diff --git a/src/Simplex/Messaging/Client.hs b/src/Simplex/Messaging/Client.hs
index e3f0858e0..854826288 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/Messaging/Client.hs
+++ b/src/Simplex/Messaging/Client.hs
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ data SMPClient = SMPClient
     sessionId :: ByteString,
     smpServer :: SMPServer,
     tcpTimeout :: Int,
+    smpPingFailures :: TVar Int,
     clientCorrId :: TVar Natural,
     sentCommands :: TMap CorrId Request,
     sndQ :: TBQueue SentRawTransmission,
@@ -103,7 +104,11 @@ data SMPClientConfig = SMPClientConfig
     -- | TCP keep-alive options, Nothing to skip enabling keep-alive
     tcpKeepAlive :: Maybe KeepAliveOpts,
     -- | period for SMP ping commands (microseconds)
-    smpPing :: Int
+    smpPing :: Int,
+    -- | timpeout for SMP pings (microseconds)
+    smpPingTimeout :: Int,
+    -- | failed pings count
+    smpPingFailLimit :: Int
   }
 
 -- | Default SMP client configuration.
@@ -114,7 +119,9 @@ smpDefaultConfig =
       defaultTransport = ("5223", transport @TLS),
       tcpTimeout = 5_000_000,
       tcpKeepAlive = Just defaultKeepAliveOpts,
-      smpPing = 300_000_000 -- 5 min
+      smpPing = 300_000_000, -- 5 min,
+      smpPingTimeout = 10_000_000,
+      smpPingFailLimit = 3
     }
 
 data Request = Request
@@ -130,12 +137,13 @@ type Response = Either SMPClientError BrokerMsg
 -- A single queue can be used for multiple 'SMPClient' instances,
 -- as 'SMPServerTransmission' includes server information.
 getSMPClient :: SMPServer -> SMPClientConfig -> TBQueue SMPServerTransmission -> IO () -> IO (Either SMPClientError SMPClient)
-getSMPClient smpServer cfg@SMPClientConfig {qSize, tcpTimeout, tcpKeepAlive, smpPing} msgQ disconnected =
+getSMPClient smpServer cfg@SMPClientConfig {qSize, tcpTimeout, smpPingTimeout, tcpKeepAlive, smpPing, smpPingFailLimit} msgQ disconnected =
   atomically mkSMPClient >>= runClient useTransport
   where
     mkSMPClient :: STM SMPClient
     mkSMPClient = do
       connected <- newTVar False
+      smpPingFailures <- newTVar smpPingFailLimit
       clientCorrId <- newTVar 0
       sentCommands <- TM.empty
       sndQ <- newTBQueue qSize
@@ -147,6 +155,7 @@ getSMPClient smpServer cfg@SMPClientConfig {qSize, tcpTimeout, tcpKeepAlive, smp
             connected,
             smpServer,
             tcpTimeout,
+            smpPingFailures,
             clientCorrId,
             sentCommands,
             sndQ,
@@ -192,9 +201,13 @@ getSMPClient smpServer cfg@SMPClientConfig {qSize, tcpTimeout, tcpKeepAlive, smp
     receive SMPClient {rcvQ} h = forever $ tGet h >>= atomically . writeTBQueue rcvQ
 
     ping :: SMPClient -> IO ()
-    ping c = forever $ do
+    ping c@SMPClient {smpPingFailures} = forever $ do
       threadDelay smpPing
-      void . either throwIO pure =<< runExceptT (sendSMPCommand c Nothing "" PING)
+      runExceptT (sendSMPCommand c Nothing "" PING $ Just smpPingTimeout) >>= \case
+        Right _ -> atomically $ writeTVar smpPingFailures smpPingFailLimit
+        Left e -> do
+          n <- atomically $ stateTVar smpPingFailures $ \n -> (n - 1, n - 1)
+          when (n == 0) $ throwIO e
 
     process :: SMPClient -> IO ()
     process SMPClient {rcvQ, sentCommands} = forever $ do
@@ -260,7 +273,7 @@ createSMPQueue ::
   RcvPublicDhKey ->
   ExceptT SMPClientError IO QueueIdsKeys
 createSMPQueue c rpKey rKey dhKey =
-  sendSMPCommand c (Just rpKey) "" (NEW rKey dhKey) >>= \case
+  sendSMPCommand c (Just rpKey) "" (NEW rKey dhKey) Nothing >>= \case
     IDS qik -> pure qik
     _ -> throwE SMPUnexpectedResponse
 
