diff --git a/dist/index.d.ts b/dist/index.d.ts
index e24d885..25a69b4 100644
--- a/dist/index.d.ts
+++ b/dist/index.d.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ export default class DHTCache extends EventEmitter {
     private _online;
     get online(): Set<string>;
     broadcast(message: any, ttl?: number): void;
-    send(message: any): void;
+    send(peer: any, message: any): void;
     protected addPeerHandler(peer: any): void;
     removePeerHandler(peer: any): void;
     protected onRemovePeer(peer: any): void;
@@ -43,5 +43,7 @@ export default class DHTCache extends EventEmitter {
     private _recalculate;
     private _maybeHexify;
     private _pruneItems;
+    private _heartbeatCheck;
+    private _emitHeartbeat;
 }
 //# sourceMappingURL=index.d.ts.map
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/dist/index.d.ts.map b/dist/index.d.ts.map
index b5929b3..51d0b80 100644
--- a/dist/index.d.ts.map
+++ b/dist/index.d.ts.map
@@ -1 +1 @@
-{"version":3,"file":"index.d.ts","sourceRoot":"","sources":["../src/index.ts"],"names":[],"mappings":";;AAAA,OAAO,YAAY,MAAM,QAAQ,CAAC;AAYlC,OAAO,QAAQ,MAAM,oBAAoB,CAAC;AAa1C,MAAM,CAAC,OAAO,OAAO,QAAS,SAAQ,YAAY;IAChD,SAAS,CAAC,KAAK,EAAE,GAAG,CAAC;IACrB,OAAO,CAAC,EAAE,CAAS;IACnB,OAAO,CAAC,YAAY,CAAU;IAC9B,OAAO,CAAC,KAAK,CAAM;IACnB,OAAO,CAAC,WAAW,CAAW;IAE9B,SAAS,CAAC,KAAK,EAAE,QAAQ,CAAC;gBAGxB,KAAK,EAAE,GAAG,EACV,EACE,EAA4B,EAC5B,GAAG,IAAI,EACR,GAAE;QAAE,EAAE,CAAC,EAAE,MAAM,CAAC;QAAC,CAAC,GAAG,EAAE,MAAM,GAAG,GAAG,CAAA;KAAO;IAkC7C,OAAO,CAAC,MAAM,CAAc;IAE5B,IAAW,KAAK,IAAI,MAAM,EAAE,CAE3B;IAED,IAAW,QAAQ,IAAI,MAAM,EAAE,CAU9B;IAEM,WAAW,CAAC,IAAI,EAAE,MAAM,GAAG,MAAM,EAAE,IAAI,EAAE,MAAM,GAAG,MAAM,GAAG,OAAO;IAOlE,OAAO,CAAC,IAAI,EAAE,MAAM,GAAG,MAAM;IAsBpC,OAAO,CAAC,eAAe;IAIvB,OAAO,CAAC,iBAAiB;IAIlB,UAAU,CAAC,IAAI,EAAE,MAAM,GAAG,MAAM,GAAG,OAAO;IA2BjD,OAAO,CAAC,OAAO,CAAc;IAE7B,IAAW,MAAM,IAAI,GAAG,CAAC,MAAM,CAAC,CAE/B;IAEM,SAAS,CAAC,OAAO,EAAE,GAAG,EAAE,GAAG,CAAC,EAAE,MAAM;IAIpC,IAAI,CAAC,OAAO,EAAE,GAAG;IAIxB,SAAS,CAAC,cAAc,CAAC,IAAI,EAAE,GAAG;IA2BlC,iBAAiB,CAAC,IAAI,EAAE,GAAG;IAW3B,SAAS,CAAC,YAAY,CAAC,IAAI,EAAE,GAAG;IAmBhC,SAAS,CAAC,cAAc,CAAC,OAAO,EAAE,MAAM,EAAE,EAAE,EAAE,MAAM;IAyDpD,OAAO,CAAC,SAAS;IAMjB,OAAO,CAAC,UAAU;IAIlB,OAAO,CAAC,WAAW;IAInB,OAAO,CAAC,WAAW;IAInB,OAAO,CAAC,aAAa;IAOrB,OAAO,CAAC,cAAc;IAItB,OAAO,CAAC,oBAAoB;IAY5B,OAAO,CAAC,uBAAuB;IAa/B,OAAO,CAAC,aAAa;IAIrB,OAAO,CAAC,cAAc;IAwBtB,OAAO,CAAC,iBAAiB;IAoBzB,OAAO,CAAC,YAAY;IA+BpB,OAAO,CAAC,YAAY;IAQpB,OAAO,CAAC,WAAW;CAyBpB"}
\ No newline at end of file
+{"version":3,"file":"index.d.ts","sourceRoot":"","sources":["../src/index.ts"],"names":[],"mappings":";;AAAA,OAAO,YAAY,MAAM,QAAQ,CAAC;AAYlC,OAAO,QAAQ,MAAM,oBAAoB,CAAC;AAa1C,MAAM,CAAC,OAAO,OAAO,QAAS,SAAQ,YAAY;IAChD,SAAS,CAAC,KAAK,EAAE,GAAG,CAAC;IACrB,OAAO,CAAC,EAAE,CAAS;IACnB,OAAO,CAAC,YAAY,CAAU;IAC9B,OAAO,CAAC,KAAK,CAAM;IACnB,OAAO,CAAC,WAAW,CAAW;IAE9B,SAAS,CAAC,KAAK,EAAE,QAAQ,CAAC;gBAGxB,KAAK,EAAE,GAAG,EACV,EACE,EAA4B,EAC5B,GAAG,IAAI,EACR,GAAE;QAAE,EAAE,CAAC,EAAE,MAAM,CAAC;QAAC,CAAC,GAAG,EAAE,MAAM,GAAG,GAAG,CAAA;KAAO;IAoC7C,OAAO,CAAC,MAAM,CAAc;IAE5B,IAAW,KAAK,IAAI,MAAM,EAAE,CAE3B;IAED,IAAW,QAAQ,IAAI,MAAM,EAAE,CAU9B;IAEM,WAAW,CAAC,IAAI,EAAE,MAAM,GAAG,MAAM,EAAE,IAAI,EAAE,MAAM,GAAG,MAAM,GAAG,OAAO;IAOlE,OAAO,CAAC,IAAI,EAAE,MAAM,GAAG,MAAM;IAsBpC,OAAO,CAAC,eAAe;IAIvB,OAAO,CAAC,iBAAiB;IAIlB,UAAU,CAAC,IAAI,EAAE,MAAM,GAAG,MAAM,GAAG,OAAO;IA2BjD,OAAO,CAAC,OAAO,CAAc;IAE7B,IAAW,MAAM,IAAI,GAAG,CAAC,MAAM,CAAC,CAE/B;IAEM,SAAS,CAAC,OAAO,EAAE,GAAG,EAAE,GAAG,CAAC,EAAE,MAAM;IAIpC,IAAI,CAAC,IAAI,EAAE,GAAG,EAAE,OAAO,EAAE,GAAG;IAInC,SAAS,CAAC,cAAc,CAAC,IAAI,EAAE,GAAG;IA6BlC,iBAAiB,CAAC,IAAI,EAAE,GAAG;IAW3B,SAAS,CAAC,YAAY,CAAC,IAAI,EAAE,GAAG;IAmBhC,SAAS,CAAC,cAAc,CAAC,OAAO,EAAE,MAAM,EAAE,EAAE,EAAE,MAAM;IAkEpD,OAAO,CAAC,SAAS;IAMjB,OAAO,CAAC,UAAU;IAIlB,OAAO,CAAC,WAAW;IAInB,OAAO,CAAC,WAAW;IAInB,OAAO,CAAC,aAAa;IAOrB,OAAO,CAAC,cAAc;IAItB,OAAO,CAAC,oBAAoB;IAY5B,OAAO,CAAC,uBAAuB;IAa/B,OAAO,CAAC,aAAa;IAIrB,OAAO,CAAC,cAAc;IAwBtB,OAAO,CAAC,iBAAiB;IAoBzB,OAAO,CAAC,YAAY;IA+BpB,OAAO,CAAC,YAAY;IAQpB,OAAO,CAAC,WAAW;IA0BnB,OAAO,CAAC,eAAe;IAiBvB,OAAO,CAAC,cAAc;CA2BvB"}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/dist/index.js b/dist/index.js
index 8194380..c7c608a 100644
--- a/dist/index.js
+++ b/dist/index.js
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ class DHTCache extends events_1.default {
         this.flood.on("peer-open", (peer) => this.addPeerHandler(peer));
         this.flood.on("peer-remove", (peer) => this.removePeerHandler(peer));
         this.flood.on("message", (message, id) => this.onGetBroadcast(message, id));
-        this.swarm.on("connection", (peer) => this.flood.send(peer, b4a_1.default.from("hello"), 0));
+        this.swarm.on("connection", (peer) => this.send(peer, b4a_1.default.from("hello")));
         [...this.swarm.peers.values()]
             .map((item) => {
             remotePublicKey: item.publicKey;
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@ class DHTCache extends events_1.default {
             this.addPeerHandler(item);
         });
         this._ensurePeer(this.id);
+        setInterval(() => this._heartbeatCheck(), 5 * 1000);
+        setInterval(() => this._emitHeartbeat(), 60 * 1000);
     }
