diff --git a/include/osmocom/mgcp_client/mgcp_client.h b/include/osmocom/mgcp_client/mgcp_client.h
index 46ec210..9a0611a 100644
--- a/include/osmocom/mgcp_client/mgcp_client.h
+++ b/include/osmocom/mgcp_client/mgcp_client.h
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 #define MGCP_CLIENT_LOCAL_PORT_DEFAULT 0
 #define MGCP_CLIENT_REMOTE_ADDR_DEFAULT "127.0.0.1"
 #define MGCP_CLIENT_REMOTE_PORT_DEFAULT 2427
-
+#define MGCP_CLIENT_KEEPALIVE_DEFAULT_ENDP "null"
 #define MGCP_CLIENT_MGW_STR "Configure MGCP connection to Media Gateway\n"
 
 struct msgb;
@@ -36,6 +36,12 @@
 
 	/* human readable name / description */
 	char *description;
+
+	struct {
+		uint32_t timeout_sec;
+		uint32_t req_interval_sec;
+		char req_endpoint_name[MGCP_ENDPOINT_MAXLEN];
+	} keepalive;
 };
 
 typedef unsigned int mgcp_trans_id_t;
diff --git a/include/osmocom/mgcp_client/mgcp_client_internal.h b/include/osmocom/mgcp_client/mgcp_client_internal.h
index 4e97a48..d0ae76b 100644
--- a/include/osmocom/mgcp_client/mgcp_client_internal.h
+++ b/include/osmocom/mgcp_client/mgcp_client_internal.h
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <osmocom/core/write_queue.h>
+#include <osmocom/core/timer.h>
 
 #define MSGB_CB_MGCP_TRANS_ID 0
 
@@ -16,6 +17,9 @@
 	mgcp_trans_id_t next_trans_id;
 	struct llist_head responses_pending;
 	struct mgcp_client_pool_member *pool_member;
+	struct osmo_timer_list keepalive_tx_timer;
+	struct osmo_timer_list keepalive_rx_timer;
+	bool conn_up;
 };
 
 struct mgcp_response_pending {
diff --git a/src/libosmo-mgcp-client/mgcp_client.c b/src/libosmo-mgcp-client/mgcp_client.c
index f74255c..677a4f3 100644
--- a/src/libosmo-mgcp-client/mgcp_client.c
+++ b/src/libosmo-mgcp-client/mgcp_client.c
@@ -202,6 +202,11 @@
 		.local_port = -1,
 		.remote_addr = NULL,
 		.remote_port = -1,
+		.keepalive = {
+			.timeout_sec = 0, /* disabled */
+			.req_interval_sec = 0, /* disabled */
+			.req_endpoint_name = MGCP_CLIENT_KEEPALIVE_DEFAULT_ENDP,
+		},
 	};
 
 	INIT_LLIST_HEAD(&conf->reset_epnames);
@@ -696,6 +701,14 @@
 	r = talloc_zero(mgcp, struct mgcp_response);
 	OSMO_ASSERT(r);
 
+	/* Re-arm keepalive timer if enabled */
+	if (OSMO_UNLIKELY(mgcp->conn_up == false)) {
+		LOGPMGW(mgcp, LOGL_NOTICE, "MGCP link to MGW now considered UP\n");
+		mgcp->conn_up = true;
+	}
+	if (mgcp->actual.keepalive.timeout_sec > 0)
+		osmo_timer_schedule(&mgcp->keepalive_rx_timer, mgcp->actual.keepalive.timeout_sec, 0);
+
 	rc = mgcp_response_parse_head(r, msg);
 	if (rc) {
 		LOGPMGW(mgcp, LOGL_ERROR, "Cannot parse MGCP response (head)\n");
@@ -766,10 +779,14 @@
 		osmo_escape_str((const char *)msg->data, OSMO_MIN(42, msg->len)));
 
 	ret = write(fd->fd, msg->data, msg->len);
-	if (ret != msg->len)
+	if (OSMO_UNLIKELY(ret != msg->len))
 		LOGPMGW(mgcp, LOGL_ERROR, "Failed to Tx MGCP: %s: %d='%s'; msg: len=%u '%s'...\n",
 			osmo_sock_get_name2(fd->fd), errno, strerror(errno),
 			msg->len, osmo_escape_str((const char *)msg->data, OSMO_MIN(42, msg->len)));
+
+	/* Re-arm the keepalive Tx timer: */
+	if (mgcp->actual.keepalive.req_interval_sec > 0)
+		osmo_timer_schedule(&mgcp->keepalive_tx_timer, mgcp->actual.keepalive.req_interval_sec, 0);
 	return ret;
 }
 
