diff --git a/pkg/network/helper_test.go b/pkg/network/helper_test.go
index 0c6bd9281..3f76a5b30 100644
--- a/pkg/network/helper_test.go
+++ b/pkg/network/helper_test.go
@@ -225,8 +225,9 @@ func (p *localPeer) HandleVersionAck() error {
 	p.handshaked = true
 	return nil
 }
-func (p *localPeer) SendPing() error {
+func (p *localPeer) SendPing(m *Message) error {
 	p.pingSent++
+	_ = p.EnqueueMessage(m)
 	return nil
 }
 func (p *localPeer) HandlePong(pong *payload.Ping) error {
diff --git a/pkg/network/peer.go b/pkg/network/peer.go
index 9f2443d0c..332a4f99a 100644
--- a/pkg/network/peer.go
+++ b/pkg/network/peer.go
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ type Peer interface {
 	// SendPing enqueues a ping message to be sent to the peer and does
 	// appropriate protocol handling like timeouts and outstanding pings
 	// management.
-	SendPing() error
+	SendPing(*Message) error
 	// SendVersion checks handshake status and sends a version message to
 	// the peer.
 	SendVersion() error
diff --git a/pkg/network/server.go b/pkg/network/server.go
index c1407742f..89357d632 100644
--- a/pkg/network/server.go
+++ b/pkg/network/server.go
@@ -66,8 +66,6 @@ type (
 		quit       chan struct{}
 
 		connected *atomic.Bool
-		// Time of the last block receival.
-		lastBlockTS *atomic.Int64
 
 		log *zap.Logger
 	}
@@ -100,7 +98,6 @@ func NewServer(config ServerConfig, chain core.Blockchainer, log *zap.Logger) (*
 		unregister:   make(chan peerDrop),
 		peers:        make(map[Peer]bool),
 		connected:    atomic.NewBool(false),
-		lastBlockTS:  atomic.NewInt64(0),
 		log:          log,
 	}
 
@@ -195,7 +192,10 @@ func (s *Server) BadPeers() []string {
 	return []string{}
 }
 
+// run is a goroutine that starts another goroutine to manage protocol specifics
+// while itself dealing with peers management (handling connects/disconnects).
 func (s *Server) run() {
+	go s.runProto()
 	for {
 		if s.PeerCount() < s.MinPeers {
 			s.discovery.RequestRemote(s.AttemptConnPeers)
@@ -254,6 +254,26 @@ func (s *Server) run() {
 	}
 }
 
+// runProto is a goroutine that manages server-wide protocol events.
+func (s *Server) runProto() {
+	pingTimer := time.NewTimer(s.PingInterval)
+	for {
+		prevHeight := s.chain.BlockHeight()
+		select {
+		case <-s.quit:
+			return
+		case <-pingTimer.C:
+			if s.chain.BlockHeight() == prevHeight {
+				// Get a copy of s.peers to avoid holding a lock while sending.
+				for peer := range s.Peers() {
+					_ = peer.SendPing(s.MkMsg(CMDPing, payload.NewPing(s.id, s.chain.HeaderHeight())))
+				}
+			}
+			pingTimer.Reset(s.PingInterval)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func (s *Server) tryStartConsensus() {
 	if s.Wallet == nil || s.connected.Load() {
 		return
@@ -359,7 +379,6 @@ func (s *Server) handleHeadersCmd(p Peer, headers *payload.Headers) {
 
 // handleBlockCmd processes the received block received from its peer.
 func (s *Server) handleBlockCmd(p Peer, block *block.Block) error {
-	s.lastBlockTS.Store(time.Now().UTC().Unix())
 	return s.bQueue.putBlock(block)
 }
 
@@ -663,12 +682,6 @@ func (s *Server) handleNewPayload(p *consensus.Payload) {
 	s.broadcastHPMessage(msg)
 }
 
-// getLastBlockTime returns unix timestamp for the moment when the last block
-// was received.
-func (s *Server) getLastBlockTime() int64 {
-	return s.lastBlockTS.Load()
-}
-
 func (s *Server) requestTx(hashes ...util.Uint256) {
 	if len(hashes) == 0 {
 		return
diff --git a/pkg/network/tcp_peer.go b/pkg/network/tcp_peer.go
index 096966359..1dfbbcc44 100644
--- a/pkg/network/tcp_peer.go
+++ b/pkg/network/tcp_peer.go
@@ -202,11 +202,6 @@ func (p *TCPPeer) StartProtocol() {
 			// Try to sync in headers and block with the peer if his block height is higher then ours.
 			if p.LastBlockIndex() > p.server.chain.BlockHeight() {
 				err = p.server.requestBlocks(p)
-			} else {
-				diff := time.Now().UTC().Unix() - p.server.getLastBlockTime()
-				if diff > int64(p.server.PingInterval/time.Second) {
-					err = p.SendPing()
-				}
 			}
 			if err == nil {
 				timer.Reset(p.server.ProtoTickInterval)
@@ -340,7 +335,10 @@ func (p *TCPPeer) LastBlockIndex() uint32 {
 
 // SendPing sends a ping message to the peer and does appropriate accounting of
 // outstanding pings and timeouts.
-func (p *TCPPeer) SendPing() error {
+func (p *TCPPeer) SendPing(msg *Message) error {
+	if !p.Handshaked() {
+		return errStateMismatch
+	}
 	p.lock.Lock()
 	p.pingSent++
 	if p.pingTimer == nil {
@@ -349,7 +347,7 @@ func (p *TCPPeer) SendPing() error {
 		})
 	}
 	p.lock.Unlock()
-	return p.EnqueueMessage(p.server.MkMsg(CMDPing, payload.NewPing(p.server.id, p.server.chain.HeaderHeight())))
+	return p.EnqueueMessage(msg)
 }
 
 // HandlePong handles a pong message received from the peer and does appropriate