diff --git a/src/libguac/guacamole/socket.h b/src/libguac/guacamole/socket.h
index 2da697fe..cce4f69e 100644
--- a/src/libguac/guacamole/socket.h
+++ b/src/libguac/guacamole/socket.h
@@ -136,6 +136,10 @@ void guac_socket_free(guac_socket* socket);
  * to ensure neither side of the socket times out while the socket is open.
  * This ping will take the form of a "nop" instruction.
  *
+ * @deprecated
+ *     Manually starting the keep alive process on sockets is no longer
+ *     necessary, as the sockets enable the "nop" ping by default.
+ * 
  * @param socket
  *     The guac_socket to declare as requiring an automatic keep-alive ping.
  */
diff --git a/src/libguac/socket.c b/src/libguac/socket.c
index 66442d0c..8892256e 100644
--- a/src/libguac/socket.c
+++ b/src/libguac/socket.c
@@ -150,8 +150,10 @@ guac_socket* guac_socket_alloc() {
     socket->state = GUAC_SOCKET_OPEN;
     socket->last_write_timestamp = guac_timestamp_current();
 
-    /* No keep alive ping by default */
-    socket->__keep_alive_enabled = 0;
+    /* keep alive ping by default */
+    socket->__keep_alive_enabled = 1;
+    pthread_create(&(socket->__keep_alive_thread), NULL,
+                __guac_socket_keep_alive_thread, (void*) socket);
 
     /* No handlers yet */
     socket->read_handler   = NULL;
diff --git a/src/protocols/rdp/rdp.c b/src/protocols/rdp/rdp.c
index 9c064c70..c4bfc28b 100644
--- a/src/protocols/rdp/rdp.c
+++ b/src/protocols/rdp/rdp.c
@@ -257,8 +257,7 @@ static BOOL rdp_freerdp_authenticate(freerdp* instance, char** username,
         /* Lock the client thread. */
         pthread_mutex_lock(&(rdp_client->rdp_credential_lock));
         
-        /* Send require params and flush socket. */
-        guac_socket_require_keep_alive(client->socket);
+        /* Send require parameters to the owner. */
         guac_client_owner_send_required(client, (const char**) params);
         
         /* Wait for condition. */
diff --git a/src/protocols/ssh/ssh.c b/src/protocols/ssh/ssh.c
index 23fbee0d..9c87380f 100644
--- a/src/protocols/ssh/ssh.c
+++ b/src/protocols/ssh/ssh.c
@@ -77,8 +77,7 @@ static void guac_ssh_get_credential(guac_client *client, char* cred_name) {
     /* Lock the terminal thread while prompting for the credential. */
     pthread_mutex_lock(&(ssh_client->term_channel_lock));
     
-    /* Let the owner know what we require and flush the socket. */
-    guac_socket_require_keep_alive(client->socket);
+    /* Let the owner know what we require. */
     guac_client_owner_send_required(client, (const char* []) {cred_name, NULL});
     
     /* Wait for the response, and then unlock the thread. */
@@ -272,9 +271,6 @@ void* ssh_client_thread(void* data) {
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    /* Ensure connection is kept alive during lengthy connects */
-    guac_socket_require_keep_alive(client->socket);
-
     /* Open SSH session */
     ssh_client->session = guac_common_ssh_create_session(client,
             settings->hostname, settings->port, ssh_client->user, settings->server_alive_interval,
diff --git a/src/protocols/vnc/auth.c b/src/protocols/vnc/auth.c
index 434e1c0a..fc534573 100644
--- a/src/protocols/vnc/auth.c
+++ b/src/protocols/vnc/auth.c
@@ -41,8 +41,7 @@ char* guac_vnc_get_password(rfbClient* client) {
         /* Lock the thread. */
         pthread_mutex_lock(&(vnc_client->vnc_credential_lock));
         
-        /* Send the request for password and flush the socket. */
-        guac_socket_require_keep_alive(gc->socket);
+        /* Send the request for password to the owner. */
         guac_client_owner_send_required(gc,
                 (const char* []) {GUAC_VNC_PARAMETER_NAME_PASSWORD, NULL});
         
@@ -91,8 +90,7 @@ rfbCredential* guac_vnc_get_credentials(rfbClient* client, int credentialType) {
             /* Lock the thread. */
             pthread_mutex_lock(&(vnc_client->vnc_credential_lock));
             
-            /* Send required parameters to client and flush the socket. */
-            guac_socket_require_keep_alive(gc->socket);
+            /* Send required parameters to owner. */
             guac_client_owner_send_required(gc, (const char**) params);
             
             /* Wait for the parameters to be returned. */
diff --git a/src/protocols/vnc/vnc.c b/src/protocols/vnc/vnc.c
index 31d97022..33bd5c59 100644
--- a/src/protocols/vnc/vnc.c
+++ b/src/protocols/vnc/vnc.c
@@ -259,9 +259,6 @@ void* guac_vnc_client_thread(void* data) {
                 "clipboard encoding: '%s'.", settings->clipboard_encoding);
     }
 
-    /* Ensure connection is kept alive during lengthy connects */
-    guac_socket_require_keep_alive(client->socket);
-
     /* Set up libvncclient logging */
     rfbClientLog = guac_vnc_client_log_info;
     rfbClientErr = guac_vnc_client_log_error;