diff --git a/src/main/java/net/spy/memcached/ConnectionFactory.java b/src/main/java/net/spy/memcached/ConnectionFactory.java
index 0c0cde78e..372be94e8 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/spy/memcached/ConnectionFactory.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/spy/memcached/ConnectionFactory.java
@@ -124,6 +124,15 @@ MemcachedNode createMemcachedNode(SocketAddress sa, SocketChannel c,
    */
   boolean useNagleAlgorithm();
 
+  /**
+   * If true, keep alive will be used on connected sockets.
+   *
+   * <p>
+   * See {@link java.net.Socket#setKeepAlive(boolean)} for more information.
+   * </p>
+   */
+  boolean getKeepAlive();
+
   /**
    * Observers that should be established at the time of connection
    * instantiation.
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/spy/memcached/ConnectionFactoryBuilder.java b/src/main/java/net/spy/memcached/ConnectionFactoryBuilder.java
index e7c74209d..388b56636 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/spy/memcached/ConnectionFactoryBuilder.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/spy/memcached/ConnectionFactoryBuilder.java
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ public class ConnectionFactoryBuilder {
   protected boolean isDaemon = false;
   protected boolean shouldOptimize = false;
   protected boolean useNagle = false;
+  protected boolean keepAlive = false;
   protected long maxReconnectDelay =
       DefaultConnectionFactory.DEFAULT_MAX_RECONNECT_DELAY;
 
@@ -222,6 +223,11 @@ public ConnectionFactoryBuilder setUseNagleAlgorithm(boolean to) {
     return this;
   }
 
+  public ConnectionFactoryBuilder setKeepAlive(boolean on) {
+    keepAlive = on;
+    return this;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Convenience method to specify the protocol to use.
    */
@@ -405,6 +411,11 @@ public boolean useNagleAlgorithm() {
         return useNagle;
       }
 
+      @Override
+      public boolean getKeepAlive() {
+        return keepAlive;
+      }
+
       @Override
       public long getMaxReconnectDelay() {
         return maxReconnectDelay;
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/spy/memcached/DefaultConnectionFactory.java b/src/main/java/net/spy/memcached/DefaultConnectionFactory.java
index bee0c4e30..16623cd3b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/spy/memcached/DefaultConnectionFactory.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/spy/memcached/DefaultConnectionFactory.java
@@ -388,6 +388,15 @@ public boolean useNagleAlgorithm() {
     return false;
   }
 
+  /*
+   * (non-Javadoc)
+   *
+   * @see net.spy.memcached.ConnectionFactory#getKeepAlive()
+   */
+  public boolean getKeepAlive() {
+    return false;
+  }
+
   /*
    * (non-Javadoc)
    *
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/spy/memcached/MemcachedConnection.java b/src/main/java/net/spy/memcached/MemcachedConnection.java
index 09f7c49ce..e04a80ae4 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/spy/memcached/MemcachedConnection.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/spy/memcached/MemcachedConnection.java
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.net.ConnectException;
 import java.net.InetSocketAddress;
+import java.net.Socket;
 import java.net.SocketAddress;
 import java.net.SocketException;
 import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
@@ -335,7 +336,9 @@ protected List<MemcachedNode> createConnections(
       MemcachedNode qa = connectionFactory.createMemcachedNode(sa, ch, bufSize);
       qa.setConnection(this);
       int ops = 0;
-      ch.socket().setTcpNoDelay(!connectionFactory.useNagleAlgorithm());
+      Socket socket = ch.socket();
+      socket.setTcpNoDelay(!connectionFactory.useNagleAlgorithm());
+      socket.setKeepAlive(!connectionFactory.getKeepAlive());
 
       try {
         if (ch.connect(sa)) {
diff --git a/src/test/java/net/spy/memcached/ConnectionFactoryBuilderTest.java b/src/test/java/net/spy/memcached/ConnectionFactoryBuilderTest.java
index 9c64142b0..30ec29348 100644
--- a/src/test/java/net/spy/memcached/ConnectionFactoryBuilderTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/net/spy/memcached/ConnectionFactoryBuilderTest.java
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ public void testDefaults() throws Exception {
     assertFalse(f.isDaemon());
     assertFalse(f.shouldOptimize());
     assertFalse(f.useNagleAlgorithm());
+    assertFalse(f.getKeepAlive());
     assertEquals(f.getOpQueueMaxBlockTime(),
         DefaultConnectionFactory.DEFAULT_OP_QUEUE_MAX_BLOCK_TIME);
     assertEquals(f.getAuthWaitTime(),
@@ -140,6 +141,7 @@ public void connectionEstablished(SocketAddress sa, int reconnectCount) {
         .setLocatorType(Locator.CONSISTENT).setOpQueueMaxBlockTime(19)
         .setAuthDescriptor(anAuthDescriptor)
         .setAuthWaitTime(3000)
+        .setKeepAlive(true)
         .build();
 
     assertEquals(4225, f.getOperationTimeout());
@@ -156,6 +158,7 @@ public void connectionEstablished(SocketAddress sa, int reconnectCount) {
     assertTrue(f.isDaemon());
     assertFalse(f.shouldOptimize());
     assertTrue(f.useNagleAlgorithm());
+    assertTrue(f.getKeepAlive());
     assertEquals(f.getOpQueueMaxBlockTime(), 19);
     assertSame(anAuthDescriptor, f.getAuthDescriptor());
     assertEquals(f.getAuthWaitTime(), 3000);