diff --git a/connectd/connectd.c b/connectd/connectd.c
index 07a952732..48d027e54 100644
--- a/connectd/connectd.c
+++ b/connectd/connectd.c
@@ -310,6 +310,7 @@ static struct peer *new_peer(struct daemon *daemon,
 	peer->ready_to_die = false;
 	peer->active = false;
 	peer->peer_outq = msg_queue_new(peer, false);
+	peer->last_recv_time = time_now();
 
 #if DEVELOPER
 	peer->dev_writes_enabled = NULL;
diff --git a/connectd/connectd.h b/connectd/connectd.h
index 9af5f815d..db5ec2022 100644
--- a/connectd/connectd.h
+++ b/connectd/connectd.h
@@ -87,6 +87,9 @@ struct peer {
 	/* Random ping timer, to detect dead connections. */
 	struct oneshot *ping_timer;
 
+	/* Last time we received traffic */
+	struct timeabs last_recv_time;
+
 #if DEVELOPER
 	bool dev_read_enabled;
 	/* If non-NULL, this counts down; 0 means disable */
diff --git a/connectd/multiplex.c b/connectd/multiplex.c
index d3d189a4a..0db695990 100644
--- a/connectd/multiplex.c
+++ b/connectd/multiplex.c
@@ -425,16 +425,23 @@ static void set_ping_timer(struct peer *peer)
 
 static void send_ping(struct peer *peer)
 {
-	/* Already have a ping in flight? */
-	if (peer->expecting_pong != PONG_UNEXPECTED) {
-		status_peer_debug(&peer->id, "Last ping unreturned: hanging up");
-		if (peer->to_peer)
-			io_close(peer->to_peer);
-		return;
+	/* If it's still sending us traffic, maybe ping reply is backed up?
+	 * That's OK, ping is just to make sure it's still alive, and clearly
+	 * it is. */
+	if (time_before(peer->last_recv_time,
+			timeabs_sub(time_now(), time_from_sec(60)))) {
+		/* Already have a ping in flight? */
+		if (peer->expecting_pong != PONG_UNEXPECTED) {
+			status_peer_debug(&peer->id, "Last ping unreturned: hanging up");
+			if (peer->to_peer)
+				io_close(peer->to_peer);
+			return;
+		}
+
+		inject_peer_msg(peer, take(make_ping(NULL, 1, 0)));
+		peer->expecting_pong = PONG_EXPECTED_PROBING;
 	}
 
-	inject_peer_msg(peer, take(make_ping(NULL, 1, 0)));
-	peer->expecting_pong = PONG_EXPECTED_PROBING;
 	set_ping_timer(peer);
 }
 
@@ -993,6 +1000,9 @@ static struct io_plan *read_body_from_peer_done(struct io_conn *peer_conn,
        if (!IFDEV(peer->dev_read_enabled, true))
 	       return read_hdr_from_peer(peer_conn, peer);
 
+       /* We got something! */
+       peer->last_recv_time = time_now();
+
        /* Don't process packets while we're closing */
        if (peer->ready_to_die)
 	       return read_hdr_from_peer(peer_conn, peer);
diff --git a/tests/test_connection.py b/tests/test_connection.py
index a4379627b..198556242 100644
--- a/tests/test_connection.py
+++ b/tests/test_connection.py
@@ -3892,15 +3892,18 @@ def test_ping_timeout(node_factory):
 
     l1, l2 = node_factory.get_nodes(2, opts=[{'dev-no-reconnect': None,
                                               'disconnect': l1_disconnects},
-                                             {}])
+                                             {'dev-no-ping-timer': None}])
     l1.rpc.connect(l2.info['id'], 'localhost', l2.port)
 
-    # Takes 15-45 seconds, then another to try second ping
-    # Because of ping timer randomness we don't know which side hangs up first
-    wait_for(lambda: l1.rpc.listpeers(l2.info['id'])['peers'] == [],
-             timeout=45 + 45 + 5)
-    wait_for(lambda: (l1.daemon.is_in_log('Last ping unreturned: hanging up')
-                      or l2.daemon.is_in_log('Last ping unreturned: hanging up')))
+    # This can take 10 seconds (dev-fast-gossip means timer fires every 5 seconds)
+    l1.daemon.wait_for_log('seeker: startup peer finished', timeout=15)
+    # Ping timers runs at 15-45 seconds, *but* only fires if also 60 seconds
+    # after previous traffic.
+    l1.daemon.wait_for_log('dev_disconnect: xWIRE_PING', timeout=60 + 45 + 5)
+
+    # Next pign will cause hangup
+    l1.daemon.wait_for_log('Last ping unreturned: hanging up', timeout=45 + 5)
+    wait_for(lambda: l1.rpc.listpeers(l2.info['id'])['peers'] == [])
 
 
 @pytest.mark.openchannel('v1')