diff --git a/docs/bitcoinity/reference_implementation.js b/docs/bitcoinity/reference_implementation.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..672fd41
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/bitcoinity/reference_implementation.js
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+// Copyright 2022, blueagain
+// https://github.com/terrablue
+
+import WebSocket from "ws";
+
+const ws = new WebSocket("ws://bitcoinity.org/webs_bridge/websocket");
+let ref = 2;
+const send = (ws, data) => {
+  ws.send(JSON.stringify({...data, payload: {}, ref}));
+  ref++;
+}
+
+const join = (ws, topic) =>
+  send(ws, {topic, event: "phx_join"});
+
+const currencies = ["USD"];
+
+ws.on("open", () => {
+  ws.on("message", message => {
+    const parsed_message = JSON.parse(message);
+    if (currencies.includes(parsed_message.payload.data?.currency)) {
+      const {currency, exchange_name, last} = parsed_message.payload.data;
+      console.log(`currency: ${currency}, exchange: ${exchange_name}, last: ${last}`);
+    }
+
+  });
+  join(ws, "webs:markets");
+  join(ws, "webs:bitfinex_USD");
+  setInterval(() => {
+    send(ws, {topic: "phoenix", event: "heartbeat"})
+  }, 30000)
+})
diff --git a/src/bitcoinity_reader.cpp b/src/bitcoinity_reader.cpp
index 4366efd..9edf184 100644
--- a/src/bitcoinity_reader.cpp
+++ b/src/bitcoinity_reader.cpp
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ namespace {
 	constexpr std::string_view JsonKeyRef = "ref";
 	constexpr std::string_view JsonKeyEvent = "event";
 	constexpr std::string_view JsonKeyTopic = "topic";
+	constexpr float HeartbeatTimeout = 29.0f;
 
 	std::string force_to_string(const std::optional<std::string_view>& data) {
 		if (data)
@@ -82,7 +83,7 @@ namespace {
 		return BitcoinityMessage{};
 	}
 
-	void init_bitcoinity (WebsocketReader& ws, std::string_view exchange, std::string_view currency) {
+	int init_bitcoinity (WebsocketReader& ws, std::string_view exchange, std::string_view currency) {
 		//thanks to blueagain from #javascript libera.chat for helping figuring
 		//out the websocket address and the correct sequence of messages to
 		//initiate the communication properly.
@@ -126,6 +127,8 @@ namespace {
 					std::string{resp.payload.get_string_or_empty("status")} +
 					"\" and ref \"" + force_to_string(resp.ref) + "\"");
 		}
+
+		return 3;
 	}
 
 	std::string join_keys (const std::vector<std::string>& keys) noexcept {
@@ -175,13 +178,17 @@ BitcoinityReader::BitcoinityReader(const std::string& user_agent, std::string_vi
 		std::string{BitcoinityPort},
 		std::string{BitcoinityWSPath},
 		user_agent
-	)
+	),
+	m_next_ref(1)
 {
-	init_bitcoinity(*this, exchange, currency);
+	m_next_ref = init_bitcoinity(*this, exchange, currency) + 1;
+	m_last_heartbeat = std::chrono::steady_clock::now();
 }
 
 BitcoinityMessage BitcoinityReader::read() {
 	do {
+		send_heartbeat_ifn();
+
 		auto response = to_bitcoinity_message(WebsocketReader::read());
 		if (response.event == "ping") {
 			//received something like
@@ -203,4 +210,16 @@ BitcoinityMessage BitcoinityReader::read() {
 		}
 	} while(true);
 }
+
+void BitcoinityReader::send_heartbeat_ifn() {
+	using std::chrono::duration;
+	using std::chrono::steady_clock;
+
+	if (duration<float>(steady_clock::now() - m_last_heartbeat).count() >= HeartbeatTimeout) {
+		std::string message = R"({"topic":"phoenix","event":"heartbeat","payload":{},"ref":")";
+		message += std::to_string(m_next_ref++) + R"("})";
+		m_last_heartbeat = std::chrono::steady_clock::now();
+		WebsocketReader::write(message);
+	}
+}
 } //namespace duck
diff --git a/src/bitcoinity_reader.hpp b/src/bitcoinity_reader.hpp
index 1ff227c..909ca9f 100644
--- a/src/bitcoinity_reader.hpp
+++ b/src/bitcoinity_reader.hpp
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #include <stdexcept>
 #include <vector>
 #include <utility>
+#include <chrono>
 
 namespace duck {
 class BitcoinityError : public std::runtime_error {
@@ -63,6 +64,12 @@ public:
 	~BitcoinityReader() = default;
 
 	BitcoinityMessage read();
+
+private:
+	void send_heartbeat_ifn();
+
+	std::chrono::steady_clock::time_point m_last_heartbeat;
+	int m_next_ref;
 };
 
 } //namespace duck