@@ -807,6 +824,39 @@
 	mgcp_client_tx(mgcp, msgb_dlcx, &_ignore_mgcp_response, NULL);
 }
 
+/* Format AuditEndpoint message (fire and forget) and send it off to the MGW */
+static void _mgcp_client_send_auep(struct mgcp_client *mgcp, const char *epname)
+{
+	struct msgb *msgb_auep;
+	struct mgcp_msg mgcp_msg_auep = {
+		.verb = MGCP_VERB_AUEP,
+		.presence = MGCP_MSG_PRESENCE_ENDPOINT,
+	};
+	OSMO_STRLCPY_ARRAY(mgcp_msg_auep.endpoint, epname);
+	msgb_auep = mgcp_msg_gen(mgcp, &mgcp_msg_auep);
+	mgcp_client_tx(mgcp, msgb_auep, &_ignore_mgcp_response, NULL);
+}
+
+static void mgcp_client_keepalive_tx_timer_cb(void *data)
+{
+	struct mgcp_client *mgcp = (struct mgcp_client *)data;
+	LOGPMGW(mgcp, LOGL_INFO, "Triggering keepalive MGCP request\n");
+	const char *epname = _mgcp_client_name_append_domain(mgcp, mgcp->actual.keepalive.req_endpoint_name);
+	_mgcp_client_send_auep(mgcp, epname);
+
+	/* Re-arm the timer: */
+	osmo_timer_schedule(&mgcp->keepalive_tx_timer, mgcp->actual.keepalive.req_interval_sec, 0);
+}
+
+static void mgcp_client_keepalive_rx_timer_cb(void *data)
+{
+	struct mgcp_client *mgcp = (struct mgcp_client *)data;
+	LOGPMGW(mgcp, LOGL_ERROR, "MGCP link to MGW now considered DOWN (keepalive timeout, more than %u seconds with no answer from MGW)\n",
+		mgcp->actual.keepalive.timeout_sec);
+	mgcp->conn_up = false;
+	/* TODO: Potentially time out all ongoing transactions for that MGW. Maybe based on VTY cfg? */
+}
+
 struct mgcp_client *mgcp_client_init(void *ctx,
 				     struct mgcp_client_conf *conf)
 {
@@ -851,6 +901,15 @@
 	if (conf->description)
 		mgcp->actual.description = talloc_strdup(mgcp, conf->description);
 
+	osmo_wqueue_init(&mgcp->wq, 1024);
+	mgcp->wq.read_cb = mgcp_do_read;
+	mgcp->wq.write_cb = mgcp_do_write;
+	osmo_fd_setup(&mgcp->wq.bfd, -1, OSMO_FD_READ, osmo_wqueue_bfd_cb, mgcp, 0);
+
+	memcpy(&mgcp->actual.keepalive, &conf->keepalive, sizeof(conf->keepalive));
+	osmo_timer_setup(&mgcp->keepalive_tx_timer, mgcp_client_keepalive_tx_timer_cb, mgcp);
+	osmo_timer_setup(&mgcp->keepalive_rx_timer, mgcp_client_keepalive_rx_timer_cb, mgcp);
+
 	return mgcp;
 }
 
@@ -859,24 +918,17 @@
  *  \returns 0 on success, -EINVAL on error. */
 int mgcp_client_connect(struct mgcp_client *mgcp)
 {
-	struct osmo_wqueue *wq;
 	int rc;
 	struct reset_ep *reset_ep;
 	const char *epname;
+	bool some_dlcx_sent = false;
 
 	if (!mgcp) {
 		LOGPMGW(mgcp, LOGL_FATAL, "Client not initialized properly\n");
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
-	wq = &mgcp->wq;
-	osmo_wqueue_init(wq, 1024);
-	wq->read_cb = mgcp_do_read;
-	wq->write_cb = mgcp_do_write;
-
-	osmo_fd_setup(&wq->bfd, -1, OSMO_FD_READ, osmo_wqueue_bfd_cb, mgcp, 0);
-
-	rc = osmo_sock_init2_ofd(&wq->bfd, AF_UNSPEC, SOCK_DGRAM, IPPROTO_UDP, mgcp->actual.local_addr,
+	rc = osmo_sock_init2_ofd(&mgcp->wq.bfd, AF_UNSPEC, SOCK_DGRAM, IPPROTO_UDP, mgcp->actual.local_addr,
 				 mgcp->actual.local_port, mgcp->actual.remote_addr, mgcp->actual.remote_port,
 				 OSMO_SOCK_F_BIND | OSMO_SOCK_F_CONNECT);
 	if (rc < 0) {
@@ -888,7 +940,7 @@
 		goto error_close_fd;
 	}
 
