diff --git a/lib/packet_mosq.c b/lib/packet_mosq.c
index c6c03d1b..9b0120cc 100644
--- a/lib/packet_mosq.c
+++ b/lib/packet_mosq.c
@@ -460,9 +460,13 @@ int packet__read(struct mosquitto *mosq)
 					 * This is an arbitrary limit, but with some consideration.
 					 * If a client can't send 1000 bytes in a second it
 					 * probably shouldn't be using a 1 second keep alive. */
+#ifdef WITH_BROKER
+					keepalive__update(mosq);
+#else
 					pthread_mutex_lock(&mosq->msgtime_mutex);
 					mosq->last_msg_in = mosquitto_time();
 					pthread_mutex_unlock(&mosq->msgtime_mutex);
+#endif
 				}
 				return MOSQ_ERR_SUCCESS;
 			}else{
diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index 65125308..6459cf4a 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ set (MOSQ_SRCS
 	handle_subscribe.c
 	../lib/handle_unsuback.c
 	handle_unsubscribe.c
+	keepalive.c
 	lib_load.h
 	logging.c
 	loop.c
diff --git a/src/Makefile b/src/Makefile
index 393b1dc5..862b8b8c 100644
--- a/src/Makefile
+++ b/src/Makefile
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ OBJS=	mosquitto.o \
 		handle_subscribe.o \
 		handle_unsuback.o \
 		handle_unsubscribe.o \
+		keepalive.o \
 		logging.o \
 		loop.o \
 		memory_mosq.o \
@@ -148,6 +149,9 @@ handle_unsuback.o : ../lib/handle_unsuback.c ../lib/read_handle.h
 handle_unsubscribe.o : handle_unsubscribe.c mosquitto_broker_internal.h
 	${CROSS_COMPILE}${CC} $(BROKER_CPPFLAGS) $(BROKER_CFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
 
+keepalive.o : keepalive.c mosquitto_broker_internal.h
+	${CROSS_COMPILE}${CC} $(BROKER_CPPFLAGS) $(BROKER_CFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
+
 logging.o : logging.c mosquitto_broker_internal.h
 	${CROSS_COMPILE}${CC} $(BROKER_CPPFLAGS) $(BROKER_CFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
 
diff --git a/src/context.c b/src/context.c
index f07010a8..9b265633 100644
--- a/src/context.c
+++ b/src/context.c
@@ -215,6 +215,7 @@ void context__disconnect(struct mosquitto_db *db, struct mosquitto *context)
 	}else{
 		session_expiry__add(db, context);
 	}
+	keepalive__remove(context);
 	mosquitto__set_state(context, mosq_cs_disconnected);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/handle_connect.c b/src/handle_connect.c
index a25e5122..c414bdec 100644
--- a/src/handle_connect.c
+++ b/src/handle_connect.c
@@ -269,6 +269,8 @@ int connect__on_authorised(struct mosquitto_db *db, struct mosquitto *context, v
 	}
 	free(auth_data_out);
 
