diff --git a/Renci.SshClient/Renci.SshClient/Messages/Transport/IgnoreMessage.cs b/Renci.SshClient/Renci.SshClient/Messages/Transport/IgnoreMessage.cs
index 61add15b..f89abb3b 100644
--- a/Renci.SshClient/Renci.SshClient/Messages/Transport/IgnoreMessage.cs
+++ b/Renci.SshClient/Renci.SshClient/Messages/Transport/IgnoreMessage.cs
@@ -10,6 +10,16 @@ namespace Renci.SshClient.Messages.Transport
             get { return MessageTypes.Ignore; }
         }
 
+        public IgnoreMessage()
+        {
+            this.Data = string.Empty;
+        }
+
+        public IgnoreMessage(string data)
+        {
+            this.Data = data;
+        }
+
         protected override void LoadData()
         {
             this.Data = this.ReadString();
diff --git a/Renci.SshClient/Renci.SshClient/Session.cs b/Renci.SshClient/Renci.SshClient/Session.cs
index 6dd19934..0daef17f 100644
--- a/Renci.SshClient/Renci.SshClient/Session.cs
+++ b/Renci.SshClient/Renci.SshClient/Session.cs
@@ -587,7 +587,7 @@ namespace Renci.SshClient
         /// </summary>
         internal void SendKeepAlive()
         {
-            this.SendMessage(new GlobalRequestMessage(GlobalRequestNames.KeepAlive, false));
+            this.SendMessage(new IgnoreMessage());
         }
 
         /// <summary>