diff --git a/lib/kafkaClient.js b/lib/kafkaClient.js
index 98164574..7fb4d25e 100644
--- a/lib/kafkaClient.js
+++ b/lib/kafkaClient.js
@@ -43,7 +43,8 @@ const DEFAULTS = {
     randomize: true
   },
   maxAsyncRequests: 10,
-  noAckBatchOptions: null
+  noAckBatchOptions: null,
+  socketKeepAlive: 60000
 };
 
 const KafkaClient = function (options) {
@@ -796,7 +797,7 @@ KafkaClient.prototype.createBroker = function (host, port, longpolling) {
     socket.buffer.append(data);
     self.handleReceivedData(socket);
   });
-  socket.setKeepAlive(true, 60000);
+  socket.setKeepAlive(true, self.options.socketKeepAlive);
 
   const brokerWrapper = new BrokerWrapper(
     socket,