diff --git a/config/test.exs b/config/test.exs
index f5854ff802..279842bce6 100755
--- a/config/test.exs
+++ b/config/test.exs
@@ -136,6 +136,11 @@ config :archethic, Archethic.P2P.GeoPatch.GeoIP, MockGeoIP
 
 config :archethic, Archethic.P2P.BootstrappingSeeds, enabled: false
 
+config :archethic, Archethic.P2P.Client.Connection,
+  backoff_strategy: :static,
+  heartbeat_interval: 200,
+  reconnect_delay: 50
+
 config :archethic, Archethic.Mining.PendingTransactionValidation, validate_node_ip: true
 
 config :archethic, Archethic.Metrics.Poller, enabled: false
diff --git a/lib/archethic/p2p/client/connection.ex b/lib/archethic/p2p/client/connection.ex
index 32601d416b..97f59d4ae5 100644
--- a/lib/archethic/p2p/client/connection.ex
+++ b/lib/archethic/p2p/client/connection.ex
@@ -21,8 +21,22 @@ defmodule Archethic.P2P.Client.Connection do
   require Logger
 
   use GenStateMachine, callback_mode: [:handle_event_function, :state_enter], restart: :temporary
-  @vsn 1
+  @vsn 2
   @table_name :connection_status
+  @max_reconnect_delay :timer.hours(6)
+
+  @heartbeat_interval Keyword.get(
+                        Application.compile_env(:archethic, __MODULE__, []),
+                        :heartbeat_interval,
+                        10_000
+                      )
+  @reconnect_delay Keyword.get(
+                     Application.compile_env(:archethic, __MODULE__, []),
+                     :reconnect_delay,
+                     500
+                   )
+  # we cap the attemps to avoid doing 2 ** BIGNUM
+  @max_attempts (@max_reconnect_delay / @reconnect_delay) |> :math.log2() |> :math.ceil()
 
   @doc """
   Starts a new connection
@@ -59,6 +73,18 @@ defmodule Archethic.P2P.Client.Connection do
     end
   end
 
+  @doc """
+  When called, if disconnect, it will try to connect to socket
+  Noop if it's already connected
+
+  It's used when some node has been offline for a long time
+  It has connected to us so we know we can connect to it as well
+  """
+  @spec wake_up(Crypto.key()) :: :ok
+  def wake_up(public_key) do
+    GenStateMachine.cast(via_tuple(public_key), :wake_up)
+  end
+
   @doc """
   Get the availability timer and reset it with a new start time if it was already started
   """
@@ -102,7 +128,10 @@ defmodule Archethic.P2P.Client.Connection do
       request_id: 0,
       messages: %{},
       send_tasks: %{},
-      availability_timer: {nil, 0}
+      availability_timer: {nil, 0},
+      reconnect_attempts: 0,
+      heartbeats_sent: 0,
+      heartbeats_received: 0
     }
 
     {:ok, :initializing, data, [{:next_event, :internal, {:connect, from}}]}
@@ -190,7 +219,7 @@ defmodule Archethic.P2P.Client.Connection do
       end)
 
     # Reconnect with backoff
-    actions = [{{:timeout, :reconnect}, 500, nil} | actions]
+    actions = [{{:timeout, :reconnect}, backoff(data.reconnect_attempts), nil} | actions]
     {:keep_state, new_data, actions}
   end
 
@@ -204,7 +233,11 @@ defmodule Archethic.P2P.Client.Connection do
 
     # Start availability timer
     new_data =
-      Map.update!(data, :availability_timer, fn
+      data
+      |> Map.put(:reconnect_attempts, 0)
+      |> Map.put(:heartbeats_sent, 0)
+      |> Map.put(:heartbeats_received, 0)
+      |> Map.update!(:availability_timer, fn
         {nil, time} ->
           {System.monotonic_time(:second), time}
 
@@ -212,12 +245,13 @@ defmodule Archethic.P2P.Client.Connection do
           timer
       end)
 
+    Process.send_after(self(), :heartbeat, @heartbeat_interval)
+
     {:keep_state, new_data}
   end
 
   def handle_event(:enter, _old_state, :initializing, _data), do: :keep_state_and_data
   def handle_event(:enter, _old_state, :disconnected, _data), do: :keep_state_and_data
-  def handle_event(:enter, _old_state, {:connected, _socket}, _data), do: :keep_state_and_data
 
   # called from the :disconnected or :initializing state
   def handle_event(
@@ -258,9 +292,11 @@ defmodule Archethic.P2P.Client.Connection do
   end
 
