diff --git a/session.go b/session.go
index 2769f074..376aa7fc 100644
--- a/session.go
+++ b/session.go
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ runLoop:
 			s.sentPacketHandler.OnAlarm()
 		}
 
-		if s.config.KeepAlive && time.Since(s.lastNetworkActivityTime) >= s.idleTimeout()/2 {
+		if s.config.KeepAlive && s.handshakeComplete && time.Since(s.lastNetworkActivityTime) >= s.idleTimeout()/2 {
 			// send the PING frame since there is no activity in the session
 			s.packer.QueueControlFrame(&frames.PingFrame{})
 			s.keepAlivePingSent = true
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ func (s *session) WaitUntilClosed() {
 
 func (s *session) maybeResetTimer() {
 	var deadline time.Time
-	if s.config.KeepAlive && !s.keepAlivePingSent {
+	if s.config.KeepAlive && s.handshakeComplete && !s.keepAlivePingSent {
 		deadline = s.lastNetworkActivityTime.Add(s.idleTimeout() / 2)
 	} else {
 		deadline = s.lastNetworkActivityTime.Add(s.idleTimeout())
diff --git a/session_test.go b/session_test.go
index e3b911d8..91c6fe48 100644
--- a/session_test.go
+++ b/session_test.go
@@ -1438,7 +1438,8 @@ var _ = Describe("Session", func() {
 	})
 
 	Context("keep-alives", func() {
-		It("sends a ping packet", func() {
+		It("sends a PING", func() {
+			sess.handshakeComplete = true
 			sess.config.KeepAlive = true
 			sess.lastNetworkActivityTime = time.Now().Add(-(sess.idleTimeout() / 2))
 			go sess.run()
@@ -1452,7 +1453,17 @@ var _ = Describe("Session", func() {
 			}).Should(Equal(byte(0x07)))
 		})
 
-		It("doesn't send a ping packet if keep-alive is disabled", func() {
+		It("doesn't send a PING packet if keep-alive is disabled", func() {
+			sess.handshakeComplete = true
+			sess.lastNetworkActivityTime = time.Now().Add(-(sess.idleTimeout() / 2))
+			go sess.run()
+			defer sess.Close(nil)
+			Consistently(func() [][]byte { return mconn.written }).Should(BeEmpty())
+		})
+
+		It("doesn't send a PING if the handshake isn't completed yet", func() {
+			sess.handshakeComplete = false
+			sess.config.KeepAlive = true
 			sess.lastNetworkActivityTime = time.Now().Add(-(sess.idleTimeout() / 2))
 			go sess.run()
 			defer sess.Close(nil)