diff --git a/backend/app/api/handlers/v1/controller.go b/backend/app/api/handlers/v1/controller.go
index 25f6aab..eb60212 100644
--- a/backend/app/api/handlers/v1/controller.go
+++ b/backend/app/api/handlers/v1/controller.go
@@ -2,8 +2,9 @@
 package v1
 
 import (
-	"fmt"
+	"encoding/json"
 	"net/http"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
 	"github.com/hay-kot/homebox/backend/internal/core/services"
@@ -144,6 +145,10 @@ func (ctrl *V1Controller) HandleCurrency() errchain.HandlerFunc {
 }
 
 func (ctrl *V1Controller) HandleCacheWS() errchain.HandlerFunc {
+	type eventMsg struct {
+		Event string `json:"event"`
+	}
+
 	m := melody.New()
 
 	m.HandleConnect(func(s *melody.Session) {
@@ -159,9 +164,15 @@ func (ctrl *V1Controller) HandleCacheWS() errchain.HandlerFunc {
 				return
 			}
 
-			jsonStr := fmt.Sprintf(`{"event": "%s"}`, e)
+			msg := &eventMsg{Event: e}
 
-			_ = m.BroadcastFilter([]byte(jsonStr), func(s *melody.Session) bool {
+			jsonBytes, err := json.Marshal(msg)
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Log().Msgf("error marshling event data %v: %v", data, err)
+				return
+			}
+
+			_ = m.BroadcastFilter(jsonBytes, func(s *melody.Session) bool {
 				groupIDStr, ok := s.Get("gid")
 				if !ok {
 					return false
@@ -177,6 +188,25 @@ func (ctrl *V1Controller) HandleCacheWS() errchain.HandlerFunc {
 	ctrl.bus.Subscribe(eventbus.EventLocationMutation, factory("location.mutation"))
 	ctrl.bus.Subscribe(eventbus.EventItemMutation, factory("item.mutation"))
 
+	// Persistent asynchronous ticker that keeps all websocket connections alive with periodic pings.
+	go func() {
+		const interval = 10 * time.Second
+
+		ping := time.NewTicker(interval)
+		defer ping.Stop()
+
+		for range ping.C {
+			msg := &eventMsg{Event: "ping"}
+
+			pingBytes, err := json.Marshal(msg)
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Log().Msgf("error marshaling ping: %v", err)
+			} else {
+				_ = m.Broadcast(pingBytes)
+			}
+		}
+	}()
+
 	return func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) error {
 		return m.HandleRequest(w, r)
 	}