/heartbeater.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..38d2ae8dc505
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pubsub/google/cloud/pubsub_v1/subscriber/_protocol/heartbeater.py
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+# Copyright 2018, Google LLC
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
+import logging
+import threading
+
+
+_LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+_HEARTBEAT_WORKER_NAME = 'Thread-Heartbeater'
+# How often to send heartbeats in seconds. Determined as half the period of
+# time where the Pub/Sub server will close the stream as inactive, which is
+# 60 seconds.
+_DEFAULT_PERIOD = 30
+
+
+class Heartbeater(object):
+    def __init__(self, manager, period=_DEFAULT_PERIOD):
+        self._thread = None
+        self._operational_lock = threading.Lock()
+        self._manager = manager
+        self._stop_event = threading.Event()
+        self._period = period
+
+    def heartbeat(self):
+        """Periodically send heartbeats."""
+        while self._manager.is_active and not self._stop_event.is_set():
+            self._manager.heartbeat()
+            _LOGGER.debug('Sent heartbeat.')
+            self._stop_event.wait(timeout=self._period)
+
+        _LOGGER.info('%s exiting.', _HEARTBEAT_WORKER_NAME)
+
+    def start(self):
+        with self._operational_lock:
+            if self._thread is not None:
+                raise ValueError('Heartbeater is already running.')
+
+            # Create and start the helper thread.
+            self._stop_event.clear()
+            thread = threading.Thread(
+                name=_HEARTBEAT_WORKER_NAME,
+                target=self.heartbeat)
+            thread.daemon = True
+            thread.start()
+            _LOGGER.debug('Started helper thread %s', thread.name)
+            self._thread = thread
+
+    def stop(self):
+        with self._operational_lock:
+            self._stop_event.set()
+
+            if self._thread is not None:
+                # The thread should automatically exit when the consumer is
+                # inactive.
+                self._thread.join()
+
+            self._thread = None
diff --git a/pubsub/google/cloud/pubsub_v1/subscriber/_protocol/streaming_pull_manager.py b/pubsub/google/cloud/pubsub_v1/subscriber/_protocol/streaming_pull_manager.py
index aa0876798ad9..e9ffb794f82a 100644
--- a/pubsub/google/cloud/pubsub_v1/subscriber/_protocol/streaming_pull_manager.py
+++ b/pubsub/google/cloud/pubsub_v1/subscriber/_protocol/streaming_pull_manager.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 from google.cloud.pubsub_v1 import types
 from google.cloud.pubsub_v1.subscriber._protocol import bidi
 from google.cloud.pubsub_v1.subscriber._protocol import dispatcher
+from google.cloud.pubsub_v1.subscriber._protocol import heartbeater
 from google.cloud.pubsub_v1.subscriber._protocol import histogram
 from google.cloud.pubsub_v1.subscriber._protocol import leaser
 from google.cloud.pubsub_v1.subscriber._protocol import requests
@@ -114,6 +115,7 @@ def __init__(self, client, subscription, flow_control=types.FlowControl(),
         self._dispatcher = None
         self._leaser = None
         self._consumer = None
+        self._heartbeater = None
 
     @property
     def is_active(self):
@@ -262,6 +264,15 @@ def send(self, request):
         else:
             self._rpc.send(request)
 
+    def heartbeat(self):
+        """Sends an empty request over the streaming pull RPC.
+
+        This always sends over the stream, regardless of if
+        ``self._UNARY_REQUESTS`` is set or not.
+        """
+        if self._rpc is not None and self._rpc.is_active:
+            self._rpc.send(types.StreamingPullRequest())
+
     def open(self, callback):
         """Begin consuming messages.
 
@@ -291,6 +302,7 @@ def open(self, callback):
         self._consumer = bidi.BackgroundConsumer(
             self._rpc, self._on_response)
         self._leaser = leaser.Leaser(self)
+        self._heartbeater = heartbeater.Heartbeater(self)
 
         # Start the thread to pass the requests.
         self._dispatcher.start()
@@ -301,6 +313,9 @@ def open(self, callback):
         # Start the lease maintainer thread.
         self._leaser.start()
 
+        # Start the stream heartbeater thread.
+        self._heartbeater.start()
+
     def close(self, reason=None):
         """Stop consuming messages and shutdown all helper threads.
 