@@ -269,7 +282,7 @@ createSMPQueue c rpKey rKey dhKey =
 -- https://github.com/simplex-chat/simplexmq/blob/master/protocol/simplex-messaging.md#subscribe-to-queue
 subscribeSMPQueue :: SMPClient -> RcvPrivateSignKey -> RecipientId -> ExceptT SMPClientError IO ()
 subscribeSMPQueue c@SMPClient {smpServer, msgQ} rpKey rId =
-  sendSMPCommand c (Just rpKey) rId SUB >>= \case
+  sendSMPCommand c (Just rpKey) rId SUB Nothing >>= \case
     OK -> return ()
     cmd@MSG {} ->
       lift . atomically $ writeTBQueue msgQ (smpServer, rId, cmd)
@@ -292,7 +305,7 @@ secureSMPQueue c rpKey rId senderKey = okSMPCommand (KEY senderKey) c rpKey rId
 -- https://github.com/simplex-chat/simplexmq/blob/master/protocol/simplex-messaging.md#enable-notifications-command
 enableSMPQueueNotifications :: SMPClient -> RcvPrivateSignKey -> RecipientId -> NtfPublicVerifyKey -> ExceptT SMPClientError IO NotifierId
 enableSMPQueueNotifications c rpKey rId notifierKey =
-  sendSMPCommand c (Just rpKey) rId (NKEY notifierKey) >>= \case
+  sendSMPCommand c (Just rpKey) rId (NKEY notifierKey) Nothing >>= \case
     NID nId -> pure nId
     _ -> throwE SMPUnexpectedResponse
 
@@ -301,7 +314,7 @@ enableSMPQueueNotifications c rpKey rId notifierKey =
 -- https://github.com/simplex-chat/simplexmq/blob/master/protocol/simplex-messaging.md#send-message
 sendSMPMessage :: SMPClient -> Maybe SndPrivateSignKey -> SenderId -> MsgBody -> ExceptT SMPClientError IO ()
 sendSMPMessage c spKey sId msg =
-  sendSMPCommand c spKey sId (SEND msg) >>= \case
+  sendSMPCommand c spKey sId (SEND msg) Nothing >>= \case
     OK -> pure ()
     _ -> throwE SMPUnexpectedResponse
 
@@ -310,7 +323,7 @@ sendSMPMessage c spKey sId msg =
 -- https://github.com/simplex-chat/simplexmq/blob/master/protocol/simplex-messaging.md#acknowledge-message-delivery
 ackSMPMessage :: SMPClient -> RcvPrivateSignKey -> QueueId -> ExceptT SMPClientError IO ()
 ackSMPMessage c@SMPClient {smpServer, msgQ} rpKey rId =
-  sendSMPCommand c (Just rpKey) rId ACK >>= \case
+  sendSMPCommand c (Just rpKey) rId ACK Nothing >>= \case
     OK -> return ()
     cmd@MSG {} ->
       lift . atomically $ writeTBQueue msgQ (smpServer, rId, cmd)
@@ -331,14 +344,14 @@ deleteSMPQueue = okSMPCommand DEL
 
 okSMPCommand :: PartyI p => Command p -> SMPClient -> C.APrivateSignKey -> QueueId -> ExceptT SMPClientError IO ()
 okSMPCommand cmd c pKey qId =
-  sendSMPCommand c (Just pKey) qId cmd >>= \case
+  sendSMPCommand c (Just pKey) qId cmd Nothing >>= \case
     OK -> return ()
     _ -> throwE SMPUnexpectedResponse
 
 -- | Send SMP command
 -- TODO sign all requests (SEND of SMP confirmation would be signed with the same key that is passed to the recipient)
-sendSMPCommand :: PartyI p => SMPClient -> Maybe C.APrivateSignKey -> QueueId -> Command p -> ExceptT SMPClientError IO BrokerMsg
-sendSMPCommand SMPClient {sndQ, sentCommands, clientCorrId, sessionId, tcpTimeout} pKey qId cmd = do
+sendSMPCommand :: PartyI p => SMPClient -> Maybe C.APrivateSignKey -> QueueId -> Command p -> Maybe Int -> ExceptT SMPClientError IO BrokerMsg
+sendSMPCommand SMPClient {sndQ, sentCommands, clientCorrId, sessionId, tcpTimeout} pKey qId cmd cmdTimeout_ = do
   corrId <- lift_ getNextCorrId
   t <- signTransmission $ encodeTransmission sessionId (corrId, qId, cmd)
   ExceptT $ sendRecv corrId t
@@ -362,7 +375,7 @@ sendSMPCommand SMPClient {sndQ, sentCommands, clientCorrId, sessionId, tcpTimeou
     sendRecv :: CorrId -> SentRawTransmission -> IO Response
     sendRecv corrId t = atomically (send corrId t) >>= withTimeout . atomically . takeTMVar
       where
-        withTimeout a = fromMaybe (Left SMPResponseTimeout) <$> timeout tcpTimeout a
+        withTimeout a = fromMaybe (Left SMPResponseTimeout) <$> timeout (fromMaybe tcpTimeout cmdTimeout_) a
 
     send :: CorrId -> SentRawTransmission -> STM (TMVar Response)
     send corrId t = do