diff --git a/core/comm/config.go b/core/comm/config.go
index 40e37990e35..dc3ed33b9e4 100644
--- a/core/comm/config.go
+++ b/core/comm/config.go
@@ -7,7 +7,11 @@ SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 package comm
 
 import (
+	"time"
+
 	"github.com/spf13/viper"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/keepalive"
 )
 
 var (
@@ -18,8 +22,34 @@ var (
 	// Max send and receive bytes for grpc clients and servers
 	maxRecvMsgSize = 100 * 1024 * 1024
 	maxSendMsgSize = 100 * 1024 * 1024
+	// Default keepalive options
+	keepaliveOptions = KeepaliveOptions{
+		ClientKeepaliveTime:    300,  // 5 min
+		ClientKeepaliveTimeout: 20,   // 20 sec - gRPC default
+		ServerKeepaliveTime:    7200, // 2 hours - gRPC default
+		ServerKeepaliveTimeout: 20,   // 20 sec - gRPC default
+	}
 )
 
+// KeepAliveOptions is used to set the gRPC keepalive settings for both
+// clients and servers
+type KeepaliveOptions struct {
+	// ClientKeepaliveTime is the duration in seconds after which if the client
+	// does not see any activity from the server it pings the server to see
+	// if it is alive
+	ClientKeepaliveTime int
+	// ClientKeepaliveTimeout is the duration the client waits for a response
+	// from the server after sending a ping before closing the connection
+	ClientKeepaliveTimeout int
+	// ServerKeepaliveTime is the duration in seconds after which if the server
+	// does not see any activity from the client it pings the client to see
+	// if it is alive
+	ServerKeepaliveTime int
+	// ServerKeepaliveTimeout is the duration the server waits for a response
+	// from the client after sending a ping before closing the connection
+	ServerKeepaliveTimeout int
+}
+
 // cacheConfiguration caches common package scoped variables
 func cacheConfiguration() {
 	if !configurationCached {
@@ -59,3 +89,39 @@ func MaxSendMsgSize() int {
 func SetMaxSendMsgSize(size int) {
 	maxSendMsgSize = size
 }
+
+// SetKeepaliveOptions sets the gRPC keepalive options for both clients and
+// servers
+func SetKeepaliveOptions(ka KeepaliveOptions) {
+	keepaliveOptions = ka
+}
+
+// ServerKeepaliveOptions returns the gRPC keepalive options for servers
+func ServerKeepaliveOptions() []grpc.ServerOption {
+	var serverOpts []grpc.ServerOption
+	kap := keepalive.ServerParameters{
+		Time:    time.Duration(keepaliveOptions.ServerKeepaliveTime) * time.Second,
+		Timeout: time.Duration(keepaliveOptions.ServerKeepaliveTimeout) * time.Second,
+	}
+	serverOpts = append(serverOpts, grpc.KeepaliveParams(kap))
+	kep := keepalive.EnforcementPolicy{
+		// needs to match clientKeepalive
+		MinTime: time.Duration(keepaliveOptions.ClientKeepaliveTime) * time.Second,
+		// allow keepalive w/o rpc
+		PermitWithoutStream: true,
+	}
+	serverOpts = append(serverOpts, grpc.KeepaliveEnforcementPolicy(kep))
+	return serverOpts
+}
+
+// ClientKeepaliveOptions returns the gRPC keepalive options for clients
+func ClientKeepaliveOptions() []grpc.DialOption {
+	var dialOpts []grpc.DialOption
+	kap := keepalive.ClientParameters{
+		Time:                time.Duration(keepaliveOptions.ClientKeepaliveTime) * time.Second,
+		Timeout:             time.Duration(keepaliveOptions.ClientKeepaliveTimeout) * time.Second,
+		PermitWithoutStream: true,
+	}
+	dialOpts = append(dialOpts, grpc.WithKeepaliveParams(kap))
+	return dialOpts
+}
diff --git a/core/comm/config_test.go b/core/comm/config_test.go
index 55dd545ca9d..b3bc4807402 100644
--- a/core/comm/config_test.go
+++ b/core/comm/config_test.go
@@ -27,6 +27,22 @@ func TestConfig(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.EqualValues(t, size, MaxRecvMsgSize())
 	assert.EqualValues(t, size, MaxSendMsgSize())
 
+	// set keepalive options
+	timeout := 1000
+	ka := KeepaliveOptions{
+		ClientKeepaliveTime:    timeout,
+		ClientKeepaliveTimeout: timeout + 1,
+		ServerKeepaliveTime:    timeout + 2,
+		ServerKeepaliveTimeout: timeout + 3,
+	}
+	SetKeepaliveOptions(ka)
+	assert.EqualValues(t, timeout, keepaliveOptions.ClientKeepaliveTime)
+	assert.EqualValues(t, timeout+1, keepaliveOptions.ClientKeepaliveTimeout)
+	assert.EqualValues(t, timeout+2, keepaliveOptions.ServerKeepaliveTime)
+	assert.EqualValues(t, timeout+3, keepaliveOptions.ServerKeepaliveTimeout)
+	assert.EqualValues(t, 2, len(ServerKeepaliveOptions()))
+	assert.Equal(t, 1, len(ClientKeepaliveOptions()))
+
 	// reset cache
 	configurationCached = false
 	viper.Set("peer.tls.enabled", true)
diff --git a/core/comm/server.go b/core/comm/server.go
index 05c4cf349c3..a767b53cf76 100644
--- a/core/comm/server.go
+++ b/core/comm/server.go
@@ -168,6 +168,9 @@ func NewGRPCServerFromListener(listener net.Listener, secureConfig SecureServerC
 	// set max send and recv msg sizes
 	serverOpts = append(serverOpts, grpc.MaxSendMsgSize(MaxSendMsgSize()))
 	serverOpts = append(serverOpts, grpc.MaxRecvMsgSize(MaxRecvMsgSize()))
+	// set the keepalive options
+	serverOpts = append(serverOpts, ServerKeepaliveOptions()...)
+
 	grpcServer.server = grpc.NewServer(serverOpts...)
 