-	LOGPMGW(mgcp, LOGL_INFO, "MGW connection: %s\n", osmo_sock_get_name2(wq->bfd.fd));
+	LOGPMGW(mgcp, LOGL_INFO, "MGW connection: %s\n", osmo_sock_get_name2(mgcp->wq.bfd.fd));
 
 	/* If configured, send a DLCX message to the endpoints that are configured to
 	 * be reset on startup. Usually this is a wildcarded endpoint. */
@@ -896,11 +948,27 @@
 		epname = _mgcp_client_name_append_domain(mgcp, reset_ep->name);
 		LOGPMGW(mgcp, LOGL_INFO, "Sending DLCX to: %s\n", epname);
 		_mgcp_client_send_dlcx(mgcp, epname);
+		some_dlcx_sent = true;
 	}
+
+	if (!some_dlcx_sent) {
+		if (mgcp->actual.keepalive.req_interval_sec > 0) {
+			/* Attempt an immediate probe to find out if link is UP or DOWN: */
+			osmo_timer_schedule(&mgcp->keepalive_tx_timer, 0, 0);
+		} else {
+			/* Assume link is UP by default, so that this MGW can be selected: */
+			mgcp->conn_up = true;
+		}
+	}
+	/* else: keepalive_tx_timer was already scheduled (if needed) down in the stack during Tx DLCX above */
+
+	if (mgcp->actual.keepalive.timeout_sec > 0)
+		osmo_timer_schedule(&mgcp->keepalive_rx_timer, mgcp->actual.keepalive.timeout_sec, 0);
+
 	return 0;
 error_close_fd:
-	close(wq->bfd.fd);
-	wq->bfd.fd = -1;
+	close(mgcp->wq.bfd.fd);
+	mgcp->wq.bfd.fd = -1;
 	return rc;
 }
 
@@ -924,6 +992,11 @@
 		return;
 	}
 
+	/* Disarm keepalive Tx/Rx timer until next connect() */
+	osmo_timer_del(&mgcp->keepalive_rx_timer);
+	osmo_timer_del(&mgcp->keepalive_tx_timer);
+	mgcp->conn_up = false;
+
 	wq = &mgcp->wq;
 	osmo_wqueue_clear(wq);
 	LOGPMGW(mgcp, LOGL_INFO, "MGCP association: %s -- closed!\n", osmo_sock_get_name2(wq->bfd.fd));
diff --git a/src/libosmo-mgcp-client/mgcp_client_vty.c b/src/libosmo-mgcp-client/mgcp_client_vty.c
index 336733b..a164637 100644
--- a/src/libosmo-mgcp-client/mgcp_client_vty.c
+++ b/src/libosmo-mgcp-client/mgcp_client_vty.c
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include <osmocom/vty/command.h>
 #include <osmocom/vty/misc.h>
 #include <osmocom/core/utils.h>
+#include <osmocom/core/timer.h>
 
 #include <osmocom/mgcp_client/mgcp_client.h>
 #include <osmocom/mgcp_client/mgcp_client_internal.h>
@@ -48,7 +49,7 @@
 /* Pointer to the MGCP pool that is managed by mgcp_client_pool_vty_init() */
 static struct mgcp_client_pool *global_mgcp_client_pool = NULL;
 
-struct mgcp_client_conf *get_mgcp_client_config(struct vty *vty)
+static struct mgcp_client_conf *get_mgcp_client_config(struct vty *vty)
 {
 	if (global_mgcp_client_pool && vty->node == global_mgcp_client_pool->vty_node->node)
 		return vty->index;
@@ -61,6 +62,30 @@
 	return global_mgcp_client_conf;
 }
 
