diff --git a/doc/qbk/06_websocket/06_timeouts.qbk b/doc/qbk/06_websocket/06_timeouts.qbk
index cc27dbc61d..e39a5df36b 100644
--- a/doc/qbk/06_websocket/06_timeouts.qbk
+++ b/doc/qbk/06_websocket/06_timeouts.qbk
@@ -59,8 +59,8 @@ There are three timeout settings which may be set independently on the stream:
     [[link beast.ref.boost__beast__websocket__stream_base__timeout.idle_timeout `timeout::idle_timeout`]]
     [`duration`]
     [
-        If no data is received from the peer for a time equal to the idle
-        timeout, then the connection will time out.
+        If no data or control frames are received from the peer for a time
+        equal to the idle timeout, then the connection will time out.
         The value returned by
         [link beast.ref.boost__beast__websocket__stream_base.none `stream_base::none()`]
         may be assigned to disable this timeout.
diff --git a/include/boost/beast/websocket/impl/stream_impl.hpp b/include/boost/beast/websocket/impl/stream_impl.hpp
index 615b4beb19..1ee3809aa4 100644
--- a/include/boost/beast/websocket/impl/stream_impl.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/beast/websocket/impl/stream_impl.hpp
@@ -439,12 +439,8 @@ struct stream<NextLayer, deflateSupported>::impl_type
             if(timeout_opt.idle_timeout != none())
             {
                 idle_counter = 0;
-                if(timeout_opt.keep_alive_pings)
-                    timer.expires_after(
-                        timeout_opt.idle_timeout / 2);
-                else
-                    timer.expires_after(
-                        timeout_opt.idle_timeout);
+                timer.expires_after(
+                    timeout_opt.idle_timeout / 2);
 
                 BOOST_ASIO_HANDLER_LOCATION((
                     __FILE__, __LINE__,
@@ -569,9 +565,9 @@ struct stream<NextLayer, deflateSupported>::impl_type
                 if(impl.timeout_opt.idle_timeout == none())
                     return;
 
-                if( impl.timeout_opt.keep_alive_pings &&
-                    impl.idle_counter < 1)
+                if( impl.idle_counter < 1 )
                 {
+                    if( impl.timeout_opt.keep_alive_pings )
                     {
                         BOOST_ASIO_HANDLER_LOCATION((
                             __FILE__, __LINE__,
diff --git a/include/boost/beast/websocket/stream_base.hpp b/include/boost/beast/websocket/stream_base.hpp
index 0968e80e49..2b7f88ff53 100644
--- a/include/boost/beast/websocket/stream_base.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/beast/websocket/stream_base.hpp
@@ -116,8 +116,10 @@ struct stream_base
             An outstanding read operation must be pending, which will
             complete immediately the error @ref beast::error::timeout.
 
-            @li When `keep_alive_pings` is `false`, the connection will be closed.
-            An outstanding read operation must be pending, which will
+            @li When `keep_alive_pings` is `false`, the connection will
+            be closed if there has been no activity. Both websocket
+            message frames and control frames count as activity. An
+            outstanding read operation must be pending, which will
             complete immediately the error @ref beast::error::timeout.
         */
         bool keep_alive_pings;
diff --git a/test/beast/websocket/ping.cpp b/test/beast/websocket/ping.cpp
index 0bfb5586f4..a23db2e6bf 100644
--- a/test/beast/websocket/ping.cpp
+++ b/test/beast/websocket/ping.cpp
@@ -88,6 +88,74 @@ class ping_test : public websocket_test_suite
                     se.code().message());
             }
         }
+
+        // inactivity timeout doesn't happen when you get pings
+        {
+            echo_server es{log};
+            stream<test::stream> ws{ioc_};
+
+            // We have an inactivity timeout of 2s, but don't send pings
+            ws.set_option(stream_base::timeout{
+                stream_base::none(),
+                std::chrono::seconds(2),
+                false
+            });
+            ws.next_layer().connect(es.stream());
+            ws.handshake("localhost", "/");
+            flat_buffer b;
+            bool got_timeout = false;
+            ws.async_read(b,
+                [&](error_code ec, std::size_t)
+                {
+                    if(ec != beast::error::timeout)
+                        BOOST_THROW_EXCEPTION(
+                            system_error{ec});
+                    got_timeout = true;
+                });
+            // We are connected, base state
+
+            test::run_for(ioc_, std::chrono::milliseconds(1250));
+            // After 1.25s idle, no timeout (but idle counter is 1)
+
+            es.async_ping();
+            test::run_for(ioc_, std::chrono::milliseconds(500));
+            // The server sent data at 1.25s mark, and we're now at 1.75s mark.
+            // We haven't hit the idle timer yet (happens at 1s, 2s, 3s)
+
+            test::run_for(ioc_, std::chrono::milliseconds(750));
+            // At 2.5s total; should have triggered the idle timer (but no timeout)
+            BEAST_EXPECT(!got_timeout);
+
+            test::run_for(ioc_, std::chrono::milliseconds(750));
+            // At 3s total; should have triggered the idle timer again without
+            // activity and triggered timeout.
+            BEAST_EXPECT(got_timeout);
+        }
+
+        // inactivity timeout doesn't happen when you send pings
+        {
+            echo_server es{log};
+            stream<test::stream> ws{ioc_};
+            ws.set_option(stream_base::timeout{
+                stream_base::none(),
+                std::chrono::seconds(1),
+                true
+            });
+            unsigned n_pongs = 0;
+            ws.control_callback({[&](frame_type kind, string_view)
+                {
+                    if (kind == frame_type::pong)
+                        ++n_pongs;
+                }});
+            ws.next_layer().connect(es.stream());
+            ws.handshake("localhost", "/");
+            flat_buffer b;
+            ws.async_read(b, test::fail_handler(asio::error::operation_aborted));
+            // We are connected, base state
+            test::run_for(ioc_, std::chrono::seconds(2));
+            // About a second later, we should have close to 4 pings/pongs, and no timeout
+            BEAST_EXPECTS(2 <= n_pongs && n_pongs <= 4, "Unexpected nr of pings: " + std::to_string(n_pongs));
+        }
     }
 
     void
diff --git a/test/beast/websocket/test.hpp b/test/beast/websocket/test.hpp
index 1575db32bb..3ea25ec23a 100644
--- a/test/beast/websocket/test.hpp
+++ b/test/beast/websocket/test.hpp
@@ -134,6 +134,12 @@ class websocket_test_suite
                     this));
         }
 
+        void
+        async_ping()
+        {
+            ws_.async_ping("", [](error_code){});
+        }
+
         void
         async_close()
         {