@@ -331,6 +346,9 @@ def close(self, reason=None):
             _LOGGER.debug('Stopping dispatcher.')
             self._dispatcher.stop()
             self._dispatcher = None
+            _LOGGER.debug('Stopping heartbeater.')
+            self._heartbeater.stop()
+            self._heartbeater = None
 
             self._rpc = None
             self._closed = True
diff --git a/pubsub/tests/unit/pubsub_v1/subscriber/test_heartbeater.py b/pubsub/tests/unit/pubsub_v1/subscriber/test_heartbeater.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..f9147a4d7e39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pubsub/tests/unit/pubsub_v1/subscriber/test_heartbeater.py
@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+# Copyright 2018, Google LLC
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+import logging
+import threading
+
+from google.cloud.pubsub_v1.subscriber._protocol import heartbeater
+from google.cloud.pubsub_v1.subscriber._protocol import streaming_pull_manager
+
+import mock
+import pytest
+
+
+def test_heartbeat_inactive(caplog):
+    caplog.set_level(logging.INFO)
+    manager = mock.create_autospec(
+        streaming_pull_manager.StreamingPullManager, instance=True)
+    manager.is_active = False
+
+    heartbeater_ = heartbeater.Heartbeater(manager)
+
+    heartbeater_.heartbeat()
+
+    assert 'exiting' in caplog.text
+
+
+def test_heartbeat_stopped(caplog):
+    caplog.set_level(logging.INFO)
+    manager = mock.create_autospec(
+        streaming_pull_manager.StreamingPullManager, instance=True)
+
+    heartbeater_ = heartbeater.Heartbeater(manager)
+    heartbeater_.stop()
+
+    heartbeater_.heartbeat()
+
+    assert 'exiting' in caplog.text
+
+
+def make_sleep_mark_manager_as_inactive(heartbeater):
+    # Make sleep mark the manager as inactive so that heartbeat()
+    # exits at the end of the first run.
+    def trigger_inactive(timeout):
+        assert timeout
+        heartbeater._manager.is_active = False
+
+    heartbeater._stop_event.wait = trigger_inactive
+
+
+def test_heartbeat_once():
+    manager = mock.create_autospec(
+        streaming_pull_manager.StreamingPullManager, instance=True)
+    heartbeater_ = heartbeater.Heartbeater(manager)
+    make_sleep_mark_manager_as_inactive(heartbeater_)
+
+    heartbeater_.heartbeat()
+
+    manager.heartbeat.assert_called_once()
+
+
+@mock.patch('threading.Thread', autospec=True)
+def test_start(thread):
+    manager = mock.create_autospec(
+        streaming_pull_manager.StreamingPullManager, instance=True)
+    heartbeater_ = heartbeater.Heartbeater(manager)
+
+    heartbeater_.start()
+
+    thread.assert_called_once_with(
+        name=heartbeater._HEARTBEAT_WORKER_NAME,
+        target=heartbeater_.heartbeat)
+
+    thread.return_value.start.assert_called_once()
+
+    assert heartbeater_._thread is not None
+
+
+@mock.patch('threading.Thread', autospec=True)
+def test_start_already_started(thread):
+    manager = mock.create_autospec(
+        streaming_pull_manager.StreamingPullManager, instance=True)
+    heartbeater_ = heartbeater.Heartbeater(manager)
+    heartbeater_._thread = mock.sentinel.thread
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        heartbeater_.start()
+
+    thread.assert_not_called()
+
+
+def test_stop():
+    manager = mock.create_autospec(
+        streaming_pull_manager.StreamingPullManager, instance=True)
+    heartbeater_ = heartbeater.Heartbeater(manager)
+    thread = mock.create_autospec(threading.Thread, instance=True)
+    heartbeater_._thread = thread
+
+    heartbeater_.stop()
+
+    assert heartbeater_._stop_event.is_set()
+    thread.join.assert_called_once()
+    assert heartbeater_._thread is None
+
+
+def test_stop_no_join():
+    heartbeater_ = heartbeater.Heartbeater(mock.sentinel.manager)
+
+    heartbeater_.stop()
diff --git a/pubsub/tests/unit/pubsub_v1/subscriber/test_streaming_pull_manager.py b/pubsub/tests/unit/pubsub_v1/subscriber/test_streaming_pull_manager.py
index 61d040a26fc1..829cc7580b42 100644
--- a/pubsub/tests/unit/pubsub_v1/subscriber/test_streaming_pull_manager.py
+++ b/pubsub/tests/unit/pubsub_v1/subscriber/test_streaming_pull_manager.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 from google.cloud.pubsub_v1.subscriber import scheduler
 from google.cloud.pubsub_v1.subscriber._protocol import bidi
 from google.cloud.pubsub_v1.subscriber._protocol import dispatcher
+from google.cloud.pubsub_v1.subscriber._protocol import heartbeater
 from google.cloud.pubsub_v1.subscriber._protocol import leaser
 from google.cloud.pubsub_v1.subscriber._protocol import requests
 from google.cloud.pubsub_v1.subscriber._protocol import streaming_pull_manager
@@ -216,6 +217,26 @@ def test_send_streaming():
     manager._rpc.send.assert_called_once_with(mock.sentinel.request)
 