+static struct mgcp_client *get_mgcp_client(struct vty *vty)
+{
+	struct mgcp_client_conf *conf = get_mgcp_client_config(vty);
+	struct mgcp_client_pool_member *pool_member;
+
+	if (global_mgcp_client_pool && vty->node == global_mgcp_client_pool->vty_node->node) {
+		llist_for_each_entry(pool_member, &global_mgcp_client_pool->member_list, list) {
+			/* Find matching the conf pointer: */
+			if (&pool_member->conf != conf)
+				continue;
+			return pool_member->client;
+		}
+	}
+
+	/* Global single MGCP config, deprecated: */
+	vty_out(vty, "%% MGCP commands outside of 'mgw' nodes are deprecated. "
+		"You should consider reading the User Manual and migrating to 'mgw' node.%s",
+		VTY_NEWLINE);
+
+	/* There's no way to obtain the struct mgcp_client in old interface, but anyway it's deprecated. */
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+
 DEFUN(cfg_mgw_local_ip, cfg_mgw_local_ip_cmd,
       "local-ip " VTY_IPV46_CMD,
       "local bind to connect to MGW from\n"
@@ -280,6 +305,81 @@
       NO_STR MGW_STR "remove an endpoint name from the reset-endpoint list, e.g. 'rtpbridge/*'\n"
       "Endpoint name, e.g. 'rtpbridge/*' or 'ds/e1-0/s-3/su16-4'.\n")
 
+DEFUN(cfg_mgw_mgw_keepalive_req_interval,
+      cfg_mgw_mgw_keepalive_req_interval_cmd,
+      "keepalive request-interval <0-4294967295>",
+      "Monitor if the MGCP link against MGW is still usable\n"
+      "Send an MGCP command to the MGW at given interval if no other commands are sent\n"
+      "The interval at which send MGCP commands (s), 0 to disable\n")
+{
+	struct mgcp_client_conf *conf = get_mgcp_client_config(vty);
+	struct mgcp_client *mgcp = get_mgcp_client(vty);
+
+	conf->keepalive.req_interval_sec = atoi(argv[0]);
+
+	if (!mgcp)
+		return CMD_SUCCESS;
+
+	/* If client already exists, apply the change immediately if possible: */
+	mgcp->actual.keepalive.req_interval_sec = atoi(argv[0]);
+	if (mgcp->wq.bfd.fd != -1) { /* UDP MGCP socket connected */
+		if (mgcp->actual.keepalive.req_interval_sec > 0) /* Re-schedule: */
+			osmo_timer_schedule(&mgcp->keepalive_tx_timer, mgcp->actual.keepalive.req_interval_sec, 0);
+		else if (osmo_timer_pending(&mgcp->keepalive_tx_timer))
+			osmo_timer_del(&mgcp->keepalive_tx_timer);
+	} /* else: wait until connect() to do first scheduling */
+
+	return CMD_SUCCESS;
+}
+
+DEFUN(cfg_mgw_mgw_keepalive_req_endpoint,
+      cfg_mgw_mgw_keepalive_req_endpoint_cmd,
+      "keepalive request-endpoint NAME",
+      "Monitor if the MGCP link against MGW is still usable\n"
+      "Use a given endpoint name when sending an MGCP command to the MGW for keepalive purposes\n"
+      "The name of the endpoint to use\n")
+{
+	struct mgcp_client_conf *conf = get_mgcp_client_config(vty);
+	struct mgcp_client *mgcp = get_mgcp_client(vty);
+
+	OSMO_STRLCPY_ARRAY(conf->keepalive.req_endpoint_name, argv[0]);
+
+	if (!mgcp)
+		return CMD_SUCCESS;
+
+	/* If client already exists, apply the change immediately if possible: */
+	OSMO_STRLCPY_ARRAY(mgcp->actual.keepalive.req_endpoint_name, argv[0]);
+
+	return CMD_SUCCESS;
+}
+
+DEFUN(cfg_mgw_mgw_keepalive_timeout,
+      cfg_mgw_mgw_keepalive_timeout_cmd,
+      "keepalive timeout <0-4294967295>",
+      "Monitor if the MGCP link against MGW is still usable\n"
+      "Consider the link to the MGW to be down after time without receiving any message from it\n"
+      "The timeout (s), 0 to disable\n")
+{
+	struct mgcp_client_conf *conf = get_mgcp_client_config(vty);
+	struct mgcp_client *mgcp = get_mgcp_client(vty);
+
+	conf->keepalive.timeout_sec = atoi(argv[0]);
+
+	if (!mgcp)
+		return CMD_SUCCESS;
+
+	/* If client already exists, apply the change immediately if possible: */
+	mgcp->actual.keepalive.timeout_sec = atoi(argv[0]);
+	if (mgcp->wq.bfd.fd != -1) { /* UDP MGCP socket connected */
+		if (mgcp->actual.keepalive.timeout_sec > 0) /* Re-schedule: */
+			osmo_timer_schedule(&mgcp->keepalive_rx_timer, mgcp->actual.keepalive.timeout_sec, 0);
+		else if (osmo_timer_pending(&mgcp->keepalive_rx_timer))
+			osmo_timer_del(&mgcp->keepalive_rx_timer);
+	} /* else: wait until connect() to do first scheduling */
+
+	return CMD_SUCCESS;
+}
+
 static int config_write(struct vty *vty, const char *indent, struct mgcp_client_conf *conf)
 {
 	const char *addr;
@@ -317,6 +417,17 @@
 	llist_for_each_entry(reset_ep, &conf->reset_epnames, list)
 		vty_out(vty, "%s%sreset-endpoint %s%s", indent, mgw_prefix, reset_ep->name, VTY_NEWLINE);
 
