diff --git a/chat.go b/chat.go
index 5af7f11..42da363 100644
--- a/chat.go
+++ b/chat.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"net/http"
 	"strings"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/revrost/go-openrouter"
 )
@@ -329,6 +330,19 @@ func HandleChat(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 
 	debug("handling request")
 
+	go func() {
+		ticker := time.NewTicker(10 * time.Second)
+
+		for {
+			select {
+			case <-ctx.Done():
+				return
+			case <-ticker.C:
+				response.WriteChunk(NewChunk(ChunkAlive, nil))
+			}
+		}
+	}()
+
 	for iteration := range raw.Iterations {
 		debug("iteration %d of %d", iteration+1, raw.Iterations)
 
diff --git a/static/js/chat.js b/static/js/chat.js
index 3fbfb08..e38dd58 100644
--- a/static/js/chat.js
+++ b/static/js/chat.js
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 		5: "tool",
 		6: "error",
 		7: "end",
+		8: "alive",
 	};
 
 	const $version = document.getElementById("version"),
@@ -1094,6 +1095,10 @@
 
 					buffer = buffer.slice(5 + length);
 
+					if (type === "alive") {
+						continue; // we are still alive
+					}
+
 					callback({
 						type: type,
 						data: data,
diff --git a/stream.go b/stream.go
index 783ed82..674f32d 100644
--- a/stream.go
+++ b/stream.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ const (
 	ChunkTool      ChunkType = 5
 	ChunkError     ChunkType = 6
 	ChunkEnd       ChunkType = 7
+	ChunkAlive     ChunkType = 8
 )
 
 type ChunkType uint8