diff --git a/cmd/waku/node.go b/cmd/waku/node.go
index 695f08b0..2327bbbe 100644
--- a/cmd/waku/node.go
+++ b/cmd/waku/node.go
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ func Execute(options NodeOptions) error {
 		node.WithLogLevel(lvl),
 		node.WithPrivateKey(prvKey),
 		node.WithHostAddress(hostAddr),
-		node.WithKeepAlive(options.KeepAlive),
+		node.WithKeepAlive(10*time.Second, options.KeepAlive),
 		node.WithMaxPeerConnections(options.MaxPeerConnections),
 		node.WithPrometheusRegisterer(prometheus.DefaultRegisterer),
 		node.WithPeerStoreCapacity(options.PeerStoreCapacity),
diff --git a/library/node.go b/library/node.go
index f1e49b2c..f084b85a 100644
--- a/library/node.go
+++ b/library/node.go
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ func NewNode(instance *WakuInstance, configJSON string) error {
 	opts := []node.WakuNodeOption{
 		node.WithPrivateKey(prvKey),
 		node.WithHostAddress(hostAddr),
-		node.WithKeepAlive(time.Duration(*config.KeepAliveInterval) * time.Second),
+		node.WithKeepAlive(10*time.Second, time.Duration(*config.KeepAliveInterval)*time.Second),
 	}
 
 	if *config.EnableRelay {
diff --git a/waku/v2/node/keepalive.go b/waku/v2/node/keepalive.go
index a2a8256e..2cb03317 100644
--- a/waku/v2/node/keepalive.go
+++ b/waku/v2/node/keepalive.go
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ package node
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"math/rand"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
@@ -10,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/p2p/protocol/ping"
 	"github.com/waku-org/go-waku/logging"
 	"go.uber.org/zap"
+	"golang.org/x/exp/maps"
 )
 
 const maxAllowedPingFailures = 2
@@ -19,86 +22,155 @@ const maxAllowedPingFailures = 2
 // the peers if they don't reply back
 const sleepDetectionIntervalFactor = 3
 
+const maxPeersToPing = 10
+
 // startKeepAlive creates a go routine that periodically pings connected peers.
 // This is necessary because TCP connections are automatically closed due to inactivity,
 // and doing a ping will avoid this (with a small bandwidth cost)
-func (w *WakuNode) startKeepAlive(ctx context.Context, t time.Duration) {
+func (w *WakuNode) startKeepAlive(ctx context.Context, randomPeersPingDuration time.Duration, allPeersPingDuration time.Duration) {
 	defer w.wg.Done()
-	w.log.Info("setting up ping protocol", zap.Duration("duration", t))
-	ticker := time.NewTicker(t)
-	defer ticker.Stop()
+
+	if !w.opts.enableRelay {
+		return
+	}
+
+	w.log.Info("setting up ping protocol", zap.Duration("randomPeersPingDuration", randomPeersPingDuration), zap.Duration("allPeersPingDuration", allPeersPingDuration))
+
+	randomPeersTickerC := make(<-chan time.Time)
+	if randomPeersPingDuration != 0 {
+		randomPeersTicker := time.NewTicker(randomPeersPingDuration)
+		defer randomPeersTicker.Stop()
+		randomPeersTickerC = randomPeersTicker.C
+	}
+
+	allPeersTickerC := make(<-chan time.Time)
+	if randomPeersPingDuration != 0 {
+		allPeersTicker := time.NewTicker(randomPeersPingDuration)
+		defer allPeersTicker.Stop()
+		randomPeersTickerC = allPeersTicker.C
+	}
 
 	lastTimeExecuted := w.timesource.Now()
 
