diff --git a/src/riak_repl2_pg_block_provider.erl b/src/riak_repl2_pg_block_provider.erl
index 4db6419d..d366d9cc 100644
--- a/src/riak_repl2_pg_block_provider.erl
+++ b/src/riak_repl2_pg_block_provider.erl
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
     terminate/2, code_change/3, status/1, status/2]).
 
 %% send a message every KEEPALIVE milliseconds to make sure the service is running on the sink
--define(KEEPALIVE, 1000).
+-define(KEEPALIVE, 60000).
 
 -record(state,
         {
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@
           connection_ref,
           worker,
           client,
-          keepalive_timer,
           proxy_gets_provided = 0
         }).
 
@@ -75,16 +74,16 @@ handle_call({connected, Socket, Transport, _Endpoint, _Proto, Props}, _From,
     lager:debug("Keeping stats for " ++ SocketTag),
     riak_core_tcp_mon:monitor(Socket, {?TCP_MON_PROXYGET_APP, source,
                                        SocketTag}, Transport),
-    TRef = keepalive_timer(),
     Transport:setopts(Socket, [{active, once}]),
     {ok, Client} = riak:local_client(),
-    {reply, ok, State#state{
+    State2 = State#state{
                   transport=Transport,
                   socket=Socket,
                   other_cluster=Cluster,
-                  client=Client,
-                  keepalive_timer=TRef
-                 }};
+                  client=Client
+    },
+    _ = keepalive_timer(),
+    {reply, ok, State2};
 handle_call(status, _From, State=#state{socket=Socket,
                                         proxy_gets_provided=PGCount}) ->
     SocketStats = riak_core_tcp_mon:socket_status(Socket),
@@ -109,6 +108,7 @@ handle_cast(_Msg, State) ->
 handle_info(keepalive, State=#state{socket=Socket, transport=Transport}) ->
     Data = term_to_binary(stay_awake),
     Transport:send(Socket, Data),
+    _ = keepalive_timer(),
     {noreply, State};
 handle_info({tcp_closed, Socket}, State=#state{socket=Socket}) ->
     lager:info("Connection for proxy_get ~p closed", [State#state.other_cluster]),
@@ -125,14 +125,11 @@ handle_info({ssl_error, _Socket, Reason}, State) ->
         [State#state.other_cluster, Reason]),
     {stop, socket_closed, State};
 handle_info({Proto, Socket, Data},
-            State0=#state{socket=Socket,transport=Transport, keepalive_timer=TRef})
+            State0=#state{socket=Socket,transport=Transport})
         when Proto==tcp; Proto==ssl ->
     Transport:setopts(Socket, [{active, once}]),
-    _ = timer:cancel(TRef),
     Msg = binary_to_term(Data),
-    %% restart the timer after each message has been processed
-    State = State0#state{keepalive_timer=keepalive_timer()},
-    handle_msg(Msg, State);
+    handle_msg(Msg, State0);
 handle_info(_Msg, State) ->
     {noreply, State}.
 
@@ -161,5 +158,4 @@ code_change(_OldVsn, State, _Extra) ->
     {ok, State}.
 
 keepalive_timer() ->
-    timer:send_interval(?KEEPALIVE, keepalive).
-
+    erlang:send_after(?KEEPALIVE, self(), keepalive).