diff --git a/src/jconf.h b/src/jconf.h
index ff324868..59408c54 100644
--- a/src/jconf.h
+++ b/src/jconf.h
@@ -25,9 +25,10 @@
 #define MAX_PORT_NUM 1024
 #define MAX_REMOTE_NUM 10
 #define MAX_DSCP_NUM 64
-#define MAX_CONF_SIZE 128 * 1024
+#define MAX_CONF_SIZE (128 * 1024)
 #define MAX_CONNECT_TIMEOUT 10
 #define MAX_REQUEST_TIMEOUT 30
+#define MIN_TCP_IDLE_TIMEOUT (24 * 3600)
 #define MIN_UDP_TIMEOUT 10
 
 #define DSCP_EF      0x2E
diff --git a/src/server.c b/src/server.c
index c076e0cc..341f1b62 100644
--- a/src/server.c
+++ b/src/server.c
@@ -704,6 +704,9 @@ server_recv_cb(EV_P_ ev_io *w, int revents)
     if (server->stage == STAGE_STREAM) {
         remote = server->remote;
         buf    = remote->buf;
+
+        // Only timer the watcher if a valid connection is established
+        ev_timer_again(EV_A_ & server->recv_ctx->watcher);
     }
 
     ssize_t r = recv(server->fd, buf->data, SOCKET_BUF_SIZE, 0);
@@ -1107,6 +1110,8 @@ remote_recv_cb(EV_P_ ev_io *w, int revents)
         return;
     }
 
+    ev_timer_again(EV_A_ & server->recv_ctx->watcher);
+
     ssize_t r = recv(remote->fd, server->buf->data, SOCKET_BUF_SIZE, 0);
 
     if (r == 0) {
@@ -1229,9 +1234,6 @@ remote_send_cb(EV_P_ ev_io *w, int revents)
         int r = getpeername(remote->fd, (struct sockaddr *)&addr, &len);
 
         if (r == 0) {
-            // connection connected, stop the request timeout timer
-            ev_timer_stop(EV_A_ & server->recv_ctx->watcher);
-
             remote_send_ctx->connected = 1;
 
             if (remote->buf->len == 0) {
@@ -1391,10 +1393,13 @@ new_server(int fd, listen_ctx_t *listener)
     int request_timeout = min(MAX_REQUEST_TIMEOUT, listener->timeout)
                           + rand() % MAX_REQUEST_TIMEOUT;
 
+    int repeat_interval = max(MIN_TCP_IDLE_TIMEOUT, listener->timeout)
+                          + rand() % listener->timeout;
+
     ev_io_init(&server->recv_ctx->io, server_recv_cb, fd, EV_READ);
     ev_io_init(&server->send_ctx->io, server_send_cb, fd, EV_WRITE);
     ev_timer_init(&server->recv_ctx->watcher, server_timeout_cb,
-                  request_timeout, 0);
+                  request_timeout, repeat_interval);
 
     cork_dllist_add(&connections, &server->entries);