-	sleepDetectionInterval := int64(t) * sleepDetectionIntervalFactor
+	sleepDetectionInterval := int64(randomPeersPingDuration) * sleepDetectionIntervalFactor
 
 	for {
+		peersToPing := []peer.ID{}
+
 		select {
-		case <-ticker.C:
+		case <-allPeersTickerC:
+			relayPeersSet := make(map[peer.ID]struct{})
+			for _, t := range w.Relay().Topics() {
+				for _, p := range w.Relay().PubSub().ListPeers(t) {
+					relayPeersSet[p] = struct{}{}
+				}
+			}
+			peersToPing = maps.Keys(relayPeersSet)
+
+		case <-randomPeersTickerC:
 			difference := w.timesource.Now().UnixNano() - lastTimeExecuted.UnixNano()
-			forceDisconnectOnPingFailure := false
 			if difference > sleepDetectionInterval {
-				forceDisconnectOnPingFailure = true
 				lastTimeExecuted = w.timesource.Now()
-				w.log.Warn("keep alive hasnt been executed recently. Killing connections to peers if ping fails")
+				w.log.Warn("keep alive hasnt been executed recently. Killing all connections")
+				for _, p := range w.host.Network().Peers() {
+					err := w.host.Network().ClosePeer(p)
+					if err != nil {
+						w.log.Debug("closing conn to peer", zap.Error(err))
+					}
+				}
 				continue
 			}
 
-			// Network's peers collection,
-			// contains only currently active peers
-			pingWg := sync.WaitGroup{}
-			peersToPing := w.host.Network().Peers()
-			pingWg.Add(len(peersToPing))
-			for _, p := range peersToPing {
-				if p != w.host.ID() {
-					go w.pingPeer(ctx, &pingWg, p, forceDisconnectOnPingFailure)
+			// Priorize mesh peers
+			meshPeersSet := make(map[peer.ID]struct{})
+			for _, t := range w.Relay().Topics() {
+				for _, p := range w.Relay().PubSub().MeshPeers(t) {
+					meshPeersSet[p] = struct{}{}
 				}
 			}
-			pingWg.Wait()
+			peersToPing = append(peersToPing, maps.Keys(meshPeersSet)...)
+
+			// Ping also some random relay peers
+			if maxPeersToPing-len(peersToPing) > 0 {
+				relayPeersSet := make(map[peer.ID]struct{})
+				for _, t := range w.Relay().Topics() {
+					for _, p := range w.Relay().PubSub().ListPeers(t) {
+						if _, ok := meshPeersSet[p]; !ok {
+							relayPeersSet[p] = struct{}{}
+						}
+					}
+				}
+
+				relayPeers := maps.Keys(relayPeersSet)
+				rand.Shuffle(len(relayPeers), func(i, j int) { relayPeers[i], relayPeers[j] = relayPeers[j], relayPeers[i] })
+
+				peerLen := maxPeersToPing - len(peersToPing)
+				if peerLen > len(relayPeers) {
+					peerLen = len(relayPeers)
+				}
+				peersToPing = append(peersToPing, relayPeers[0:peerLen]...)
+			}
 
-			lastTimeExecuted = w.timesource.Now()
 		case <-ctx.Done():
 			w.log.Info("stopping ping protocol")
 			return
 		}
+
+		pingWg := sync.WaitGroup{}
+		pingWg.Add(len(peersToPing))
+		for _, p := range peersToPing {
+			go w.pingPeer(ctx, &pingWg, p)
+		}
+		pingWg.Wait()
+
+		lastTimeExecuted = w.timesource.Now()
 	}
 }
 
-func (w *WakuNode) pingPeer(ctx context.Context, wg *sync.WaitGroup, peerID peer.ID, forceDisconnectOnFail bool) {
+func (w *WakuNode) pingPeer(ctx context.Context, wg *sync.WaitGroup, peerID peer.ID) {
 	defer wg.Done()
 
+	logger := w.log.With(logging.HostID("peer", peerID))
+
+	for i := 0; i < maxAllowedPingFailures; i++ {
+		if w.host.Network().Connectedness(peerID) != network.Connected {
+			// Peer is no longer connected. No need to ping
+			return
+		}
+
+		logger.Debug("pinging")
+
+		if w.tryPing(ctx, peerID, logger) {
+			return
+		}
+	}
+
+	if w.host.Network().Connectedness(peerID) != network.Connected {
+		return
+	}
+
+	logger.Info("disconnecting dead peer")
+	if err := w.host.Network().ClosePeer(peerID); err != nil {
+		logger.Debug("closing conn to peer", zap.Error(err))
+	}
+}
+
+func (w *WakuNode) tryPing(ctx context.Context, peerID peer.ID, logger *zap.Logger) bool {
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, 7*time.Second)
 	defer cancel()
 
