diff --git a/go/libraries/doltcore/sqle/cluster/commithook.go b/go/libraries/doltcore/sqle/cluster/commithook.go
index 1b540f028d..c29bc10ddd 100644
--- a/go/libraries/doltcore/sqle/cluster/commithook.go
+++ b/go/libraries/doltcore/sqle/cluster/commithook.go
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ func (h *commithook) replicate(ctx context.Context) {
 	defer h.logger().Tracef("cluster/commithook: background thread: replicate: shutdown.")
 	h.mu.Lock()
 	defer h.mu.Unlock()
+	shouldHeartbeat := false
 	for {
 		lgr := h.logger()
 		// Shutdown for context canceled.
@@ -138,11 +139,17 @@ func (h *commithook) replicate(ctx context.Context) {
 			h.nextHeadIncomingTime = time.Now()
 		} else if h.shouldReplicate() {
 			h.attemptReplicate(ctx)
+			shouldHeartbeat = false
 		} else {
 			lgr.Tracef("cluster/commithook: background thread: waiting for signal.")
 			if h.waitNotify != nil {
 				h.waitNotify()
 			}
+			if shouldHeartbeat {
+				h.attemptHeartbeat(ctx)
+			} else {
+				shouldHeartbeat = true
+			}
 			h.cond.Wait()
 			lgr.Tracef("cluster/commithook: background thread: woken up.")
 		}
@@ -175,6 +182,37 @@ func (h *commithook) primaryNeedsInit() bool {
 	return h.role == RolePrimary && h.nextHead == (hash.Hash{})
 }
 
+// Called by the replicate thread to periodically heartbeat liveness to a
+// standby if we are a primary. These heartbeats are best effort and currently
+// do not affect the data plane much.
+//
+// preconditions: h.mu is locked and shouldReplicate() returned false.
+func (h *commithook) attemptHeartbeat(ctx context.Context) {
+	if h.role != RolePrimary {
+		return
+	}
+	head := h.lastPushedHead
+	if head.IsEmpty() {
+		return
+	}
+	destDB := h.destDB
+	if destDB == nil {
+		return
+	}
+	ctx, h.cancelReplicate = context.WithTimeout(ctx, 5 * time.Second)
+	defer func() {
+		if h.cancelReplicate != nil {
+			h.cancelReplicate()
+		}
+		h.cancelReplicate = nil
+	}()
+	h.mu.Unlock()
+	datasDB := doltdb.HackDatasDatabaseFromDoltDB(destDB)
+	cs := datas.ChunkStoreFromDatabase(datasDB)
+	cs.Commit(ctx, head, head)
+	h.mu.Lock()
+}
+
 // Called by the replicate thread to push the nextHead to the destDB and set
 // its root to the new value.
 //