diff --git a/lighter/ws_client.py b/lighter/ws_client.py
index 1369417..d226dec 100644
--- a/lighter/ws_client.py
+++ b/lighter/ws_client.py
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 import json
+import threading
+import asyncio
 from websockets.sync.client import connect
 from websockets.client import connect as connect_async
 from lighter.configuration import Configuration
@@ -12,6 +14,7 @@ def __init__(
         account_ids=[],
         on_order_book_update=print,
         on_account_update=print,
+        ping_interval=30,
     ):
         if host is None:
             host = Configuration.get_default().host.replace("https://", "")
@@ -33,6 +36,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.on_account_update = on_account_update
 
         self.ws = None
+        self.ping_interval = ping_interval
 
     def on_message(self, ws, message):
         if isinstance(message, str):
@@ -53,6 +57,8 @@ def on_message(self, ws, message):
         elif message_type == "ping":
             # Respond to ping with pong
             ws.send(json.dumps({"type": "pong"}))
+        elif message_type == "pong":
+            pass
         else:
             self.handle_unhandled_message(message)
 
@@ -65,6 +71,9 @@ async def on_message_async(self, ws, message):
         elif message_type == "ping":
             # Respond to ping with pong
             await ws.send(json.dumps({"type": "pong"}))
+        elif message_type == "pong":
+            # Noop
+            pass
         else:
             self.on_message(ws, message)
 
@@ -153,16 +162,60 @@ def on_error(self, ws, error):
     def on_close(self, ws, close_status_code, close_msg):
         raise Exception(f"Closed: {close_status_code} {close_msg}")
 
-    def run(self):
-        ws = connect(self.base_url)
-        self.ws = ws
+    def _ping_loop(self, stop_event):
+        while not stop_event.is_set():
+            stop_event.wait(self.ping_interval)
+            if self.ws and not stop_event.is_set():
+                try:
+                    self.ws.send(json.dumps({"type": "ping"}))
+                except Exception as e:
+                    print(f"Ping failed: {e}")
+                    break
+
+    async def _ping_loop_async(self, stop_event):
+        while not stop_event.is_set():
+            try:
+                await asyncio.sleep(self.ping_interval)
+                if self.ws and not stop_event.is_set():
+                    await self.ws.send(json.dumps({"type": "ping"}))
+            except asyncio.CancelledError:
+                break
+            except Exception as e:
+                print(f"Async ping failed: {e}")
+                break
 
-        for message in ws:
-            self.on_message(ws, message)
+    def run(self):
+        stop_event = threading.Event()
+        ping_thread = None
+        try:
+            with connect(self.base_url) as ws:
+                self.ws = ws
+                ping_thread = threading.Thread(target=self._ping_loop, args=(stop_event,), daemon=True)
+                ping_thread.start()
+
+                for message in ws:
+                    self.on_message(ws, message)
+        finally:
+            stop_event.set()
+            if ping_thread:
+                ping_thread.join(timeout=1)
+            self.ws = None  # clear after thread has exited
 
     async def run_async(self):
-        ws = await connect_async(self.base_url)
-        self.ws = ws
+        stop_event = asyncio.Event()
+        ping_task = None
+        try:
+            async with connect_async(self.base_url) as ws:
+                self.ws = ws
+                ping_task = asyncio.create_task(self._ping_loop_async(stop_event))
+
+                async for message in ws:
+                    await self.on_message_async(ws, message)
+        finally:
+            stop_event.set()
+            if ping_task:
+                ping_task.cancel()
+                # Wait for the task to acknowledge cancellation
+                await asyncio.gather(ping_task, return_exceptions=True)
+            self.ws = None
 
-        async for message in ws:
-            await self.on_message_async(ws, message)