 
+def test_heartbeat():
+    manager = make_manager()
+    manager._rpc = mock.create_autospec(bidi.BidiRpc, instance=True)
+    manager._rpc.is_active = True
+
+    manager.heartbeat()
+
+    manager._rpc.send.assert_called_once_with(types.StreamingPullRequest())
+
+
+def test_heartbeat_inactive():
+    manager = make_manager()
+    manager._rpc = mock.create_autospec(bidi.BidiRpc, instance=True)
+    manager._rpc.is_active = False
+
+    manager.heartbeat()
+
+    manager._rpc.send.assert_not_called()
+
+
 @mock.patch(
     'google.cloud.pubsub_v1.subscriber._protocol.bidi.ResumableBidiRpc',
     autospec=True)
@@ -228,11 +249,20 @@ def test_send_streaming():
 @mock.patch(
     'google.cloud.pubsub_v1.subscriber._protocol.dispatcher.Dispatcher',
     autospec=True)
-def test_open(dispatcher, leaser, background_consumer, resumable_bidi_rpc):
+@mock.patch(
+    'google.cloud.pubsub_v1.subscriber._protocol.heartbeater.Heartbeater',
+    autospec=True)
+def test_open(
+        heartbeater, dispatcher, leaser, background_consumer,
+        resumable_bidi_rpc):
     manager = make_manager()
 
     manager.open(mock.sentinel.callback)
 
+    heartbeater.assert_called_once_with(manager)
+    heartbeater.return_value.start.assert_called_once()
+    assert manager._heartbeater == heartbeater.return_value
+
     dispatcher.assert_called_once_with(manager, manager._scheduler.queue)
     dispatcher.return_value.start.assert_called_once()
     assert manager._dispatcher == dispatcher.return_value
@@ -285,27 +315,32 @@ def make_running_manager():
         dispatcher.Dispatcher, instance=True)
     manager._leaser = mock.create_autospec(
         leaser.Leaser, instance=True)
+    manager._heartbeater = mock.create_autospec(
+        heartbeater.Heartbeater, instance=True)
 
     return (
         manager, manager._consumer, manager._dispatcher, manager._leaser,
-        manager._scheduler)
+        manager._heartbeater, manager._scheduler)
 
 
 def test_close():
-    manager, consumer, dispatcher, leaser, scheduler = make_running_manager()
+    manager, consumer, dispatcher, leaser, heartbeater, scheduler = (
+        make_running_manager())
 
     manager.close()
 
     consumer.stop.assert_called_once()
     leaser.stop.assert_called_once()
     dispatcher.stop.assert_called_once()
+    heartbeater.stop.assert_called_once()
     scheduler.shutdown.assert_called_once()
 
     assert manager.is_active is False
 
 
 def test_close_inactive_consumer():
-    manager, consumer, dispatcher, leaser, scheduler = make_running_manager()
+    manager, consumer, dispatcher, leaser, heartbeater, scheduler = (
+        make_running_manager())
     consumer.is_active = False
 
     manager.close()
@@ -313,11 +348,12 @@ def test_close_inactive_consumer():
     consumer.stop.assert_not_called()
     leaser.stop.assert_called_once()
     dispatcher.stop.assert_called_once()
+    heartbeater.stop.assert_called_once()
     scheduler.shutdown.assert_called_once()
 
 
 def test_close_idempotent():
-    manager, _, _, _, scheduler = make_running_manager()
+    manager, _, _, _, _, scheduler = make_running_manager()
 
     manager.close()
     manager.close()
@@ -326,7 +362,7 @@ def test_close_idempotent():
 
 
 def test_close_callbacks():
-    manager, _, _, _, _ = make_running_manager()
+    manager, _, _, _, _, _ = make_running_manager()
 
     callback = mock.Mock()
 
@@ -352,7 +388,7 @@ def test__get_initial_request():
 
 
 def test_on_response():
-    manager, _, dispatcher, _, scheduler = make_running_manager()
+    manager, _, dispatcher, _, _, scheduler = make_running_manager()
     manager._callback = mock.sentinel.callback
 
     # Set up the messages.