diff --git a/embassy-net-esp-hosted/src/control.rs b/embassy-net-esp-hosted/src/control.rs
index b722bdd71..6cd57f68a 100644
--- a/embassy-net-esp-hosted/src/control.rs
+++ b/embassy-net-esp-hosted/src/control.rs
@@ -53,6 +53,9 @@ impl<'a> Control<'a> {
         debug!("wait for init event...");
         self.shared.init_wait().await;
 
+        debug!("set heartbeat");
+        self.set_heartbeat(10).await?;
+
         debug!("set wifi mode");
         self.set_wifi_mode(WifiMode::Sta as _).await?;
 
@@ -83,6 +86,13 @@ impl<'a> Control<'a> {
         Ok(())
     }
 
+    /// duration in seconds, clamped to [10, 3600]
+    async fn set_heartbeat(&mut self, duration: u32) -> Result<(), Error> {
+        let req = proto::CtrlMsgReqConfigHeartbeat { enable: true, duration };
+        ioctl!(self, ReqConfigHeartbeat, RespConfigHeartbeat, req, resp);
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
     async fn get_mac_addr(&mut self) -> Result<[u8; 6], Error> {
         let req = proto::CtrlMsgReqGetMacAddress {
             mode: WifiMode::Sta as _,
diff --git a/embassy-net-esp-hosted/src/lib.rs b/embassy-net-esp-hosted/src/lib.rs
index c2d9d6097..4a318b20d 100644
--- a/embassy-net-esp-hosted/src/lib.rs
+++ b/embassy-net-esp-hosted/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 #![no_std]
 
-use embassy_futures::select::{select3, Either3};
+use embassy_futures::select::{select4, Either4};
 use embassy_net_driver_channel as ch;
+use embassy_net_driver_channel::driver::LinkState;
 use embassy_time::{Duration, Instant, Timer};
 use embedded_hal::digital::{InputPin, OutputPin};
 use embedded_hal_async::digital::Wait;
@@ -94,6 +95,7 @@ enum InterfaceType {
 }
 
 const MAX_SPI_BUFFER_SIZE: usize = 1600;
+const HEARTBEAT_MAX_GAP: Duration = Duration::from_secs(20);
 
 pub struct State {
     shared: Shared,
@@ -135,6 +137,7 @@ where
         ready,
         reset,
         spi,
+        heartbeat_deadline: Instant::now() + HEARTBEAT_MAX_GAP,
     };
     runner.init().await;
 
@@ -147,6 +150,7 @@ pub struct Runner<'a, SPI, IN, OUT> {
     shared: &'a Shared,
 
     next_seq: u16,
+    heartbeat_deadline: Instant,
 
     spi: SPI,
     handshake: IN,
@@ -178,9 +182,10 @@ where
             let ioctl = self.shared.ioctl_wait_pending();
             let tx = self.ch.tx_buf();
             let ev = async { self.ready.wait_for_high().await.unwrap() };
+            let hb = Timer::at(self.heartbeat_deadline);
 
-            match select3(ioctl, tx, ev).await {
-                Either3::First(PendingIoctl { buf, req_len }) => {
+            match select4(ioctl, tx, ev, hb).await {
+                Either4::First(PendingIoctl { buf, req_len }) => {
                     tx_buf[12..24].copy_from_slice(b"\x01\x08\x00ctrlResp\x02");
                     tx_buf[24..26].copy_from_slice(&(req_len as u16).to_le_bytes());
                     tx_buf[26..][..req_len].copy_from_slice(&unsafe { &*buf }[..req_len]);
@@ -199,7 +204,7 @@ where
                     header.checksum = checksum(&tx_buf[..26 + req_len]);
                     tx_buf[0..12].copy_from_slice(&header.to_bytes());
                 }
-                Either3::Second(packet) => {
+                Either4::Second(packet) => {
                     tx_buf[12..][..packet.len()].copy_from_slice(packet);
 
                     let mut header = PayloadHeader {
@@ -218,9 +223,12 @@ where
 
                     self.ch.tx_done();
                 }
-                Either3::Third(()) => {
+                Either4::Third(()) => {
                     tx_buf[..PayloadHeader::SIZE].fill(0);
                 }
+                Either4::Fourth(()) => {
+                    panic!("heartbeat from esp32 stopped")
+                }
             }
 
             if tx_buf[0] != 0 {
@@ -309,7 +317,7 @@ where
         }
     }
 
-    fn handle_event(&self, data: &[u8]) {
+    fn handle_event(&mut self, data: &[u8]) {
         let Ok(event) = noproto::read::<CtrlMsg>(data) else {
             warn!("failed to parse event");
             return;
@@ -324,6 +332,7 @@ where
 
         match payload {
             CtrlMsgPayload::EventEspInit(_) => self.shared.init_done(),
+            CtrlMsgPayload::EventHeartbeat(_) => self.heartbeat_deadline = Instant::now() + HEARTBEAT_MAX_GAP,
             CtrlMsgPayload::EventStationDisconnectFromAp(e) => {
                 info!("disconnected, code {}", e.resp);
                 self.state_ch.set_link_state(LinkState::Down);