diff --git a/ebin/rabbit_app.in b/ebin/rabbit_app.in
index f26e0f77093c..888e4dbabf09 100644
--- a/ebin/rabbit_app.in
+++ b/ebin/rabbit_app.in
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@
          {handshake_timeout, 10000},
          {reverse_dns_lookups, false},
          {cluster_partition_handling, ignore},
+         {cluster_keepalive_interval, 10000},
          {tcp_listen_options, [binary,
                                {packet,        raw},
                                {reuseaddr,     true},
diff --git a/src/rabbit_node_monitor.erl b/src/rabbit_node_monitor.erl
index e1ff9ffdd284..5fc04ec9182e 100644
--- a/src/rabbit_node_monitor.erl
+++ b/src/rabbit_node_monitor.erl
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@
 -define(RABBIT_UP_RPC_TIMEOUT, 2000).
 -define(RABBIT_DOWN_PING_INTERVAL, 1000).
 
--record(state, {monitors, partitions, subscribers, down_ping_timer, autoheal}).
+-record(state, {monitors, partitions, subscribers, down_ping_timer,
+                keepalive_timer, autoheal}).
 
 %%----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
@@ -249,10 +250,10 @@ init([]) ->
     process_flag(trap_exit, true),
     net_kernel:monitor_nodes(true, [nodedown_reason]),
     {ok, _} = mnesia:subscribe(system),
-    {ok, #state{monitors    = pmon:new(),
-                subscribers = pmon:new(),
-                partitions  = [],
-                autoheal    = rabbit_autoheal:init()}}.
+    {ok, ensure_keepalive_timer(#state{monitors    = pmon:new(),
+                                       subscribers = pmon:new(),
+                                       partitions  = [],
+                                       autoheal    = rabbit_autoheal:init()})}.
 
 handle_call(partitions, _From, State = #state{partitions = Partitions}) ->
     {reply, Partitions, State};
@@ -279,6 +280,7 @@ handle_cast({node_up, Node, NodeType},
                  {noreply, State#state{
                              monitors = pmon:monitor({rabbit, Node}, Monitors)}}
     end;
+
 handle_cast({joined_cluster, Node, NodeType}, State) ->
     {AllNodes, DiscNodes, RunningNodes} = read_cluster_status(),
     write_cluster_status({add_node(Node, AllNodes),
@@ -288,13 +290,19 @@ handle_cast({joined_cluster, Node, NodeType}, State) ->
                           end,
                           RunningNodes}),
     {noreply, State};
+
 handle_cast({left_cluster, Node}, State) ->
     {AllNodes, DiscNodes, RunningNodes} = read_cluster_status(),
     write_cluster_status({del_node(Node, AllNodes), del_node(Node, DiscNodes),
                           del_node(Node, RunningNodes)}),
     {noreply, State};
+
 handle_cast({subscribe, Pid}, State = #state{subscribers = Subscribers}) ->
     {noreply, State#state{subscribers = pmon:monitor(Pid, Subscribers)}};
+
+handle_cast(keepalive, State) ->
+    {noreply, State};
+
 handle_cast(_Msg, State) ->
     {noreply, State}.
 
@@ -340,7 +348,7 @@ handle_info({autoheal_msg, Msg}, State = #state{autoheal   = AState,
     AState1 = rabbit_autoheal:handle_msg(Msg, AState, Partitions),
     {noreply, State#state{autoheal = AState1}};
 
-handle_info(ping_nodes, State) ->
+handle_info(ping_down_nodes, State) ->
     %% We ping nodes when some are down to ensure that we find out
     %% about healed partitions quickly. We ping all nodes rather than
     %% just the ones we know are down for simplicity; it's not expensive
@@ -354,14 +362,21 @@ handle_info(ping_nodes, State) ->
                        ping_all(),
                        case all_nodes_up() of
                            true  -> ok;
-                           false -> Self ! ping_again
+                           false -> Self ! ping_down_nodes_again
                        end
                end),
     {noreply, State1};
 
-handle_info(ping_again, State) ->
+handle_info(ping_down_nodes_again, State) ->
     {noreply, ensure_ping_timer(State)};
 
+handle_info(ping_up_nodes, State) ->
+    %% In this case we need to ensure that we ping "quickly" -
+    %% i.e. only nodes that we know to be up.
+    Nodes = alive_nodes(rabbit_mnesia:cluster_nodes(all)) -- [node()],
+    [gen_server2:cast({?MODULE, N}, keepalive) || N <- Nodes],
+    {noreply, ensure_keepalive_timer(State#state{keepalive_timer = undefined})};
+
 handle_info(_Info, State) ->
     {noreply, State}.
 
@@ -457,7 +472,13 @@ handle_dead_rabbit(Node, State = #state{partitions = Partitions,
 
 ensure_ping_timer(State) ->
     rabbit_misc:ensure_timer(
-      State, #state.down_ping_timer, ?RABBIT_DOWN_PING_INTERVAL, ping_nodes).
+      State, #state.down_ping_timer, ?RABBIT_DOWN_PING_INTERVAL,
+      ping_down_nodes).
+
+ensure_keepalive_timer(State) ->
+    {ok, Interval} = application:get_env(rabbit, cluster_keepalive_interval),
+    rabbit_misc:ensure_timer(
+      State, #state.keepalive_timer, Interval, ping_up_nodes).
 
 handle_live_rabbit(Node) ->
     ok = rabbit_amqqueue:on_node_up(Node),