diff --git a/src/peering/fullmesh.rs b/src/peering/fullmesh.rs
index a5b2c3a..52d7fda 100644
--- a/src/peering/fullmesh.rs
+++ b/src/peering/fullmesh.rs
@@ -9,11 +9,13 @@ use async_trait::async_trait;
 use log::{debug, info, trace, warn};
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
+use tokio::select;
 use tokio::sync::watch;
 
 use sodiumoxide::crypto::hash;
 
 use crate::endpoint::*;
+use crate::error::*;
 use crate::netapp::*;
 use crate::proto::*;
 use crate::NodeID;
@@ -22,6 +24,8 @@ const CONN_RETRY_INTERVAL: Duration = Duration::from_secs(30);
 const CONN_MAX_RETRIES: usize = 10;
 const PING_INTERVAL: Duration = Duration::from_secs(10);
 const LOOP_DELAY: Duration = Duration::from_secs(1);
+const PING_TIMEOUT: Duration = Duration::from_secs(5);
+const FAILED_PING_THRESHOLD: usize = 3;
 
 // -- Protocol messages --
 
@@ -52,6 +56,7 @@ struct PeerInfoInternal {
 	state: PeerConnState,
 	last_seen: Option<Instant>,
 	ping: VecDeque<Duration>,
+	failed_pings: usize,
 }
 
 #[derive(Copy, Clone, Debug)]
@@ -178,6 +183,7 @@ impl FullMeshPeeringStrategy {
 						state: PeerConnState::Waiting(0, Instant::now()),
 						last_seen: None,
 						ping: VecDeque::new(),
+						failed_pings: 0,
 					},
 				);
 			}
@@ -191,6 +197,7 @@ impl FullMeshPeeringStrategy {
 					state: PeerConnState::Ourself,
 					last_seen: None,
 					ping: VecDeque::new(),
+					failed_pings: 0,
 				},
 			);
 		}
@@ -347,8 +354,28 @@ impl FullMeshPeeringStrategy {
 			hex::encode(&id[..8]),
 			ping_time
 		);
-		match self.ping_endpoint.call(&id, &ping_msg, PRIO_HIGH).await {
-			Err(e) => warn!("Error pinging {}: {}", hex::encode(&id[..8]), e),
+		let ping_response = select! {
+			r = self.ping_endpoint.call(&id, &ping_msg, PRIO_HIGH) => r,
+			_ = tokio::time::sleep(PING_TIMEOUT) => Err(Error::Message("Ping timeout".into())),
+		};
+
+		match ping_response {
+			Err(e) => {
+				warn!("Error pinging {}: {}", hex::encode(&id[..8]), e);
+				let mut known_hosts = self.known_hosts.write().unwrap();
+				if let Some(host) = known_hosts.list.get_mut(&id) {
+					host.failed_pings += 1;
+					if host.failed_pings > FAILED_PING_THRESHOLD {
+						warn!(
+							"Too many failed pings from {}, closing connection.",
+							hex::encode(&id[..8])
+						);
+						// this will later update info in known_hosts
+						// through the disconnection handler
+						self.netapp.disconnect(&id);
+					}
+				}
+			}
 			Ok(ping_resp) => {
 				let resp_time = Instant::now();
 				debug!(
@@ -359,6 +386,7 @@ impl FullMeshPeeringStrategy {
 				{
 					let mut known_hosts = self.known_hosts.write().unwrap();
 					if let Some(host) = known_hosts.list.get_mut(&id) {
+						host.failed_pings = 0;
 						host.last_seen = Some(resp_time);
 						host.ping.push_back(resp_time - ping_time);
 						while host.ping.len() > 10 {
@@ -455,6 +483,7 @@ impl FullMeshPeeringStrategy {
 						addr,
 						last_seen: None,
 						ping: VecDeque::new(),
+						failed_pings: 0,
 					},
 				);
 			}
@@ -486,6 +515,7 @@ impl FullMeshPeeringStrategy {
 			state,
 			last_seen: None,
 			ping: VecDeque::new(),
+			failed_pings: 0,
 		}
 	}
 }