+	keepalive__add(context);
+
 	mosquitto__set_state(context, mosq_cs_active);
 	rc = send__connack(db, context, connect_ack, CONNACK_ACCEPTED, connack_props);
 	mosquitto_property_free_all(&connack_props);
diff --git a/src/keepalive.c b/src/keepalive.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2a5810ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/keepalive.c
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+/*
+Copyright (c) 2009-2020 Roger Light <roger@atchoo.org>
+
+All rights reserved. This program and the accompanying materials
+are made available under the terms of the Eclipse Public License v1.0
+and Eclipse Distribution License v1.0 which accompany this distribution.
+ 
+The Eclipse Public License is available at
+   http://www.eclipse.org/legal/epl-v10.html
+and the Eclipse Distribution License is available at
+  http://www.eclipse.org/org/documents/edl-v10.php.
+ 
+Contributors:
+   Roger Light - initial implementation and documentation.
+*/
+
+#include "config.h"
+#include <time.h>
+#include "mosquitto_broker_internal.h"
+
+
+static time_t last_keepalive_check = 0;
+
+/* FIXME - this is the prototype for the future tree/trie based keepalive check implementation. */
+
+int keepalive__add(struct mosquitto *context)
+{
+	return MOSQ_ERR_SUCCESS;
+}
+
+
+void keepalive__check(struct mosquitto_db *db, time_t now)
+{
+	struct mosquitto *context, *ctxt_tmp;
+
+	if(last_keepalive_check != now){
+		last_keepalive_check = now;
+
+		/* FIXME - this needs replacing with something more efficient */
+		HASH_ITER(hh_sock, db->contexts_by_sock, context, ctxt_tmp){
+			if(context->sock != INVALID_SOCKET){
+				/* Local bridges never time out in this fashion. */
+				if(!(context->keepalive)
+						|| context->bridge
+						|| now - context->last_msg_in <= (time_t)(context->keepalive)*3/2){
+
+				}else{
+					/* Client has exceeded keepalive*1.5 */
+					do_disconnect(db, context, MOSQ_ERR_KEEPALIVE);
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+
+int keepalive__remove(struct mosquitto *context)
+{
+	return MOSQ_ERR_SUCCESS;
+}
+
+
+void keepalive__remove_all(void)
+{
+}
+
+
+int keepalive__update(struct mosquitto *context)
+{
+	context->last_msg_in = mosquitto_time();
+	return MOSQ_ERR_SUCCESS;
+}
diff --git a/src/loop.c b/src/loop.c
index 1c32a0bc..60eda9d2 100644
--- a/src/loop.c
+++ b/src/loop.c
@@ -125,32 +125,6 @@ void queue_plugin_msgs(struct mosquitto_db *db)
 }
 
 
-void loop__keepalive_check(struct mosquitto_db *db, time_t now)
-{
-	struct mosquitto *context, *ctxt_tmp;
-	static time_t last_keepalive_check = 0;
-
-	if(last_keepalive_check != now){
-		last_keepalive_check = now;
-
-		/* FIXME - this needs replacing with something more efficient */
-		HASH_ITER(hh_sock, db->contexts_by_sock, context, ctxt_tmp){
-			if(context->sock != INVALID_SOCKET){
-				/* Local bridges never time out in this fashion. */
-				if(!(context->keepalive)
-						|| context->bridge
-						|| now - context->last_msg_in <= (time_t)(context->keepalive)*3/2){
-
-				}else{
-					/* Client has exceeded keepalive*1.5 */
-					do_disconnect(db, context, MOSQ_ERR_KEEPALIVE);
-				}
-			}
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-
 int mosquitto_main_loop(struct mosquitto_db *db, mosq_sock_t *listensock, int listensock_count)
 {
 #ifdef WITH_SYS_TREE
@@ -188,7 +162,7 @@ int mosquitto_main_loop(struct mosquitto_db *db, mosq_sock_t *listensock, int li
 #endif
 
 		now = mosquitto_time();
-		loop__keepalive_check(db, now);
+		keepalive__check(db, now);
 
 #ifdef WITH_BRIDGE
 		bridge_check(db);
diff --git a/src/mosquitto_broker_internal.h b/src/mosquitto_broker_internal.h
index 0ec608f4..e3d7892f 100644
--- a/src/mosquitto_broker_internal.h
+++ b/src/mosquitto_broker_internal.h
@@ -747,6 +747,15 @@ int mux__wait(void);
 int mux__handle(struct mosquitto_db *db, mosq_sock_t *listensock, int listensock_count);
 int mux__cleanup(struct mosquitto_db *db);
 
+/* ============================================================
+ * Property related functions
+ * ============================================================ */
+int keepalive__add(struct mosquitto *context);
+void keepalive__check(struct mosquitto_db *db, time_t now);
+int keepalive__remove(struct mosquitto *context);
+void keepalive__remove_all(void);
+int keepalive__update(struct mosquitto *context);
+
 /* ============================================================
  * Property related functions
  * ============================================================ */
diff --git a/src/websockets.c b/src/websockets.c
index 44b583ac..d3fb5bdd 100644
--- a/src/websockets.c
+++ b/src/websockets.c
@@ -426,7 +426,7 @@ static int callback_mqtt(struct libwebsocket_context *context,
 				/* Free data and reset values */
 				packet__cleanup(&mosq->in_packet);
 
-				mosq->last_msg_in = mosquitto_time();
+				keepalive__update(context);
 
 				if(rc && (mosq->out_packet || mosq->current_out_packet)) {
 					if(mosq->state != mosq_cs_disconnecting){