-	logger := w.log.With(logging.HostID("peer", peerID))
-	logger.Debug("pinging")
 	pr := ping.Ping(ctx, w.host, peerID)
 	select {
 	case res := <-pr:
 		if res.Error != nil {
-			w.keepAliveMutex.Lock()
-			w.keepAliveFails[peerID]++
-			w.keepAliveMutex.Unlock()
 			logger.Debug("could not ping", zap.Error(res.Error))
-		} else {
-			w.keepAliveMutex.Lock()
-			delete(w.keepAliveFails, peerID)
-			w.keepAliveMutex.Unlock()
+			return false
 		}
 	case <-ctx.Done():
-		w.keepAliveMutex.Lock()
-		w.keepAliveFails[peerID]++
-		w.keepAliveMutex.Unlock()
-		logger.Debug("could not ping (context done)", zap.Error(ctx.Err()))
-	}
-
-	w.keepAliveMutex.Lock()
-	if (forceDisconnectOnFail || w.keepAliveFails[peerID] > maxAllowedPingFailures) && w.host.Network().Connectedness(peerID) == network.Connected {
-		logger.Info("disconnecting peer")
-		if err := w.host.Network().ClosePeer(peerID); err != nil {
-			logger.Debug("closing conn to peer", zap.Error(err))
+		if !errors.Is(ctx.Err(), context.Canceled) {
+			logger.Debug("could not ping (context)", zap.Error(ctx.Err()))
 		}
-		w.keepAliveFails[peerID] = 0
+		return false
 	}
-	w.keepAliveMutex.Unlock()
+	return true
 }
diff --git a/waku/v2/node/keepalive_test.go b/waku/v2/node/keepalive_test.go
index a778f5c9..0508fd79 100644
--- a/waku/v2/node/keepalive_test.go
+++ b/waku/v2/node/keepalive_test.go
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/crypto"
 	"github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p"
-	"github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/peer"
 	"github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/peerstore"
 	"github.com/multiformats/go-multiaddr"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
@@ -40,15 +39,13 @@ func TestKeepAlive(t *testing.T) {
 	wg := &sync.WaitGroup{}
 
 	w := &WakuNode{
-		host:           host1,
-		wg:             wg,
-		log:            utils.Logger(),
-		keepAliveMutex: sync.Mutex{},
-		keepAliveFails: make(map[peer.ID]int),
+		host: host1,
+		wg:   wg,
+		log:  utils.Logger(),
 	}
 
 	w.wg.Add(1)
-	w.pingPeer(ctx2, w.wg, peerID2, false)
+	w.pingPeer(ctx2, w.wg, peerID2)
 
 	require.NoError(t, ctx.Err())
 }
@@ -70,7 +67,7 @@ func TestPeriodicKeepAlive(t *testing.T) {
 		WithPrivateKey(prvKey),
 		WithHostAddress(hostAddr),
 		WithWakuRelay(),
-		WithKeepAlive(time.Second),
+		WithKeepAlive(time.Minute, time.Second),
 	)
 
 	require.NoError(t, err)
diff --git a/waku/v2/node/wakunode2.go b/waku/v2/node/wakunode2.go
index cf7a51ad..5032c823 100644
--- a/waku/v2/node/wakunode2.go
+++ b/waku/v2/node/wakunode2.go
@@ -116,9 +116,6 @@ type WakuNode struct {
 	addressChangesSub event.Subscription
 	enrChangeCh       chan struct{}
 
-	keepAliveMutex sync.Mutex
-	keepAliveFails map[peer.ID]int
-
 	cancel context.CancelFunc
 	wg     *sync.WaitGroup
 
