diff --git a/lib/WebSocketConnection.js b/lib/WebSocketConnection.js
index 219de631..6b3e274a 100644
--- a/lib/WebSocketConnection.js
+++ b/lib/WebSocketConnection.js
@@ -262,7 +262,9 @@ WebSocketConnection.prototype.handleGracePeriodTimer = function() {
 WebSocketConnection.prototype.handleSocketData = function(data) {
     this._debug('handleSocketData');
     // Reset the keepalive timer when receiving data of any kind.
-    this.setKeepaliveTimer();
+    if (!this.config.keepaliveForce) {	
+    	this.setKeepaliveTimer();
+    }
 
     // Add received data to our bufferList, which efficiently holds received
     // data chunks in a linked list of Buffer objects.