diff --git a/freepost/database.py b/freepost/database.py
index c0ab7f9..bedc247 100644
--- a/freepost/database.py
+++ b/freepost/database.py
@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@ db = MySQLdb.connect (
     passwd     = settings['mysql']['password'],
     autocommit = True)
 
+# Since the "db" object is reused for the entire life of website,
+# this ping should avoid MySQL timing out if no requests are sent in a while.
+db.ping (True)
+
 # Store a new session_id for a user that has logged in
 # The session token is stored in the user cookies during login, here
 # we store the hash value of that token.