+	if (conf->keepalive.req_interval_sec != 0)
+		vty_out(vty, "%s%skeepalive request-interval %u%s", indent, mgw_prefix,
+			conf->keepalive.req_interval_sec, VTY_NEWLINE);
+	if (strncmp(conf->keepalive.req_endpoint_name, MGCP_CLIENT_KEEPALIVE_DEFAULT_ENDP,
+		    sizeof(conf->keepalive.req_endpoint_name)) != 0)
+		vty_out(vty, "%s%skeepalive request-endpoint %s%s", indent,  mgw_prefix,
+			conf->keepalive.req_endpoint_name, VTY_NEWLINE);
+	if (conf->keepalive.timeout_sec != 0)
+		vty_out(vty, "%s%skeepalive timeout %u%s", indent,  mgw_prefix,
+			conf->keepalive.timeout_sec, VTY_NEWLINE);
+
 	return CMD_SUCCESS;
 }
 
@@ -347,6 +458,9 @@
 	install_lib_element(node, &cfg_mgw_mgw_endpoint_domain_name_cmd);
 	install_lib_element(node, &cfg_mgw_mgw_reset_ep_name_cmd);
 	install_lib_element(node, &cfg_mgw_mgw_no_reset_ep_name_cmd);
+	install_lib_element(node, &cfg_mgw_mgw_keepalive_req_interval_cmd);
+	install_lib_element(node, &cfg_mgw_mgw_keepalive_req_endpoint_cmd);
+	install_lib_element(node, &cfg_mgw_mgw_keepalive_timeout_cmd);
 
 	osmo_fsm_vty_add_cmds();
 }
@@ -553,8 +667,13 @@
 	}
 
 	llist_for_each_entry(pool_member, &global_mgcp_client_pool->member_list, list) {
+		const struct mgcp_client *cli = pool_member->client;
 		vty_out(vty, "%%  MGW %s%s", mgcp_client_pool_member_name(pool_member), VTY_NEWLINE);
-		vty_out(vty, "%%   mgcp-client:   %s%s", pool_member->client ? "connected" : "disconnected",
+		vty_out(vty, "%%   MGCP link:     %s,%s%s",
+			cli && cli->wq.bfd.fd != -1 ? "connected" : "disconnected",
+			cli && cli->conn_up ?
+				((cli->actual.keepalive.timeout_sec > 0) ? "UP" : "MAYBE") :
+				"DOWN",
 			VTY_NEWLINE);
 		vty_out(vty, "%%   service:       %s%s", pool_member->blocked ? "blocked" : "unblocked", VTY_NEWLINE);
 		vty_out(vty, "%%   ongoing calls: %u%s", pool_member->refcount, VTY_NEWLINE);
diff --git a/tests/mgcp_client/mgcp_client_test.err b/tests/mgcp_client/mgcp_client_test.err
index 0bf6d8f..22ad3cc 100644
--- a/tests/mgcp_client/mgcp_client_test.err
+++ b/tests/mgcp_client/mgcp_client_test.err
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 - cancel succeeds
 DLMGCP MGW(mgw) Canceled transaction 1
 - late response gets discarded
+DLMGCP MGW(mgw) MGCP link to MGW now considered UP
 DLMGCP MGW(mgw) MGCP client: Rx 200 1 OK
 DLMGCP MGW(mgw) Cannot find matching MGCP transaction for trans_id 1
 - canceling again does nothing