@@ -193,7 +190,6 @@ func New(opts ...WakuNodeOption) (*WakuNode, error) {
 	w.opts = params
 	w.log = params.logger.Named("node2")
 	w.wg = &sync.WaitGroup{}
-	w.keepAliveFails = make(map[peer.ID]int)
 	w.wakuFlag = enr.NewWakuEnrBitfield(w.opts.enableLightPush, w.opts.enableFilterFullNode, w.opts.enableStore, w.opts.enableRelay)
 	w.circuitRelayNodes = make(chan peer.AddrInfo)
 	w.metrics = newMetrics(params.prometheusReg)
@@ -382,9 +378,9 @@ func (w *WakuNode) Start(ctx context.Context) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if w.opts.keepAliveInterval > time.Duration(0) {
+	if w.opts.keepAliveRandomPeersInterval > time.Duration(0) || w.opts.keepAliveAllPeersInterval > time.Duration(0) {
 		w.wg.Add(1)
-		go w.startKeepAlive(ctx, w.opts.keepAliveInterval)
+		go w.startKeepAlive(ctx, w.opts.keepAliveRandomPeersInterval, w.opts.keepAliveAllPeersInterval)
 	}
 
 	w.metadata.SetHost(host)
diff --git a/waku/v2/node/wakuoptions.go b/waku/v2/node/wakuoptions.go
index 26a82d0d..82d96461 100644
--- a/waku/v2/node/wakuoptions.go
+++ b/waku/v2/node/wakuoptions.go
@@ -114,7 +114,8 @@ type WakuNodeParameters struct {
 	rlnTreePath                  string
 	rlnMembershipContractAddress common.Address
 
-	keepAliveInterval time.Duration
+	keepAliveRandomPeersInterval time.Duration
+	keepAliveAllPeersInterval    time.Duration
 
 	enableLightPush bool
 
@@ -476,10 +477,14 @@ func WithLightPush(lightpushOpts ...lightpush.Option) WakuNodeOption {
 }
 
 // WithKeepAlive is a WakuNodeOption used to set the interval of time when
-// each peer will be ping to keep the TCP connection alive
-func WithKeepAlive(t time.Duration) WakuNodeOption {
+// each peer will be ping to keep the TCP connection alive. Option accepts two
+// intervals, the `randomPeersInterval`, which will be used to ping full mesh
+// peers (if using relay) and random connected peers, and `allPeersInterval`
+// which is used to ping all connected peers
+func WithKeepAlive(randomPeersInterval time.Duration, allPeersInterval time.Duration) WakuNodeOption {
 	return func(params *WakuNodeParameters) error {
-		params.keepAliveInterval = t
+		params.keepAliveRandomPeersInterval = randomPeersInterval
+		params.keepAliveAllPeersInterval = allPeersInterval
 		return nil
 	}
 }
diff --git a/waku/v2/node/wakuoptions_test.go b/waku/v2/node/wakuoptions_test.go
index 751c7158..9d4ed4f9 100644
--- a/waku/v2/node/wakuoptions_test.go
+++ b/waku/v2/node/wakuoptions_test.go
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ func TestWakuOptions(t *testing.T) {
 		WithWakuStore(),
 		WithMessageProvider(&persistence.DBStore{}),
 		WithLightPush(),
-		WithKeepAlive(time.Hour),
+		WithKeepAlive(time.Minute, time.Hour),
 		WithTopicHealthStatusChannel(topicHealthStatusChan),
 		WithWakuStoreFactory(storeFactory),
 	}
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ func TestWakuRLNOptions(t *testing.T) {
 		WithWakuStore(),
 		WithMessageProvider(&persistence.DBStore{}),
 		WithLightPush(),
-		WithKeepAlive(time.Hour),
+		WithKeepAlive(time.Minute, time.Hour),
 		WithTopicHealthStatusChannel(topicHealthStatusChan),
 		WithWakuStoreFactory(storeFactory),
 		WithStaticRLNRelay(&index, handleSpam),
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ func TestWakuRLNOptions(t *testing.T) {
 		WithWakuStore(),
 		WithMessageProvider(&persistence.DBStore{}),
 		WithLightPush(),
-		WithKeepAlive(time.Hour),
+		WithKeepAlive(time.Minute, time.Hour),
 		WithTopicHealthStatusChannel(topicHealthStatusChan),
 		WithWakuStoreFactory(storeFactory),
 		WithDynamicRLNRelay(keystorePath, keystorePassword, rlnTreePath, common.HexToAddress(contractAddress), &index, handleSpam, ethClientAddress),