diff --git a/sqlitecluster/SQLiteNode.cpp b/sqlitecluster/SQLiteNode.cpp
index 2a0c7e31b..ff6172389 100644
--- a/sqlitecluster/SQLiteNode.cpp
+++ b/sqlitecluster/SQLiteNode.cpp
@@ -2625,10 +2625,16 @@ void SQLiteNode::postPoll(fd_map& fdm, uint64_t& nextActivity) {
             break;
             case SQLitePeer::PeerPostPollStatus::OK:
             {
-                auto lastActivityTime = max(peer->lastSendTime(), peer->lastRecvTime());
-                if (lastActivityTime && STimeNow() - lastActivityTime > SQLiteNode::RECV_TIMEOUT - 5 * STIME_US_PER_S) {
-                    SINFO("Close to timeout (" << (STimeNow() - lastActivityTime) << "us since last activity), sending PING to peer '" << peer->name << "'");
-                    _sendPING(peer);
+                auto lastRecvTime = peer->lastRecvTime();
+                auto now = STimeNow();
+                auto elapsed = (now - lastRecvTime);
+                if (lastRecvTime && elapsed > SQLiteNode::RECV_TIMEOUT - 5 * STIME_US_PER_S) {
+                    // Ping the peer (unless it's been less that 1 second since the last ping).
+                    if (now > (peer->lastPingTime + 1'000'000)) {
+                        SINFO("Close to timeout (" << elapsed << "us since last activity), sending PING to peer '" << peer->name << "'");
+                        peer->lastPingTime = now;
+                        _sendPING(peer);
+                    }
                 }
                 try {
                     size_t messagesDeqeued = 0;
diff --git a/sqlitecluster/SQLitePeer.cpp b/sqlitecluster/SQLitePeer.cpp
index 94f4eb5bd..4b8a12bc1 100644
--- a/sqlitecluster/SQLitePeer.cpp
+++ b/sqlitecluster/SQLitePeer.cpp
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ SQLitePeer::SQLitePeer(const string& name_, const string& host_, const STable& p
     subscribed(false),
     transactionResponse(Response::NONE),
     version(),
+    lastPingTime(0),
     hash()
 { }
 
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ void SQLitePeer::reset() {
     subscribed = false;
     transactionResponse = Response::NONE;
     version = "";
+    lastPingTime = 0,
     setCommit(0, "");
 }
 
diff --git a/sqlitecluster/SQLitePeer.h b/sqlitecluster/SQLitePeer.h
index bc07d2155..cb3e07ff3 100644
--- a/sqlitecluster/SQLitePeer.h
+++ b/sqlitecluster/SQLitePeer.h
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ class SQLitePeer {
     atomic<bool> subscribed;
     atomic<Response> transactionResponse;
     atomic<string> version;
+    atomic<uint64_t> lastPingTime;
 
   private:
     // For initializing the permafollower value from the params list.