   # this message is used to delay next connection attempt
-  def handle_event({:timeout, :reconnect}, _event_data, _state, _data) do
+  def handle_event({:timeout, :reconnect}, _event_data, _state, data) do
     actions = [{:next_event, :internal, {:connect, nil}}]
-    {:keep_state_and_data, actions}
+
+    new_data = Map.update!(data, :reconnect_attempts, &min(@max_attempts, &1 + 1))
+    {:keep_state, new_data, actions}
   end
 
   def handle_event(
@@ -273,6 +309,25 @@ defmodule Archethic.P2P.Client.Connection do
     :keep_state_and_data
   end
 
+  def handle_event(
+        :cast,
+        :wake_up,
+        :disconnected,
+        data
+      ) do
+    actions = [{:next_event, :internal, {:connect, nil}}]
+    {:keep_state, %{data | reconnect_attempts: 0}, actions}
+  end
+
+  def handle_event(
+        :cast,
+        :wake_up,
+        _,
+        _data
+      ) do
+    :keep_state_and_data
+  end
+
   def handle_event(
         :cast,
         {:send_message, ref, from, message, timeout},
@@ -381,6 +436,36 @@ defmodule Archethic.P2P.Client.Connection do
     end
   end
 
+  def handle_event(
+        :info,
+        :heartbeat,
+        {:connected, socket},
+        data = %{
+          transport: transport,
+          heartbeats_sent: heartbeats_sent,
+          heartbeats_received: heartbeats_received
+        }
+      ) do
+    # disconnect if missed more than 2 heartbeats
+    if heartbeats_sent - heartbeats_received >= 2 do
+      transport.handle_close(socket)
+      {:next_state, :disconnected, data}
+    else
+      transport.handle_send(socket, "hb")
+      Process.send_after(self(), :heartbeat, @heartbeat_interval)
+      {:keep_state, %{data | heartbeats_sent: heartbeats_sent + 1}}
+    end
+  end
+
+  def handle_event(
+        :info,
+        :heartbeat,
+        _state,
+        _data
+      ) do
+    :keep_state_and_data
+  end
+
   def handle_event(:info, {ref, :ok}, {:connected, _socket}, data = %{send_tasks: send_tasks}) do
     case Map.pop(send_tasks, ref) do
       {nil, _} ->
@@ -440,13 +525,13 @@ defmodule Archethic.P2P.Client.Connection do
 
   # Task.async sending us the result of the handle_connect
   def handle_event(:info, {_ref, {:error, _reason, nil}}, _, data) do
-    actions = [{{:timeout, :reconnect}, 500, nil}]
+    actions = [{{:timeout, :reconnect}, backoff(data.reconnect_attempts), nil}]
     {:next_state, :disconnected, data, actions}
   end
 
   def handle_event(:info, {_ref, {:error, reason, from}}, _, data) do
     send(from, {:error, reason})
-    actions = [{{:timeout, :reconnect}, 500, nil}]
+    actions = [{{:timeout, :reconnect}, backoff(data.reconnect_attempts), nil}]
     {:next_state, :disconnected, data, actions}
   end
 
@@ -456,7 +541,8 @@ defmodule Archethic.P2P.Client.Connection do
         {:connected, _socket},
         data = %{
           transport: transport,
-          node_public_key: node_public_key
+          node_public_key: node_public_key,
+          heartbeats_received: heartbeats_received
         }
       ) do
     case transport.handle_message(event) do
@@ -467,6 +553,9 @@ defmodule Archethic.P2P.Client.Connection do
 
         {:next_state, :disconnected, data}
 
+      {:ok, "hb"} ->
+        {:keep_state, %{data | heartbeats_received: heartbeats_received + 1}}
+
       {:ok, msg} ->
         set_node_connected(node_public_key)
 
@@ -540,5 +629,28 @@ defmodule Archethic.P2P.Client.Connection do
     :ets.delete(@table_name, node_public_key)
   end
 
