diff --git a/src/lib/arch/IArchNetwork.h b/src/lib/arch/IArchNetwork.h
index 06a073c10..eaa36cae3 100644
--- a/src/lib/arch/IArchNetwork.h
+++ b/src/lib/arch/IArchNetwork.h
@@ -225,6 +225,12 @@ public:
   */
   virtual bool setNoDelayOnSocket(ArchSocket, bool noDelay) = 0;
 
+  //! Turn keep-alive on or off on socket
+  /*!
+  Set socket to use keep-alive (true) or not (false).
+  */
+  virtual void setKeepAliveOnSocket(ArchSocket, bool keepAlive) = 0;
+
   //! Turn address reuse on or off on socket
   /*!
   Allows the address this socket is bound to to be reused while in the
diff --git a/src/lib/arch/unix/ArchNetworkBSD.cpp b/src/lib/arch/unix/ArchNetworkBSD.cpp
index 57d102654..2e731021b 100644
--- a/src/lib/arch/unix/ArchNetworkBSD.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/arch/unix/ArchNetworkBSD.cpp
@@ -419,6 +419,17 @@ bool ArchNetworkBSD::setNoDelayOnSocket(ArchSocket s, bool noDelay)
   return (oflag != 0);
 }
 
+void ArchNetworkBSD::setKeepAliveOnSocket(ArchSocket s, bool keepAlive)
+{
+  if (!s) {
+    throwError(EINVAL);
+  }
+  int opt = keepAlive;
+  if (setsockopt(s->m_fd, SOL_SOCKET, SO_KEEPALIVE, reinterpret_cast<const optval_t *>(&opt), sizeof(opt)) == -1) {
+    throwError(errno);
+  }
+}
+
 bool ArchNetworkBSD::setReuseAddrOnSocket(ArchSocket s, bool reuse)
 {
   assert(s != nullptr);
diff --git a/src/lib/arch/unix/ArchNetworkBSD.h b/src/lib/arch/unix/ArchNetworkBSD.h
index eef579682..c593ec225 100644
--- a/src/lib/arch/unix/ArchNetworkBSD.h
+++ b/src/lib/arch/unix/ArchNetworkBSD.h
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ public:
   size_t writeSocket(ArchSocket s, const void *buf, size_t len) override;
   void throwErrorOnSocket(ArchSocket) override;
   bool setNoDelayOnSocket(ArchSocket, bool noDelay) override;
+  void setKeepAliveOnSocket(ArchSocket, bool keepAlive) override;
   bool setReuseAddrOnSocket(ArchSocket, bool reuse) override;
   ArchNetAddress newAnyAddr(AddressFamily) override;
   ArchNetAddress copyAddr(ArchNetAddress) override;
diff --git a/src/lib/arch/win32/ArchNetworkWinsock.cpp b/src/lib/arch/win32/ArchNetworkWinsock.cpp
index 999a2bc78..50c18c7a8 100644
--- a/src/lib/arch/win32/ArchNetworkWinsock.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/arch/win32/ArchNetworkWinsock.cpp
@@ -605,6 +605,17 @@ bool ArchNetworkWinsock::setNoDelayOnSocket(ArchSocket s, bool noDelay)
   return (oflag != 0);
 }
 
+void ArchNetworkWinsock::setKeepAliveOnSocket(ArchSocket s, bool keepAlive)
+{
+  if (!s) {
+    throwError(WSAEINVAL);
+  }
+  int opt = keepAlive;
+  if (setsockopt_winsock(s->m_socket, SOL_SOCKET, SO_KEEPALIVE, &opt, sizeof(opt)) == SOCKET_ERROR) {
+    throwError(getsockerror_winsock());
+  }
+}
+
 bool ArchNetworkWinsock::setReuseAddrOnSocket(ArchSocket s, bool reuse)
 {
   LOG_ERR("socket re-use not supported on windows");
diff --git a/src/lib/arch/win32/ArchNetworkWinsock.h b/src/lib/arch/win32/ArchNetworkWinsock.h
index 7b36f6b6f..8ebdc6881 100644
--- a/src/lib/arch/win32/ArchNetworkWinsock.h
+++ b/src/lib/arch/win32/ArchNetworkWinsock.h
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ public:
   size_t writeSocket(ArchSocket s, const void *buf, size_t len) override;
   void throwErrorOnSocket(ArchSocket) override;
   bool setNoDelayOnSocket(ArchSocket, bool noDelay) override;
+  void setKeepAliveOnSocket(ArchSocket, bool keepAlive) override;
   bool setReuseAddrOnSocket(ArchSocket, bool reuse) override;
   ArchNetAddress newAnyAddr(AddressFamily) override;
   ArchNetAddress copyAddr(ArchNetAddress) override;
diff --git a/src/lib/net/TCPSocket.cpp b/src/lib/net/TCPSocket.cpp
index 8d691a329..b9d70f934 100644
--- a/src/lib/net/TCPSocket.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/net/TCPSocket.cpp
@@ -283,6 +283,9 @@ void TCPSocket::init()
     // that should be sent without (much) delay.  for example, the
     // mouse motion messages are much less useful if they're delayed.
     ARCH->setNoDelayOnSocket(m_socket, true);
+
+    // turn on keep-alive to avoid dead connections from lingering indefinitely
+    ARCH->setKeepAliveOnSocket(m_socket, true);
   } catch (const ArchNetworkException &e) {
     try {
       ARCH->closeSocket(m_socket);