     _cache;
     get cache() {
@@ -123,8 +125,8 @@ class DHTCache extends events_1.default {
     broadcast(message, ttl) {
         this.flood.broadcast(message, ttl);
     }
-    send(message) {
-        this.flood.send(message, 0);
+    send(peer, message) {
+        this.flood.send(peer, message, 0);
     }
     addPeerHandler(peer) {
         const id = peer.remotePublicKey;
@@ -141,6 +143,7 @@ class DHTCache extends events_1.default {
             type: messages_js_1.Type.CONNECTED,
             id,
         });
+        this._emitHeartbeat(peer);
         if (this.bootstrapped) {
             return;
         }
@@ -220,6 +223,14 @@ class DHTCache extends events_1.default {
             const { bootstrap } = decoded;
             this._bootstrapFrom(bootstrap);
         }
+        else if (type === messages_js_1.Type.HEARTBEAT) {
+            let { id: toId, signature, data: bufData } = decoded;
+            toId = b4a_1.default.from(toId);
+            if (signature && hypercore_crypto_1.default.verify(bufData, signature, id)) {
+                this._addEntityConnection(id, toId);
+                this._setEntity(toId, { heartbeat: Date.now() });
+            }
+        }
     }
     _signItem(item) {
         item = this._maybeHexify(item);
@@ -352,5 +363,40 @@ class DHTCache extends events_1.default {
             }
         })();
     }
+    _heartbeatCheck() {
+        for (const peer of this.connectedTo) {
+            const pubkey = b4a_1.default.from(peer, "hex");
+            const heartbeat = this.graph.node.get(peer)?.heartbeat;
+            const conn = this.swarm._allConnections.get(pubkey);
+            if (!conn) {
+                this.onRemovePeer({ remotePublicKey: pubkey });
+                continue;
+            }
+            if (heartbeat > 0 && Date.now() - heartbeat > 60 * 1000) {
+                conn.end();
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    _emitHeartbeat(peer) {
+        let peers = [...this.connectedTo];
+        if (peer) {
+            // @ts-ignore
+            peers = [b4a_1.default.from(peer.remotePublicKey).toString("hex")];
+        }
+        for (const peer of peers) {
+            const pubkey = b4a_1.default.from(peer, "hex");
+            const conn = this.swarm._allConnections.get(pubkey);
+            if (!conn) {
+                continue;
+            }
+            const data = b4a_1.default.from(Uint8Array.from([1]));
+            this.send(conn, this._compileMessage({
+                type: messages_js_1.Type.HEARTBEAT,
+                id: this.id,
+                data,