+  def code_change(1, state, data, _extra) do
+    {:ok, state,
+     data
+     |> Map.merge(%{
+       reconnect_attempts: 0,
+       heartbeats_sent: 0,
+       heartbeats_received: 0
+     })}
+  end
+
   def code_change(_old_vsn, state, data, _extra), do: {:ok, state, data}
+
+  defp backoff(attempts) do
+    config = Application.get_env(:archethic, __MODULE__, [])
+
+    case Keyword.get(config, :backoff_strategy, :exponential) do
+      :static ->
+        @reconnect_delay
+
+      :exponential ->
+        # cap at a few hours
+        min(@max_reconnect_delay, 2 ** attempts * @reconnect_delay)
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/lib/archethic/p2p/client/transport.ex b/lib/archethic/p2p/client/transport.ex
index 4e9dc5b615..37a84d4c5f 100644
--- a/lib/archethic/p2p/client/transport.ex
+++ b/lib/archethic/p2p/client/transport.ex
@@ -4,4 +4,5 @@ defmodule Archethic.P2P.Client.Transport do
   @callback handle_connect(:inet.ip_address(), :inet.port_number()) :: {:ok, :inet.socket()}
   @callback handle_message(tuple()) :: {:ok, binary()} | {:error, :closed} | {:error, any()}
   @callback handle_send(:inet.socket(), binary()) :: :ok
+  @callback handle_close(:inet.socket()) :: :ok
 end
diff --git a/lib/archethic/p2p/client/transport/tcp_impl.ex b/lib/archethic/p2p/client/transport/tcp_impl.ex
index f4d1c0144b..d1bab0a019 100644
--- a/lib/archethic/p2p/client/transport/tcp_impl.ex
+++ b/lib/archethic/p2p/client/transport/tcp_impl.ex
@@ -20,6 +20,11 @@ defmodule Archethic.P2P.Client.Transport.TCPImpl do
     :gen_tcp.connect(ip, port, @options, 4000)
   end
 
+  @impl Transport
+  def handle_close(socket) do
+    :gen_tcp.close(socket)
+  end
+
   @impl Transport
   def handle_message({:tcp, socket, data}) do
     :inet.setopts(socket, active: :once)
diff --git a/lib/archethic/p2p/listener_protocol.ex b/lib/archethic/p2p/listener_protocol.ex
index 4c98945228..1dacd951d1 100644
--- a/lib/archethic/p2p/listener_protocol.ex
+++ b/lib/archethic/p2p/listener_protocol.ex
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ defmodule Archethic.P2P.ListenerProtocol do
 
   alias Archethic.Crypto
   alias Archethic.P2P
+  alias Archethic.P2P.Client.Connection
   alias Archethic.P2P.Message
   alias Archethic.P2P.MessageEnvelop
   alias Archethic.TaskSupervisor
@@ -35,6 +36,19 @@ defmodule Archethic.P2P.ListenerProtocol do
     })
   end
 
+  def handle_info(
+        {_transport, socket, "hb"},
+        state = %{transport: transport}
+      ) do
+    :inet.setopts(socket, active: :once)
+
+    Task.Supervisor.start_child(TaskSupervisor, fn ->
+      transport.send(socket, "hb")
+    end)
+
+    {:noreply, state}
+  end
+
   def handle_info(
         {_transport, socket, err},
         state = %{transport: transport, ip: ip}
@@ -45,6 +59,7 @@ defmodule Archethic.P2P.ListenerProtocol do
     end
 
     transport.close(socket)
+
     {:noreply, state}
   end
 
@@ -84,6 +99,9 @@ defmodule Archethic.P2P.ListenerProtocol do
           )
 
         if valid_signature? do
+          # we may attempt to wakeup a connection that offline
+          Connection.wake_up(sender_pkey)
+
           message
           |> process_msg(sender_pkey)
           |> encode_response(message_id, sender_pkey)
diff --git a/test/archethic/p2p/client/connection_test.exs b/test/archethic/p2p/client/connection_test.exs
index e3cc0bf040..28234b1a07 100644
--- a/test/archethic/p2p/client/connection_test.exs
+++ b/test/archethic/p2p/client/connection_test.exs
@@ -14,6 +14,12 @@ defmodule Archethic.P2P.Client.ConnectionTest do
 
   alias Archethic.Utils
 
+  @heartbeat_interval Keyword.get(
+                        Application.compile_env(:archethic, Connection, []),
+                        :heartbeat_interval,
+                        10_000
+                      )
+
   test "start_link/1 should open a socket and a connection worker and initialize the backlog and lookup tables" do
     {:ok, pid} =
       Connection.start_link(
@@ -83,6 +89,10 @@ defmodule Archethic.P2P.Client.ConnectionTest do
           {:error, :timeout}
         end
 
