diff --git a/internal/api/api.go b/internal/api/api.go
index efd1e71..4040c7a 100644
--- a/internal/api/api.go
+++ b/internal/api/api.go
@@ -61,6 +61,11 @@ func (manager *ApiManagerCtx) Mount(r chi.Router) {
 		r.Post("/recreate", manager.roomRecreate)
 	})
 
-	r.Get("/events", manager.events)
 	r.Get("/docker-compose.yaml", manager.dockerCompose)
+
+	//
+	// events
+	//
+
+	r.Get("/events", manager.events)
 }
diff --git a/internal/api/events.go b/internal/api/events.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e6a124b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/api/events.go
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+package api
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"net/http"
+	"time"
+)
+
+func (manager *ApiManagerCtx) events(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	w.Header().Set("Cache-Control", "no-cache")
+	w.Header().Set("Connection", "keep-alive")
+
+	sse := r.URL.Query().Has("sse")
+	if sse {
+		w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "text/event-stream")
+	} else {
+		w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+	}
+
+	flusher, ok := w.(http.Flusher)
+	if !ok {
+		http.Error(w, "Connection does not support streaming", http.StatusBadRequest)
+		return
+	}
+
+	var ping <-chan time.Time
+	if !sse {
+		// dummy channel, never ping
+		ping = make(<-chan time.Time)
+	} else {
+		// ping every 1 minute
+		ticker := time.NewTicker(time.Minute)
+		defer ticker.Stop()
+		ping = ticker.C
+	}
+
+	// listen for room events
+	events, errs := manager.rooms.Events(r.Context())
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-ping:
+			fmt.Fprintf(w, ": ping\n\n")
+			flusher.Flush()
+		case _, ok := <-errs:
+			if !ok {
+				manager.logger.Debug().Msg("sse channel closed")
+			}
+			return
+		case e := <-events:
+			jsonData, err := json.Marshal(e)
+			if err != nil {
+				manager.logger.Err(err).Msg("failed to marshal event")
+				continue
+			}
+
+			if sse {
+				fmt.Fprintf(w, "event: rooms\n")
+				fmt.Fprintf(w, "data: %s\n\n", jsonData)
+			} else {
+				fmt.Fprintf(w, "rooms\t%s\n", jsonData)
+			}
+
+			flusher.Flush()
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/api/rooms.go b/internal/api/rooms.go
index 056e92d..612e101 100644
--- a/internal/api/rooms.go
+++ b/internal/api/rooms.go
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
-	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"net/http"
 	"strconv"
@@ -251,49 +250,6 @@ func (manager *ApiManagerCtx) roomGenericAction(action func(ctx context.Context,
 	}
 }
 
-func (manager *ApiManagerCtx) events(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
-	w.Header().Set("Cache-Control", "no-cache")
-	w.Header().Set("Connection", "keep-alive")
-
-	sse := r.URL.Query().Has("sse")
-	if sse {
-		w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "text/event-stream")
-	} else {
-		w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
-	}
-
-	flusher, ok := w.(http.Flusher)
-	if !ok {
-		http.Error(w, "Connection does not support streaming", http.StatusBadRequest)
-		return
-	}
-
-	events, errs := manager.rooms.Events(r.Context())
-	for {
-		select {
-		case _, ok := <-errs:
-			if !ok {
-				manager.logger.Debug().Msg("sse channel closed")
-			}
-			return
-		case e := <-events:
-			jsonData, err := json.Marshal(e)
-			if err != nil {
-				http.Error(w, err.Error(), 500)
-				return
-			}
-
-			if sse {
-				fmt.Fprintf(w, "data: %s\n\n", jsonData)
-			} else {
-				fmt.Fprintf(w, "%s\n", jsonData)
-			}
-
-			flusher.Flush()
-		}
-	}
-}
-
 func (manager *ApiManagerCtx) dockerCompose(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	response, err := manager.rooms.ExportAsDockerCompose(r.Context())
 	if err != nil {