+                signature: hypercore_crypto_1.default.sign(data, this.swarm.keyPair.secretKey),
+            }));
+        }
+    }
 }
 exports.default = DHTCache;
diff --git a/dist/messages.d.ts b/dist/messages.d.ts
index 275da8a..5f28110 100644
--- a/dist/messages.d.ts
+++ b/dist/messages.d.ts
@@ -71,7 +71,11 @@ export declare enum Type {
     /**
      * @generated from protobuf enum value: REMOVE_ITEM = 6;
      */
-    REMOVE_ITEM = 6
+    REMOVE_ITEM = 6,
+    /**
+     * @generated from protobuf enum value: HEARTBEAT = 7;
+     */
+    HEARTBEAT = 7
 }
 declare class Message$Type extends MessageType<Message> {
     constructor();
diff --git a/dist/messages.d.ts.map b/dist/messages.d.ts.map
index 621dcc1..3c921f1 100644
--- a/dist/messages.d.ts.map
+++ b/dist/messages.d.ts.map
@@ -1 +1 @@
-{"version":3,"file":"messages.d.ts","sourceRoot":"","sources":["../src/messages.ts"],"names":[],"mappings":"AAGA,OAAO,KAAK,EAAE,kBAAkB,EAAE,MAAM,sBAAsB,CAAC;AAC/D,OAAO,KAAK,EAAE,aAAa,EAAE,MAAM,sBAAsB,CAAC;AAE1D,OAAO,KAAK,EAAE,iBAAiB,EAAE,MAAM,sBAAsB,CAAC;AAC9D,OAAO,KAAK,EAAE,aAAa,EAAE,MAAM,sBAAsB,CAAC;AAE1D,OAAO,KAAK,EAAE,cAAc,EAAE,MAAM,sBAAsB,CAAC;AAG3D,OAAO,EAAE,WAAW,EAAE,MAAM,sBAAsB,CAAC;AACnD;;GAEG;AACH,MAAM,WAAW,OAAO;IACpB;;OAEG;IACH,IAAI,EAAE,IAAI,CAAC;IACX;;OAEG;IACH,SAAS,EAAE;QACP,CAAC,GAAG,EAAE,MAAM,GAAG,KAAK,CAAC;KACxB,CAAC;IACF;;OAEG;IACH,IAAI,CAAC,EAAE,UAAU,CAAC;IAClB;;OAEG;IACH,SAAS,CAAC,EAAE,UAAU,CAAC;IACvB;;OAEG;IACH,EAAE,CAAC,EAAE,UAAU,CAAC;CACnB;AACD;;GAEG;AACH,MAAM,WAAW,KAAK;IAClB;;OAEG;IACH,WAAW,EAAE,UAAU,EAAE,CAAC;CAC7B;AACD;;GAEG;AACH,oBAAY,IAAI;IACZ;;OAEG;IACH,YAAY,IAAI;IAChB;;OAEG;IACH,iBAAiB,IAAI;IACrB;;OAEG;IACH,kBAAkB,IAAI;IACtB;;OAEG;IACH,SAAS,IAAI;IACb;;OAEG;IACH,YAAY,IAAI;IAChB;;OAEG;IACH,QAAQ,IAAI;IACZ;;OAEG;IACH,WAAW,IAAI;CAClB;AAED,cAAM,YAAa,SAAQ,WAAW,CAAC,OAAO,CAAC;;IAU3C,MAAM,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC,EAAE,cAAc,CAAC,OAAO,CAAC,GAAG,OAAO;IAOhD,kBAAkB,CAAC,MAAM,EAAE,aAAa,EAAE,MAAM,EAAE,MAAM,EAAE,OAAO,EAAE,iBAAiB,EAAE,MAAM,CAAC,EAAE,OAAO,GAAG,OAAO;IA+BhH,OAAO,CAAC,cAAc;IAgBtB,mBAAmB,CAAC,OAAO,EAAE,OAAO,EAAE,MAAM,EAAE,aAAa,EAAE,OAAO,EAAE,kBAAkB,GAAG,aAAa;CAyB3G;AACD;;GAEG;AACH,eAAO,MAAM,OAAO,cAAqB,CAAC;AAE1C,cAAM,UAAW,SAAQ,WAAW,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC;;IAMvC,MAAM,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC,EAAE,cAAc,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC,GAAG,KAAK;IAO5C,kBAAkB,CAAC,MAAM,EAAE,aAAa,EAAE,MAAM,EAAE,MAAM,EAAE,OAAO,EAAE,iBAAiB,EAAE,MAAM,CAAC,EAAE,KAAK,GAAG,KAAK;IAmB5G,mBAAmB,CAAC,OAAO,EAAE,KAAK,EAAE,MAAM,EAAE,aAAa,EAAE,OAAO,EAAE,kBAAkB,GAAG,aAAa;CASzG;AACD;;GAEG;AACH,eAAO,MAAM,KAAK,YAAmB,CAAC"}
