diff --git a/lib/src/socket.dart b/lib/src/socket.dart
index b456458..ab794b6 100644
--- a/lib/src/socket.dart
+++ b/lib/src/socket.dart
@@ -253,9 +253,12 @@ class PhoenixSocket {
 
   /// Send a channel on the socket.
   ///
-  /// Used internally to send prepared message. If you need to send
-  /// a message on a channel, you would usually use [PhoenixChannel.push]
-  /// instead.
+  /// Used internally to send prepared message. If you need to send a message on
+  /// a channel, you would usually use [PhoenixChannel.push] instead.
+  ///
+  /// Returns a future that completes when the reply for the sent message is
+  /// received. If your flow awaits for the result of this future, add a timout
+  /// to it so that you are not stuck in case that the reply is never received.
   Future<Message> sendMessage(Message message) {
     if (message.ref == null) {
       throw ArgumentError.value(
@@ -339,12 +342,9 @@ class PhoenixSocket {
 
     _cancelHeartbeat();
 
-    _connectionManager.start();
-
     _logger.info('Waiting for initial heartbeat round trip');
-    final initialHearbeatSucceeded = await _sendHeartbeat(force: true);
-    _logger.fine('Initial heartbeat result: $initialHearbeatSucceeded');
-    if (initialHearbeatSucceeded) {
+    final initialHeartbeatSucceeded = await _sendHeartbeat(force: true);
+    if (initialHeartbeatSucceeded) {
       _logger.info('Socket open');
       _stateEventStreamController.add(PhoenixSocketOpenEvent());
     }
@@ -373,38 +373,43 @@ class PhoenixSocket {
       _logger.fine('Heartbeat ${heartbeatMessage.ref} sent');
       _latestHeartbeatRef = heartbeatMessage.ref;
 
-      _heartbeatTimeout = _scheduleHeartbeat();
+      _heartbeatTimeout = _scheduleHeartbeat(_latestHeartbeatRef!);
 
       await _pendingMessages[_latestHeartbeatRef]!.future;
+      _logger.fine('Heartbeat $_latestHeartbeatRef completed');
       return true;
-    } on WebSocketChannelException catch (error, stacktrace) {
-      _logger.severe(
+    } on WebSocketChannelException catch (error, stackTrace) {
+      _logger.warning(
         'Heartbeat message failed: WebSocketChannelException',
         error,
-        stacktrace,
+        stackTrace,
       );
       _stateEventStreamController.add(
         PhoenixSocketErrorEvent(
           error: error,
-          stacktrace: stacktrace,
+          stacktrace: stackTrace,
         ),
       );
 
       return false;
-    } catch (error, stacktrace) {
-      _logger.warning('Heartbeat message failed', error, stacktrace);
+    } catch (error, stackTrace) {
+      _logger.warning('Heartbeat message failed', error, stackTrace);
       _reconnect(4001, reason: 'Heartbeat timeout');
       return false;
     }
   }
 
-  Timer _scheduleHeartbeat() {
+  Timer _scheduleHeartbeat([String? previousHeartbeat]) {
     return Timer(_options.heartbeat, () {
-      if (_latestHeartbeatRef != null) {
-        final completer = _pendingMessages.remove(_latestHeartbeatRef);
+      if (previousHeartbeat != null) {
+        final completer = _pendingMessages.remove(previousHeartbeat);
         if (completer != null && !completer.isCompleted) {
-          completer
-              .completeError(HeartbeatFailedException(_latestHeartbeatRef!));
+          completer.completeError(
+            TimeoutException(
+              'Heartbeat $previousHeartbeat not completed before sending new one',
+            ),
+            StackTrace.current,
+          );
           return;
         }
       }
@@ -461,9 +466,12 @@ class PhoenixSocket {
         }
         completer.complete(message);
       }
-      // The connection is alive, prevent hearbeat timeout from closing
-      // connection.
-      _latestHeartbeatRef = null;
+
+      if (message.ref != _latestHeartbeatRef) {
+        // The connection is alive, prevent heartbeat timeout from closing
+        // connection.
+        _latestHeartbeatRef = null;
+      }
     }
 
     if (message.topic != null && message.topic!.isNotEmpty) {
@@ -527,12 +535,3 @@ class PhoenixSocket {
     _triggerChannelExceptions(exception);
   }
 }
-
-final class HeartbeatFailedException implements Exception {
-  HeartbeatFailedException(this.heartbeatRef);
-
-  final String heartbeatRef;
-
-  @override
-  String toString() => 'HeartbeatFailedException(ref: $heartbeatRef)';
-}