diff --git a/src/lib/attach-shared-listeners.ts b/src/lib/attach-shared-listeners.ts
index 3d8585c..48d2420 100644
--- a/src/lib/attach-shared-listeners.ts
+++ b/src/lib/attach-shared-listeners.ts
@@ -46,7 +46,8 @@ const bindOpenHandler = (
   heartbeatOptions?: boolean | HeartbeatOptions
 ) => {
   webSocketInstance.onopen = (event: WebSocketEventMap['open']) => {
-    getSubscribers(url).forEach(subscriber => {
+    const subscribers = getSubscribers(url);
+    subscribers.forEach(subscriber => {
       subscriber.reconnectCount.current = 0;
       if (subscriber.optionsRef.current.onOpen) {
         subscriber.optionsRef.current.onOpen(event);
@@ -58,9 +59,11 @@ const bindOpenHandler = (
 
       if (heartbeatOptions && webSocketInstance instanceof WebSocket) {
         subscriber.lastMessageTime.current = Date.now();
-        heartbeat(webSocketInstance, subscriber.lastMessageTime, typeof heartbeatOptions === 'boolean' ? undefined : heartbeatOptions,);
       }
     });
+    if (heartbeatOptions && webSocketInstance instanceof WebSocket) {
+      heartbeat(webSocketInstance, subscribers.map(subscriber => subscriber.lastMessageTime), typeof heartbeatOptions === 'boolean' ? undefined : heartbeatOptions,);
+    }
   };
 };
 
diff --git a/src/lib/heartbeat.ts b/src/lib/heartbeat.ts
index 098cd05..0b6bc48 100644
--- a/src/lib/heartbeat.ts
+++ b/src/lib/heartbeat.ts
@@ -2,25 +2,42 @@ import { MutableRefObject } from "react";
 import { DEFAULT_HEARTBEAT } from "./constants";
 import { HeartbeatOptions } from "./types";
 
-export function heartbeat(ws: WebSocket, lastMessageTime: MutableRefObject<number>, options?: HeartbeatOptions): () => void {
+function getLastMessageTime(lastMessageTime: MutableRefObject<number> | MutableRefObject<number>[]): number {
+  if (Array.isArray(lastMessageTime)) {
+    return lastMessageTime.reduce((p, c) => { return (p.current > c.current) ? p : c; }).current;
+  }
+  return lastMessageTime.current
+}
+
+export function heartbeat(ws: WebSocket, lastMessageTime: MutableRefObject<number> | MutableRefObject<number>[], options?: HeartbeatOptions): () => void {
   const {
     interval = DEFAULT_HEARTBEAT.interval,
     timeout = DEFAULT_HEARTBEAT.timeout,
     message = DEFAULT_HEARTBEAT.message,
   } = options || {};
 
+  // how often check interval between ping messages
+  // minimum is 100ms
+  // maximum is ${interval / 10}ms
+  const intervalCheck = Math.max(100, interval / 10);
+
+  let lastPingSentAt = Date.now();
+
   const heartbeatInterval = setInterval(() => {
-    if (lastMessageTime.current + timeout <= Date.now()) {
-      console.warn(`Heartbeat timed out, closing connection, last message was seen ${Date.now() - lastMessageTime.current}ms ago`);
+    const timeNow = Date.now();
+    const lastMessageReceivedAt = getLastMessageTime(lastMessageTime);
+    if (lastMessageReceivedAt + timeout <= timeNow) {
+      console.warn(`Heartbeat timed out, closing connection, last message received ${timeNow - lastMessageReceivedAt}ms ago, last ping sent ${timeNow - lastPingSentAt}ms ago`);
       ws.close();
     } else {
-      if (lastMessageTime.current + interval <= Date.now()) {
+      if (lastMessageReceivedAt + interval <= timeNow && lastPingSentAt + interval <= timeNow) {
         try {
           if (typeof message === 'function') {
             ws.send(message());
           } else {
             ws.send(message);
           }
+          lastPingSentAt = timeNow;
         } catch (err: unknown) {
           console.error(`Heartbeat failed, closing connection`, err instanceof Error ? err.message : err);
           ws.close();
@@ -28,12 +45,11 @@ export function heartbeat(ws: WebSocket, lastMessageTime: MutableRefObject<numbe
 
       }
     }
-  }, interval);
+  }, intervalCheck);
 
   ws.addEventListener("close", () => {
     clearInterval(heartbeatInterval);
   });
 
-
   return () => { };
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/use-websocket.test.ts b/src/lib/use-websocket.test.ts
index 1e79cea..5ccf676 100644
--- a/src/lib/use-websocket.test.ts
+++ b/src/lib/use-websocket.test.ts
@@ -614,7 +614,7 @@ test.each([false, true])('Options#heartbeat, if provided, close websocket if no
   options.heartbeat = {
     message: 'ping',
     timeout: 1000,
-    interval: 500,
+    interval: 400,
   };
   options.share = shareOption;
 
@@ -627,6 +627,7 @@ test.each([false, true])('Options#heartbeat, if provided, close websocket if no
   }
   await server.connected;
   await sleep(1600);
+  expect(server.messages).toEqual(['ping', 'ping'])
   expect(result.current.readyState).toBe(WebSocket.CLOSED);
 });
 
@@ -682,4 +683,40 @@ test.each([false, true])('Options#heartbeat, if provided, lastMessage is updated
   expect(result.current.lastMessage?.data).toBe('ping');
 });
 
+test.each([false, true])('Options#heartbeat, can handle case when interval is very close to timeout', async (shareOption) => {
+  options.heartbeat = {
+    message: "ping",
+    returnMessage: "pong",
+    timeout: 1000,
+    interval: 800,
+  };
+  options.share = shareOption;
+
+  const { result } = renderHook(() => useWebSocket(URL, options));
+
+  if (shareOption) {
+    renderHook(() => useWebSocket(URL, options));
+  }
+
+  await server.connected;
+  await sleep(50);
+  expect(result.current.readyState).toEqual(ReadyState.OPEN);
+
+  result.current.sendMessage("token");
+  await sleep(50);
+  expect(server).toHaveReceivedMessages(["token"]);
+
+  server.send("authorized");
+  await sleep(50);
+  expect(result.current.lastMessage?.data).toEqual("authorized");
+
+  await sleep(850);
+  // it does not matter is it shared mode or not, in both cases only one timer is used that means only one ping message is sent for all subscribers
+  expect(server.messages).toEqual(["token", "ping"]);
+  server.send("pong");
+
+  expect(result.current.readyState).toBe(WebSocket.OPEN);
+}
+);
+
 // //TODO: Write companion tests for useSocketIO