diff --git a/lib/event_socket.js b/lib/event_socket.js
index ba3e775..0e95e2b 100644
--- a/lib/event_socket.js
+++ b/lib/event_socket.js
@@ -35,6 +35,15 @@ var EventSocket = module.exports = function(ws, query, streamEnabled) {
       self.ws.send(JSON.stringify(msg));
     });
 
+    this._parser.on('ping', function(msg) {
+      var msg = {
+        type: 'pong',
+        timestamp: new Date().getTime(),
+        data: msg.data
+      };
+      self.ws.send(JSON.stringify(msg));
+    });
+
     this._parser.on('subscribe', function(msg) {
       var topic = new StreamTopic();
       try {
diff --git a/test/test_event_streams.js b/test/test_event_streams.js
index 338f925..3360bc5 100644
--- a/test/test_event_streams.js
+++ b/test/test_event_streams.js
@@ -266,6 +266,40 @@ describe('Event Streams', function() {
       ws.on('error', done);
     });
 
+    itBoth('sending ping request will return a pong response without data field', function(idx, done) {
+      var endpoint = urls[idx];
+      var ws = new WebSocket('ws://' + endpoint + baseUrl);
+      ws.on('open', function() {
+        var msg = { type: 'ping'};
+        ws.send(JSON.stringify(msg));
+        ws.on('message', function(buffer) {
+          var json = JSON.parse(buffer);
+          assert.equal(json.type, 'pong');
+          assert(json.timestamp);
+          assert.equal(json.data, undefined);
+          done();
+        });
+      });
+      ws.on('error', done);
+    });
+
+    itBoth('sending ping request will return a pong response with data field', function(idx, done) {
+      var endpoint = urls[idx];
+      var ws = new WebSocket('ws://' + endpoint + baseUrl);
+      ws.on('open', function() {
+        var msg = { type: 'ping', data: 'Application data'};
+        ws.send(JSON.stringify(msg));
+        ws.on('message', function(buffer) {
+          var json = JSON.parse(buffer);
+          assert.equal(json.type, 'pong');
+          assert(json.timestamp);
+          assert.equal(json.data, 'Application data');
+          done();
+        });
+      });
+      ws.on('error', done);
+    });
+
     itBoth('unsubscribing to a topic receives a unsubscription-ack', function(idx, done) {
       var endpoint = urls[idx];
       var ws = new WebSocket('ws://' + endpoint + baseUrl);