 	return grpcServer, nil
diff --git a/core/comm/server_test.go b/core/comm/server_test.go
index 225eb7cfce6..0a0b3a28de3 100644
--- a/core/comm/server_test.go
+++ b/core/comm/server_test.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"crypto/x509"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"log"
 	"net"
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@ import (
 	"golang.org/x/net/context"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/credentials"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/transport"
 
 	"github.com/hyperledger/fabric/core/comm"
 	testpb "github.com/hyperledger/fabric/core/comm/testdata/grpc"
@@ -1357,3 +1359,61 @@ func TestSetClientRootCAs(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 }
+
+func TestKeepaliveNoClientResponse(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	// set up GRPCServer instance
+	kap := comm.KeepaliveOptions{
+		ServerKeepaliveTime:    2,
+		ServerKeepaliveTimeout: 1,
+	}
+	comm.SetKeepaliveOptions(kap)
+	testAddress := "localhost:9400"
+	srv, err := comm.NewGRPCServer(testAddress, comm.SecureServerConfig{})
+	assert.NoError(t, err, "Unexpected error starting GRPCServer")
+	go srv.Start()
+	defer srv.Stop()
+
+	// test connection close if client does not response to ping
+	// net client will not response to keepalive
+	client, err := net.Dial("tcp", testAddress)
+	assert.NoError(t, err, "Unexpected error dialing GRPCServer")
+	defer client.Close()
+	// sleep past keepalive timeout
+	time.Sleep(4 * time.Second)
+	data := make([]byte, 24)
+	for {
+		_, err = client.Read(data)
+		if err == nil {
+			continue
+		}
+		assert.EqualError(t, err, io.EOF.Error(), "Expected io.EOF")
+		break
+	}
+}
+
+func TestKeepaliveClientResponse(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	// set up GRPCServer instance
+	kap := comm.KeepaliveOptions{
+		ServerKeepaliveTime:    2,
+		ServerKeepaliveTimeout: 1,
+	}
+	comm.SetKeepaliveOptions(kap)
+	testAddress := "localhost:9401"
+	srv, err := comm.NewGRPCServer(testAddress, comm.SecureServerConfig{})
+	assert.NoError(t, err, "Unexpected error starting GRPCServer")
+	go srv.Start()
+	defer srv.Stop()
+
+	// test that connection does not close with response to ping
+	clientTransport, err := transport.NewClientTransport(context.Background(),
+		transport.TargetInfo{Addr: testAddress}, transport.ConnectOptions{})
+	assert.NoError(t, err, "Unexpected error creating client transport")
+	defer clientTransport.Close()
+	// sleep past keepalive timeout
+	time.Sleep(4 * time.Second)
+	// try to create a stream
+	_, err = clientTransport.NewStream(context.Background(), &transport.CallHdr{})
+	assert.NoError(t, err, "Unexpected error creating stream")
+}
diff --git a/core/deliverservice/deliveryclient.go b/core/deliverservice/deliveryclient.go
index d778d9bf946..4e61933717b 100644
--- a/core/deliverservice/deliveryclient.go
+++ b/core/deliverservice/deliveryclient.go
@@ -194,6 +194,8 @@ func DefaultConnectionFactory(endpoint string) (*grpc.ClientConn, error) {
 	// set max send/recv msg sizes
 	dialOpts = append(dialOpts, grpc.WithDefaultCallOptions(grpc.MaxCallRecvMsgSize(comm.MaxRecvMsgSize()),
 		grpc.MaxCallSendMsgSize(comm.MaxSendMsgSize())))
+	// set the keepalive options
+	dialOpts = append(dialOpts, comm.ClientKeepaliveOptions()...)
 
 	if comm.TLSEnabled() {
 		dialOpts = append(dialOpts, grpc.WithTransportCredentials(comm.GetCASupport().GetDeliverServiceCredentials()))
diff --git a/peer/node/start.go b/peer/node/start.go
index e70a3fa2805..b64135a3b97 100644
--- a/peer/node/start.go
+++ b/peer/node/start.go
@@ -157,6 +157,9 @@ func serve(args []string) error {
 		// set max send/recv msg sizes
 		dialOpts = append(dialOpts, grpc.WithDefaultCallOptions(grpc.MaxCallRecvMsgSize(comm.MaxRecvMsgSize()),
 			grpc.MaxCallSendMsgSize(comm.MaxSendMsgSize())))
+		// set the keepalive options
+		dialOpts = append(dialOpts, comm.ClientKeepaliveOptions()...)
+
 		if comm.TLSEnabled() {
 			dialOpts = append(dialOpts, grpc.WithTransportCredentials(comm.GetCASupport().GetPeerCredentials()))
 		} else {