diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b729d10..080b65d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -35,3 +35,4 @@ If you absolutly must, use the non-buffered plugin (we really recommend using th
 * **endpoint_url** the url to Logz.io input where `xxx-xxxx...` is your Logz.io access token, and `my_type` is the type of your logs in logz.io
 * **output_include_time** should the appender add a timestamp to your logs on their process time. (recommended)
 * **output_include_tags** should the appender add the fluentd tag to the document, called "fluentd_tag"
+* **http_idle_timeout** timeout in seconds that the http persistent connection will stay open without traffic
diff --git a/lib/fluent/plugin/out_logzio_buffered.rb b/lib/fluent/plugin/out_logzio_buffered.rb
index 52c9532..0c3115f 100644
--- a/lib/fluent/plugin/out_logzio_buffered.rb
+++ b/lib/fluent/plugin/out_logzio_buffered.rb
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ class LogzioOutputBuffered < Fluent::BufferedOutput
     config_param :output_include_time, :bool, default: true
     config_param :output_include_tags, :bool, default: true
     config_param :retry_count, :integer, default: 3 # How many times to resend failed bulks. Undocumented because not suppose to be changed
+    config_param :http_idle_timeout, :integer, default: 5
 
     unless method_defined?(:log)
       define_method('log') { $log }
@@ -21,6 +22,8 @@ def start
       @uri = URI @endpoint_url
       @http = Net::HTTP::Persistent.new 'fluent-plugin-logzio', :ENV
       @http.headers['Content-Type'] = 'text/plain'
+      @http.idle_timeout = @http_idle_timeout
+      @http.socket_options << [Socket::SOL_SOCKET, Socket::SO_KEEPALIVE, 1]
       $log.debug "Started logzio shipper.."
     end