diff --git a/daphne/cli.py b/daphne/cli.py
index ae301eb..57724ef 100755
--- a/daphne/cli.py
+++ b/daphne/cli.py
@@ -73,6 +73,12 @@ class CommandLineInterface(object):
             help='The number of seconds a WebSocket must be idle before a keepalive ping is sent',
             default=20,
         )
+        self.parser.add_argument(
+            '--ping-timeout',
+            type=int,
+            help='The number of seconds before a WeSocket is closed if no response to a keepalive ping',
+            default=30,
+        )
         self.parser.add_argument(
             'channel_layer',
             help='The ASGI channel layer instance to use as path.to.module:instance.path',
@@ -143,6 +149,7 @@ class CommandLineInterface(object):
             file_descriptor=args.file_descriptor,
             http_timeout=args.http_timeout,
             ping_interval=args.ping_interval,
+            ping_timeout=args.ping_timeout,
             action_logger=AccessLogGenerator(access_log_stream) if access_log_stream else None,
             ws_protocols=args.ws_protocols,
             root_path=args.root_path,
diff --git a/daphne/http_protocol.py b/daphne/http_protocol.py
index 4171886..f3e7d62 100755
--- a/daphne/http_protocol.py
+++ b/daphne/http_protocol.py
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ class HTTPFactory(http.HTTPFactory):
 
     protocol = HTTPProtocol
 
-    def __init__(self, channel_layer, action_logger=None, timeout=120, websocket_timeout=86400, ping_interval=20, ws_protocols=None, root_path=""):
+    def __init__(self, channel_layer, action_logger=None, timeout=120, websocket_timeout=86400, ping_interval=20, ping_timeout=30, ws_protocols=None, root_path=""):
         http.HTTPFactory.__init__(self)
         self.channel_layer = channel_layer
         self.action_logger = action_logger
@@ -287,6 +287,7 @@ class HTTPFactory(http.HTTPFactory):
         self.reply_protocols = {}
         # Make a factory for WebSocket protocols
         self.ws_factory = WebSocketFactory(self, protocols=ws_protocols)
+        self.ws_factory.setProtocolOptions(autoPingTimeout=ping_timeout)
         self.ws_factory.protocol = WebSocketProtocol
         self.ws_factory.reply_protocols = self.reply_protocols
         self.root_path = root_path
diff --git a/daphne/server.py b/daphne/server.py
index bd6335d..e13276e 100755
--- a/daphne/server.py
+++ b/daphne/server.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ class Server(object):
         http_timeout=120,
         websocket_timeout=None,
         ping_interval=20,
+        ping_timeout=30,
         ws_protocols=None,
         root_path="",
     ):
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ class Server(object):
         self.action_logger = action_logger
         self.http_timeout = http_timeout
         self.ping_interval = ping_interval
+        self.ping_timeout = ping_timeout
         # If they did not provide a websocket timeout, default it to the
         # channel layer's group_expiry value if present, or one day if not.
         self.websocket_timeout = websocket_timeout or getattr(channel_layer, "group_expiry", 86400)
@@ -48,6 +50,7 @@ class Server(object):
             timeout=self.http_timeout,
             websocket_timeout=self.websocket_timeout,
             ping_interval=self.ping_interval,
+            ping_timeout=self.ping_timeout,
             ws_protocols=self.ws_protocols,
             root_path=self.root_path,
         )
diff --git a/daphne/ws_protocol.py b/daphne/ws_protocol.py
index e42af82..dfa8adc 100755
--- a/daphne/ws_protocol.py
+++ b/daphne/ws_protocol.py
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ class WebSocketProtocol(WebSocketServerProtocol):
         Checks to see if we should send a keepalive ping.
         """
         if (time.time() - self.last_data) > self.main_factory.ping_interval:
-            self.sendPing()
+            self._sendAutoPing()
             self.last_data = time.time()