diff --git a/confluent_server/confluent/collective/manager.py b/confluent_server/confluent/collective/manager.py
index 7f779601..4580bd39 100644
--- a/confluent_server/confluent/collective/manager.py
+++ b/confluent_server/confluent/collective/manager.py
@@ -159,6 +159,7 @@ def connect_to_leader(cert=None, name=None, leader=None, remote=None):
                 raise
             currentleader = leader
         #spawn this as a thread...
+        remote.settimeout(90)
         follower = eventlet.spawn(follow_leader, remote, leader)
     return True
 
diff --git a/confluent_server/confluent/core.py b/confluent_server/confluent/core.py
index dd012679..1816b2b5 100644
--- a/confluent_server/confluent/core.py
+++ b/confluent_server/confluent/core.py
@@ -57,9 +57,11 @@ except ImportError:
     # Only required for collective mode
     crypto = None
 import confluent.util as util
+import eventlet
 import eventlet.greenpool as greenpool
 import eventlet.green.ssl as ssl
 import eventlet.queue as queue
+import eventlet.semaphore as semaphore
 import itertools
 import msgpack
 import os
@@ -745,6 +747,12 @@ def abbreviate_noderange(configmanager, inputdata, operation):
     return (msg.KeyValueData({'noderange': noderange.ReverseNodeRange(inputdata['nodes'], configmanager).noderange}),)
 
 
+def _keepalivefn(connection, xmitlock):
+    while True:
+        eventlet.sleep(30)
+        with xmitlock:
+            connection.sendall(b'\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x01\x00')
+
 def handle_dispatch(connection, cert, dispatch, peername):
     cert = crypto.dump_certificate(crypto.FILETYPE_ASN1, cert)
     if not util.cert_matches(
@@ -757,6 +765,8 @@ def handle_dispatch(connection, cert, dispatch, peername):
         # under 0x20 or so.
         connection.close()
         return
+    xmitlock = semaphore.Semaphore()
+    keepalive = eventlet.spawn(_keepalivefn, connection, xmitlock)
     dispatch = msgpack.unpackb(dispatch[2:], raw=False)
     configmanager = cfm.ConfigManager(dispatch['tenant'])
     nodes = dispatch['nodes']
@@ -796,9 +806,12 @@ def handle_dispatch(connection, cert, dispatch, peername):
                 configmanager=configmanager,
                 inputdata=inputdata))
         for res in itertools.chain(*passvalues):
-            _forward_rsp(connection, res)
+            with xmitlock:
+                _forward_rsp(connection, res)
     except Exception as res:
-        _forward_rsp(connection, res)
+        with xmitlock:
+            _forward_rsp(connection, res)
+    keepalive.kill()
     connection.sendall('\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00')
 
 
@@ -1104,6 +1117,8 @@ def dispatch_request(nodes, manager, element, configmanager, inputdata,
                             a['name']))
                 return
             rsp += nrsp
+        if rsp == b'\x00':
+            continue
         try:
             rsp = msg.msg_deserialize(rsp)
         except Exception: