diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index d00ec40..cefe8a8 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -98,6 +98,8 @@ add_executable (rpc
   commands.cpp
   activation.h
   activation.cpp
+  heartbeat.h
+  heartbeat.cpp
   lms.h
   lms.cpp
   main.cpp
diff --git a/activation.h b/activation.h
index 71c1f3f..714fcf8 100644
--- a/activation.h
+++ b/activation.h
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 #include <string>
 
-#define PROTOCOL_VERSION "3.0.0"
+#define PROTOCOL_VERSION "4.0.0"
 
 #ifdef _WIN32
 #define convertstring   to_utf16string
diff --git a/heartbeat.cpp b/heartbeat.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..12ef8b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/heartbeat.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+/*********************************************************************
+* Copyright (c) Intel Corporation 2019 - 2020
+* SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+**********************************************************************/
+
+#include "heartbeat.h"
+#include <cpprest/ws_client.h>
+#include <cpprest/json.h>
+#include <cpprest/streams.h>
+#include <iostream>
+#include <string>
+#include "activation.h"
+#include "version.h"
+#include "commands.h"
+#include "network.h"
+#include "utils.h"
+
+bool heartbeat_create_response(std::string& response)
+{
+    web::json::value msg;
+
+    utility::string_t tmp = utility::conversions::convertstring("heartbeat_response");
+    msg[U("method")] = web::json::value::string(tmp);
+
+    tmp = utility::conversions::convertstring("");
+    msg[U("apiKey")] = web::json::value::string(tmp);
+
+    tmp = utility::conversions::convertstring(PROJECT_VER);
+    msg[U("appVersion")] = web::json::value::string(tmp);
+
+    tmp = utility::conversions::convertstring(PROTOCOL_VERSION);
+    msg[U("protocolVersion")] = web::json::value::string(tmp);
+
+    tmp = utility::conversions::convertstring("success");
+    msg[U("status")] = web::json::value::string(tmp);
+
+    tmp = utility::conversions::convertstring("");
+    msg[U("message")] = web::json::value::string(tmp);
+
+    // set empty payload
+    tmp = utility::conversions::convertstring("");
+    msg[U("payload")] = web::json::value::string(tmp);
+
+    // serialize the entire message
+    response = utility::conversions::to_utf8string(msg.serialize());
+
+    return true;
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/heartbeat.h b/heartbeat.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1b2d8a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/heartbeat.h
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+/*********************************************************************
+* Copyright (c) Intel Corporation 2019 - 2020
+* SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+**********************************************************************/
+
+#ifndef __HEARTBEAT_H__
+#define __HEARTBEAT_H__
+
+#include <string>
+
+bool heartbeat_create_response(std::string& response);
+
+#endif 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/main.cpp b/main.cpp
index d2e227d..3c5497a 100644
--- a/main.cpp
+++ b/main.cpp
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #include "lms.h"
 #include "commands.h"
 #include "activation.h"
+#include "heartbeat.h"
 #include "utils.h"
 #include "usage.h"
 #include "args.h"
@@ -246,6 +247,21 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
                 return;
             }
 
+            if (msgMethod.compare("heartbeat_request") == 0)
+            {
+                // create the response
+                std::string response;
+                if (!heartbeat_create_response(response)) return;
+
+                // send it
+                web::websockets::client::websocket_outgoing_message send_websocket_msg;
+                std::string send_websocket_buffer(response);
+                send_websocket_msg.set_utf8_message(send_websocket_buffer);
+                client.send(send_websocket_msg).wait();
+
+                return;
+            }
+
             // process any messages we can
             //   - if success, done
             //   - if error, get out