diff --git a/peer/peer.go b/peer/peer.go
index 0d389ef2..d07efe9b 100644
--- a/peer/peer.go
+++ b/peer/peer.go
@@ -43,9 +43,9 @@ const (
 	// inventory cache.
 	maxKnownInventory = 1000
 
-	// pingTimeout is the duration since we last sent a message requiring a
-	// reply before we will ping a host.
-	pingTimeout = 2 * time.Minute
+	// pingInterval is the interval of time to wait in between sending ping
+	// messages.
+	pingInterval = 2 * time.Minute
 
 	// negotiateTimeout is the duration of inactivity before we timeout a
 	// peer that hasn't completed the initial version negotiation.
@@ -1582,39 +1582,24 @@ cleanup:
 // goroutine.  It uses a buffered channel to serialize output messages while
 // allowing the sender to continue running asynchronously.
 func (p *Peer) outHandler() {
-	pingTimer := time.AfterFunc(pingTimeout, func() {
-		nonce, err := wire.RandomUint64()
-		if err != nil {
-			log.Errorf("Not sending ping on timeout to %s: %v",
-				p, err)
-			return
-		}
-		p.QueueMessage(wire.NewMsgPing(nonce), nil)
-	})
+	// pingTicker is used to periodically send pings to the remote peer.
+	pingTicker := time.NewTicker(pingInterval)
+	defer pingTicker.Stop()
+
 out:
 	for {
 		select {
 		case msg := <-p.sendQueue:
-			// Reset the ping timer for messages that expect a
-			// reply since we only want to send pings when we would
-			// otherwise not receive a reply from the peer.  The
-			// getblocks and inv messages are specifically not
-			// counted here since there is no guarantee they will
-			// result in a reply.
-			reset := true
 			switch m := msg.msg.(type) {
 			case *wire.MsgVersion:
-				// Expects a verack message.  Also set the flag
-				// which indicates the version has been sent.
+				// Set the flag which indicates the version has
+				// been sent.
 				p.flagsMtx.Lock()
 				p.versionSent = true
 				p.flagsMtx.Unlock()
 
-			case *wire.MsgGetAddr:
-				// Expects an addr message.
-
 			case *wire.MsgPing:
-				// Expects a pong message in later protocol
+				// Only expects a pong message in later protocol
 				// versions.  Also set up statistics.
 				if p.ProtocolVersion() > wire.BIP0031Version {
 					p.statsMtx.Lock()
@@ -1622,26 +1607,8 @@ out:
 					p.lastPingTime = time.Now()
 					p.statsMtx.Unlock()
 				}
-
-			case *wire.MsgMemPool:
-				// Expects an inv message.
-
-			case *wire.MsgGetData:
-				// Expects a block, tx, or notfound message.
-
-			case *wire.MsgGetHeaders:
-				// Expects a headers message.
-
-			default:
-				// Not one of the above, no sure reply.
-				// We want to ping if nothing else
-				// interesting happens.
-				reset = false
 			}
 
-			if reset {
-				pingTimer.Reset(pingTimeout)
-			}
 			p.writeMessage(msg.msg)
 			p.statsMtx.Lock()
 			p.lastSend = time.Now()
@@ -1651,13 +1618,19 @@ out:
 			}
 			p.sendDoneQueue <- struct{}{}
 
+		case <-pingTicker.C:
+			nonce, err := wire.RandomUint64()
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Errorf("Not sending ping to %s: %v", p, err)
+				continue
+			}
+			p.QueueMessage(wire.NewMsgPing(nonce), nil)
+
 		case <-p.quit:
 			break out
 		}
 	}
 
-	pingTimer.Stop()
-
 	<-p.queueQuit
 
 	// Drain any wait channels before we go away so we don't leave something