diff --git a/src/main/java/software/amazon/awssdk/crt/io/SocketOptions.java b/src/main/java/software/amazon/awssdk/crt/io/SocketOptions.java
index 3a8db3e18..f588f5e0d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/software/amazon/awssdk/crt/io/SocketOptions.java
+++ b/src/main/java/software/amazon/awssdk/crt/io/SocketOptions.java
@@ -88,6 +88,11 @@ int getValue() {
      */
     public int keepAliveTimeoutSecs = 0;
 
+    /**
+     * If true, enables periodic transmits of keepalive messages for detecting a disconnected peer.
+     */
+    public boolean keepAlive = false;
+
     /**
      * Creates a new set of socket options
      */
@@ -103,7 +108,8 @@ public long getNativeHandle() {
                 type.getValue(),
                 connectTimeoutMs,
                 keepAliveIntervalSecs,
-                keepAliveTimeoutSecs
+                keepAliveTimeoutSecs,
+                keepAlive
             ));
         }
         return super.getNativeHandle();
@@ -129,7 +135,7 @@ protected void releaseNativeHandle() {
     /*******************************************************************************
      * native methods
      ******************************************************************************/
-    private static native long socketOptionsNew(int domain, int type, int connectTimeoutMs, int keepAliveIntervalSecs, int keepAliveTimeoutSecs);
+    private static native long socketOptionsNew(int domain, int type, int connectTimeoutMs, int keepAliveIntervalSecs, int keepAliveTimeoutSecs, boolean keepAlive);
 
     private static native void socketOptionsDestroy(long elg);
 };
diff --git a/src/native/socket_options.c b/src/native/socket_options.c
index 4b6fbf2b7..67a6031c3 100644
--- a/src/native/socket_options.c
+++ b/src/native/socket_options.c
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ jlong JNICALL Java_software_amazon_awssdk_crt_io_SocketOptions_socketOptionsNew(
     jint type,
     jint connect_timeout_ms,
     jint keep_alive_interval_secs,
-    jint keep_alive_timeout_secs) {
+    jint keep_alive_timeout_secs,
+    jboolean keep_alive) {
     (void)jni_class;
     aws_cache_jni_ids(env);
 
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@ jlong JNICALL Java_software_amazon_awssdk_crt_io_SocketOptions_socketOptionsNew(
     options->connect_timeout_ms = connect_timeout_ms;
     options->keep_alive_interval_sec = (short)keep_alive_interval_secs;
     options->keep_alive_timeout_sec = (short)keep_alive_timeout_secs;
+    options->keepalive = keep_alive;
 
     return (jlong)options;
 }