diff --git a/phpseclib/Net/SSH2.php b/phpseclib/Net/SSH2.php
index c0384b0e..e2571190 100644
--- a/phpseclib/Net/SSH2.php
+++ b/phpseclib/Net/SSH2.php
@@ -687,6 +687,14 @@ class SSH2
      */
     var $curTimeout;
 
+    /**
+     * Keep Alive Interval
+     *
+     * @see self::setKeepAlive()
+     * @access private
+     */
+    var $keepAlive;
+
     /**
      * Real-time log file pointer
      *
@@ -2677,6 +2685,19 @@ class SSH2
         $this->timeout = $this->curTimeout = $timeout;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Set Keep Alive
+     *
+     * Sends an SSH2_MSG_IGNORE message every x seconds, if x is a positive non-zero number.
+     *
+     * @param mixed $timeout
+     * @access public
+     */
+    function setKeepAlive($interval)
+    {
+        $this->keepAlive = $interval;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Get the output from stdError
      *
@@ -3315,6 +3336,54 @@ class SSH2
      */
     function _get_binary_packet($skip_channel_filter = false)
     {
+        if ($skip_channel_filter) {
+            $read = array($this->fsock);
+            $write = $except = null;
+
+            if ($this->curTimeout <= 0) {
+                if ($this->keepAlive <= 0) {
+                    @stream_select($read, $write, $except, null);
+                } else {
+                    if (!@stream_select($read, $write, $except, $this->keepAlive) && !count($read)) {
+                        $this->_send_binary_packet(pack('CN', NET_SSH2_MSG_IGNORE, 0));
+                        return $this->_get_binary_packet(true);
+                    }
+                }
+            } else {
+                if ($this->curTimeout < 0) {
+                    $this->is_timeout = true;
+                    return true;
+                }
+
+                $read = array($this->fsock);
+                $write = $except = null;
+
+                $start = microtime(true);
+
+                if ($this->keepAlive > 0 && $this->keepAlive < $this->curTimeout) {
+                    if (!@stream_select($read, $write, $except, $this->keepAlive) && !count($read)) {
+                        $this->_send_binary_packet(pack('CN', NET_SSH2_MSG_IGNORE, 0));
+                        $elapsed = microtime(true) - $start;
+                        $this->curTimeout-= $elapsed;
+                        return $this->_get_binary_packet(true);
+                    }
+                    $elapsed = microtime(true) - $start;
+                    $this->curTimeout-= $elapsed;
+                }
+
+                $sec = floor($this->curTimeout);
+                $usec = 1000000 * ($this->curTimeout - $sec);
+
+                // on windows this returns a "Warning: Invalid CRT parameters detected" error
+                if (!@stream_select($read, $write, $except, $sec, $usec) && !count($read)) {
+                    $this->is_timeout = true;
+                    return true;
+                }
+                $elapsed = microtime(true) - $start;
+                $this->curTimeout-= $elapsed;
+            }
+        }
+
         if (!is_resource($this->fsock) || feof($this->fsock)) {
             $this->bitmap = 0;
             user_error('Connection closed prematurely');
@@ -3466,9 +3535,19 @@ class SSH2
         // only called when we've already logged in
         if (($this->bitmap & self::MASK_CONNECTED) && $this->isAuthenticated()) {
             switch (ord($payload[0])) {
+                case NET_SSH2_MSG_CHANNEL_REQUEST:
+                    if (strlen($payload) == 31) {
+                        extract(unpack('cpacket_type/Nchannel/Nlength', $payload));
+                        if (substr($payload, 9, $length) == 'keepalive@openssh.com' && isset($this->server_channels[$channel])) {
+                            if (ord(substr($payload, 9 + $length))) { // want reply
+                                $this->_send_binary_packet(pack('CN', NET_SSH2_MSG_CHANNEL_SUCCESS, $this->server_channels[$channel]));
+                            }
+                            $payload = $this->_get_binary_packet($skip_channel_filter);
+                        }
+                    }
+                    break;
                 case NET_SSH2_MSG_CHANNEL_DATA:
                 case NET_SSH2_MSG_CHANNEL_EXTENDED_DATA:
-                case NET_SSH2_MSG_CHANNEL_REQUEST:
                 case NET_SSH2_MSG_CHANNEL_CLOSE:
                 case NET_SSH2_MSG_CHANNEL_EOF:
                     if (!$skip_channel_filter && !empty($this->server_channels)) {
@@ -3664,36 +3743,13 @@ class SSH2
                 $response = $this->binary_packet_buffer;
                 $this->binary_packet_buffer = false;
             } else {
-                $read = array($this->fsock);
-                $write = $except = null;
-
-                if (!$this->curTimeout) {
-                    @stream_select($read, $write, $except, null);
-                } else {
-                    if ($this->curTimeout < 0) {
-                        $this->is_timeout = true;
-                        return true;
-                    }
-
-                    $read = array($this->fsock);
-                    $write = $except = null;
-
-                    $start = microtime(true);
-                    $sec = floor($this->curTimeout);
-                    $usec = 1000000 * ($this->curTimeout - $sec);
-                    // on windows this returns a "Warning: Invalid CRT parameters detected" error
-                    if (!@stream_select($read, $write, $except, $sec, $usec) && !count($read)) {
-                        $this->is_timeout = true;
-                        if ($client_channel == self::CHANNEL_EXEC && !$this->request_pty) {
-                            $this->_close_channel($client_channel);
-                        }
-                        return true;
-                    }
-                    $elapsed = microtime(true) - $start;
-                    $this->curTimeout-= $elapsed;
-                }
-
                 $response = $this->_get_binary_packet(true);
+                if ($response === true && $this->is_timeout) {
+                    if ($client_channel == self::CHANNEL_EXEC && !$this->request_pty) {
+                        $this->_close_channel($client_channel);
+                    }
+                    return true;
+                }
                 if ($response === false) {
                     $this->bitmap = 0;
                     user_error('Connection closed by server');