diff --git a/src/viam/sessions_client.py b/src/viam/sessions_client.py
index 7ceef8740..b8ab6c2d1 100644
--- a/src/viam/sessions_client.py
+++ b/src/viam/sessions_client.py
@@ -35,12 +35,6 @@ def loop_kwargs():
         return {"loop": asyncio.get_running_loop()}
     return {}
 
-
-async def delay(coro, seconds):
-    await asyncio.sleep(seconds, **loop_kwargs())
-    await coro
-
-
 class SessionsClient:
     """
     A Session allows a client to express that it is actively connected and
@@ -116,10 +110,22 @@ async def metadata(self) -> _MetadataLike:
                 self._heartbeat_interval = response.heartbeat_window.ToTimedelta()
                 self._current_id = response.id
 
+        # tick once to ensure heartbeats are supported
         await self._heartbeat_tick()
 
+        if self._supported:
+            # We send heartbeats slightly faster than the interval window to
+            # ensure that we don't fall outside of it and expire the session.
+            wait = self._heartbeat_interval.total_seconds() / 5
+            asyncio.create_task(self._heartbeat_task(wait), name=f"{_TASK_PREFIX}-heartbeat")
+
         return self._metadata
 
+    async def _heartbeat_task(self, wait: float):
+        while self._supported:
+            await asyncio.sleep(wait)
+            await self._heartbeat_tick()
+
     async def _heartbeat_tick(self):
         if not self._supported:
             return
@@ -139,10 +145,6 @@ async def _heartbeat_tick(self):
             self.reset()
         else:
             LOGGER.debug("Sent heartbeat successfully")
-            # We send heartbeats slightly faster than the interval window to
-            # ensure that we don't fall outside of it and expire the session.
-            wait = self._heartbeat_interval.total_seconds() / 5
-            asyncio.create_task(delay(self._heartbeat_tick(), wait), name=f"{_TASK_PREFIX}-heartbeat")
 
     @property
     def _metadata(self) -> _MetadataLike: