diff --git a/client.go b/client.go
index 3bef8a8..aada70d 100644
--- a/client.go
+++ b/client.go
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/antoniomika/syncmap"
 )
 
-func NewClient(ID string, rw io.ReadWriter, direction ChannelDirection, blockWrite, replay bool) *Client {
+func NewClient(ID string, rw io.ReadWriter, direction ChannelDirection, blockWrite, replay, keepAlive bool) *Client {
 	return &Client{
 		ID:         ID,
 		ReadWriter: rw,
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ func NewClient(ID string, rw io.ReadWriter, direction ChannelDirection, blockWri
 		Data:       make(chan ChannelMessage),
 		Replay:     replay,
 		BlockWrite: blockWrite,
+		KeepAlive:  keepAlive,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -30,6 +31,7 @@ type Client struct {
 	Data       chan ChannelMessage
 	Replay     bool
 	BlockWrite bool
+	KeepAlive  bool
 	once       sync.Once
 	onceData   sync.Once
 }
diff --git a/cmd/authorized_keys/main.go b/cmd/authorized_keys/main.go
index 2cdadcf..8c082d3 100644
--- a/cmd/authorized_keys/main.go
+++ b/cmd/authorized_keys/main.go
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ func PubSubMiddleware(cfg *pubsub.Cfg) wish.Middleware {
 
 				clientID := uuid.NewString()
 
-				err := errors.Join(cfg.PubSub.Sub(sesh.Context(), clientID, sesh, chans))
+				err := errors.Join(cfg.PubSub.Sub(sesh.Context(), clientID, sesh, chans, args[len(args)-1] == "keepalive"))
 				if err != nil {
 					logger.Error("error during pub", slog.Any("error", err), slog.String("client", clientID))
 				}
diff --git a/connector.go b/connector.go
index 68cf81a..450e2e3 100644
--- a/connector.go
+++ b/connector.go
@@ -72,7 +72,9 @@ func (b *BaseConnector) Connect(client *Client, channels []*Channel) (error, err
 
 			if count == 0 {
 				for _, cl := range dataChannel.GetClients() {
-					cl.Cleanup()
+					if !cl.KeepAlive {
+						cl.Cleanup()
+					}
 				}
 			}
 
diff --git a/multicast.go b/multicast.go
index 6578d7b..fd32eab 100644
--- a/multicast.go
+++ b/multicast.go
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ func (p *PubSubMulticast) GetSubs() iter.Seq2[string, *Client] {
 	return p.getClients(ChannelDirectionOutput)
 }
 
-func (p *PubSubMulticast) connect(ctx context.Context, ID string, rw io.ReadWriter, channels []*Channel, direction ChannelDirection, blockWrite bool, replay bool) (error, error) {
-	client := NewClient(ID, rw, direction, blockWrite, replay)
+func (p *PubSubMulticast) connect(ctx context.Context, ID string, rw io.ReadWriter, channels []*Channel, direction ChannelDirection, blockWrite bool, replay, keepAlive bool) (error, error) {
+	client := NewClient(ID, rw, direction, blockWrite, replay, keepAlive)
 
 	go func() {
 		<-ctx.Done()
@@ -47,15 +47,15 @@ func (p *PubSubMulticast) connect(ctx context.Context, ID string, rw io.ReadWrit
 }
 
 func (p *PubSubMulticast) Pipe(ctx context.Context, ID string, rw io.ReadWriter, channels []*Channel, replay bool) (error, error) {
-	return p.connect(ctx, ID, rw, channels, ChannelDirectionInputOutput, false, replay)
+	return p.connect(ctx, ID, rw, channels, ChannelDirectionInputOutput, false, replay, false)
 }
 
 func (p *PubSubMulticast) Pub(ctx context.Context, ID string, rw io.ReadWriter, channels []*Channel) error {
-	return errors.Join(p.connect(ctx, ID, rw, channels, ChannelDirectionInput, true, false))
+	return errors.Join(p.connect(ctx, ID, rw, channels, ChannelDirectionInput, true, false, false))
 }
 
-func (p *PubSubMulticast) Sub(ctx context.Context, ID string, rw io.ReadWriter, channels []*Channel) error {
-	return errors.Join(p.connect(ctx, ID, rw, channels, ChannelDirectionOutput, false, false))
+func (p *PubSubMulticast) Sub(ctx context.Context, ID string, rw io.ReadWriter, channels []*Channel, keepAlive bool) error {
+	return errors.Join(p.connect(ctx, ID, rw, channels, ChannelDirectionOutput, false, false, keepAlive))
 }
 
 var _ PubSub = (*PubSubMulticast)(nil)
diff --git a/multicast_test.go b/multicast_test.go
index 3ddb3c0..dea572f 100644
--- a/multicast_test.go
+++ b/multicast_test.go
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ func TestMulticastSubBlock(t *testing.T) {
 	go func() {
 		orderActual += "sub-"
 		syncer <- 0
-		fmt.Println(cast.Sub(context.TODO(), "1", actual, []*Channel{channel}))
+		fmt.Println(cast.Sub(context.TODO(), "1", actual, []*Channel{channel}, false))
 		wg.Done()
 	}()
 
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ func TestMulticastPubBlock(t *testing.T) {
 	go func() {
 		orderActual += "sub-"
 		wg.Done()
-		fmt.Println(cast.Sub(context.TODO(), "2", actual, []*Channel{channel}))
+		fmt.Println(cast.Sub(context.TODO(), "2", actual, []*Channel{channel}, false))
 	}()
 
 	wg.Wait()
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ func TestMulticastMultSubs(t *testing.T) {
 	go func() {
 		orderActual += "sub-"
 		syncer <- 0
-		fmt.Println(cast.Sub(context.TODO(), "1", actual, []*Channel{channel}))
+		fmt.Println(cast.Sub(context.TODO(), "1", actual, []*Channel{channel}, false))
 		wg.Done()
 	}()
 
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ func TestMulticastMultSubs(t *testing.T) {
 	go func() {
 		orderActual += "sub-"
 		syncer <- 0
-		fmt.Println(cast.Sub(context.TODO(), "2", actualOther, []*Channel{channel}))
+		fmt.Println(cast.Sub(context.TODO(), "2", actualOther, []*Channel{channel}, false))
 		wg.Done()
 	}()
 
diff --git a/pubsub.go b/pubsub.go
index 8a587cf..54c8ea5 100644
--- a/pubsub.go
+++ b/pubsub.go
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ type PubSub interface {
 	GetSubs() iter.Seq2[string, *Client]
 	GetPipes() iter.Seq2[string, *Client]
 	Pipe(ctx context.Context, ID string, rw io.ReadWriter, channels []*Channel, replay bool) (error, error)
-	Sub(ctx context.Context, ID string, rw io.ReadWriter, channels []*Channel) error
+	Sub(ctx context.Context, ID string, rw io.ReadWriter, channels []*Channel, keepAlive bool) error
 	Pub(ctx context.Context, ID string, rw io.ReadWriter, channels []*Channel) error
 }