+        def handle_close(_socket) do
+          :ok
+        end
+
         def handle_send(_socket, <<0::32, _rest::bitstring>>), do: :ok
 
         def handle_message({_, _, _}), do: {:error, :closed}
@@ -118,6 +128,10 @@ defmodule Archethic.P2P.Client.ConnectionTest do
           {:error, :timeout}
         end
 
+        def handle_close(_socket) do
+          :ok
+        end
+
         def handle_send(_socket, <<0::32, _rest::bitstring>>), do: :ok
 
         def handle_message({_, _, _}), do: {:error, :closed}
@@ -166,7 +180,11 @@ defmodule Archethic.P2P.Client.ConnectionTest do
           {:ok, make_ref()}
         end
 
-        def handle_send(_socket, <<0::32, _rest::bitstring>>), do: :ok
+        def handle_close(_socket) do
+          :ok
+        end
+
+        def handle_send(_socket, _), do: :ok
 
         def handle_message({_, _, _}), do: {:error, :closed}
       end
@@ -268,6 +286,10 @@ defmodule Archethic.P2P.Client.ConnectionTest do
           {:ok, make_ref()}
         end
 
+        def handle_close(_socket) do
+          :ok
+        end
+
         def handle_send(_socket, <<0::32, _rest::bitstring>>), do: :ok
         def handle_send(_socket, <<_::32, _rest::bitstring>>), do: {:error, :closed}
 
@@ -334,6 +356,10 @@ defmodule Archethic.P2P.Client.ConnectionTest do
           end
         end
 
+        def handle_close(_socket) do
+          :ok
+        end
+
         def handle_send(_socket, <<0::32, _rest::bitstring>>), do: :ok
 
         def handle_send(_socket, <<_::32, _rest::bitstring>>) do
@@ -555,6 +581,64 @@ defmodule Archethic.P2P.Client.ConnectionTest do
     end
   end
 
+  describe "Stale detection" do
+    test "should change state to disconnected once a few heartbeats are missed" do
+      defmodule MockTransportStale do
+        alias Archethic.P2P.Client.Transport
+
+        @behaviour Transport
+
+        def handle_connect({127, 0, 0, 1}, _port) do
+          conn_count = :persistent_term.get(:conn_count, 0)
+          :persistent_term.put(:conn_count, conn_count + 1)
+
+          if conn_count == 0 do
+            {:ok, make_ref()}
+          else
+            {:error, :timeout}
+          end
+        end
+
+        def handle_close(_socket) do
+          :persistent_term.put(:transport_closed, true)
+          :ok
+        end
+
+        def handle_send(_socket, "hb") do
+          hb_count = :persistent_term.get(:hb_count, 0)
+          :persistent_term.put(:hb_count, hb_count + 1)
+
+          # become stale after 5 hbs
+          if hb_count <= 5 do
+            send(self(), {:tcp, make_ref(), "hb"})
+          end
+
+          :ok
+        end
+
+        def handle_send(_socket, _), do: :ok
+
+        def handle_message({_, _, data}), do: {:ok, data}
+      end
+
+      {:ok, pid} =
+        Connection.start_link(
+          transport: MockTransportStale,
+          ip: {127, 0, 0, 1},
+          port: 3000,
+          node_public_key: Crypto.first_node_public_key()
+        )
+
+      Process.sleep(@heartbeat_interval * 5)
+      assert {{:connected, _}, _} = :sys.get_state(pid)
+
+      Process.sleep(@heartbeat_interval * 5)
+      assert {:disconnected, _} = :sys.get_state(pid)
+
+      assert :persistent_term.get(:transport_closed)
+    end
+  end
+
   defmodule MockTransport do
     alias Archethic.P2P.Client.Transport
 
@@ -564,6 +648,15 @@ defmodule Archethic.P2P.Client.ConnectionTest do
       {:ok, make_ref()}
     end
 
+    def handle_close(_socket) do
+      :ok
+    end
+
+    def handle_send(_socket, "hb") do
+      send(self(), {:tcp, make_ref(), "hb"})
+      :ok
+    end
+
     def handle_send(_socket, _data), do: :ok
 
     def handle_message({_, _, data}), do: {:ok, data}
@@ -578,7 +671,11 @@ defmodule Archethic.P2P.Client.ConnectionTest do
       {:ok, make_ref()}
     end
 
-    def handle_send(_socket, <<0::32, _rest::bitstring>>), do: :ok
+    def handle_close(_socket) do
+      :ok
+    end
+
+    def handle_send(_socket, _), do: :ok
 
     def handle_message({_, _, _}), do: {:error, :closed}
   end