\ No newline at end of file
+{"version":3,"file":"messages.d.ts","sourceRoot":"","sources":["../src/messages.ts"],"names":[],"mappings":"AAGA,OAAO,KAAK,EAAE,kBAAkB,EAAE,MAAM,sBAAsB,CAAC;AAC/D,OAAO,KAAK,EAAE,aAAa,EAAE,MAAM,sBAAsB,CAAC;AAE1D,OAAO,KAAK,EAAE,iBAAiB,EAAE,MAAM,sBAAsB,CAAC;AAC9D,OAAO,KAAK,EAAE,aAAa,EAAE,MAAM,sBAAsB,CAAC;AAE1D,OAAO,KAAK,EAAE,cAAc,EAAE,MAAM,sBAAsB,CAAC;AAG3D,OAAO,EAAE,WAAW,EAAE,MAAM,sBAAsB,CAAC;AACnD;;GAEG;AACH,MAAM,WAAW,OAAO;IACpB;;OAEG;IACH,IAAI,EAAE,IAAI,CAAC;IACX;;OAEG;IACH,SAAS,EAAE;QACP,CAAC,GAAG,EAAE,MAAM,GAAG,KAAK,CAAC;KACxB,CAAC;IACF;;OAEG;IACH,IAAI,CAAC,EAAE,UAAU,CAAC;IAClB;;OAEG;IACH,SAAS,CAAC,EAAE,UAAU,CAAC;IACvB;;OAEG;IACH,EAAE,CAAC,EAAE,UAAU,CAAC;CACnB;AACD;;GAEG;AACH,MAAM,WAAW,KAAK;IAClB;;OAEG;IACH,WAAW,EAAE,UAAU,EAAE,CAAC;CAC7B;AACD;;GAEG;AACH,oBAAY,IAAI;IACZ;;OAEG;IACH,YAAY,IAAI;IAChB;;OAEG;IACH,iBAAiB,IAAI;IACrB;;OAEG;IACH,kBAAkB,IAAI;IACtB;;OAEG;IACH,SAAS,IAAI;IACb;;OAEG;IACH,YAAY,IAAI;IAChB;;OAEG;IACH,QAAQ,IAAI;IACZ;;OAEG;IACH,WAAW,IAAI;IACf;;OAEG;IACH,SAAS,IAAI;CAChB;AAED,cAAM,YAAa,SAAQ,WAAW,CAAC,OAAO,CAAC;;IAU3C,MAAM,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC,EAAE,cAAc,CAAC,OAAO,CAAC,GAAG,OAAO;IAOhD,kBAAkB,CAAC,MAAM,EAAE,aAAa,EAAE,MAAM,EAAE,MAAM,EAAE,OAAO,EAAE,iBAAiB,EAAE,MAAM,CAAC,EAAE,OAAO,GAAG,OAAO;IA+BhH,OAAO,CAAC,cAAc;IAgBtB,mBAAmB,CAAC,OAAO,EAAE,OAAO,EAAE,MAAM,EAAE,aAAa,EAAE,OAAO,EAAE,kBAAkB,GAAG,aAAa;CAyB3G;AACD;;GAEG;AACH,eAAO,MAAM,OAAO,cAAqB,CAAC;AAE1C,cAAM,UAAW,SAAQ,WAAW,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC;;IAMvC,MAAM,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC,EAAE,cAAc,CAAC,KAAK,CAAC,GAAG,KAAK;IAO5C,kBAAkB,CAAC,MAAM,EAAE,aAAa,EAAE,MAAM,EAAE,MAAM,EAAE,OAAO,EAAE,iBAAiB,EAAE,MAAM,CAAC,EAAE,KAAK,GAAG,KAAK;IAmB5G,mBAAmB,CAAC,OAAO,EAAE,KAAK,EAAE,MAAM,EAAE,aAAa,EAAE,OAAO,EAAE,kBAAkB,GAAG,aAAa;CASzG;AACD;;GAEG;AACH,eAAO,MAAM,KAAK,YAAmB,CAAC"}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/dist/messages.js b/dist/messages.js
index a10c6dd..1284cee 100644
--- a/dist/messages.js
+++ b/dist/messages.js
@@ -39,6 +39,10 @@ var Type;
      * @generated from protobuf enum value: REMOVE_ITEM = 6;
      */
     Type[Type["REMOVE_ITEM"] = 6] = "REMOVE_ITEM";
+    /**
+     * @generated from protobuf enum value: HEARTBEAT = 7;
+     */
+    Type[Type["HEARTBEAT"] = 7] = "HEARTBEAT";
 })(Type = exports.Type || (exports.Type = {}));
 // @generated message type with reflection information, may provide speed optimized methods
 class Message$Type extends runtime_5.MessageType {