diff --git a/src/main/java/libcore/net/spdy/SpdyConnection.java b/src/main/java/libcore/net/spdy/SpdyConnection.java
index 565062b6b..8ca79e50f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/libcore/net/spdy/SpdyConnection.java
+++ b/src/main/java/libcore/net/spdy/SpdyConnection.java
@@ -204,13 +204,16 @@ public final class SpdyConnection implements Closeable {
      * Sends a ping frame to the peer. Use the returned object to await the
      * ping's response and observe its round trip time.
      */
-    public synchronized Ping ping() {
+    public Ping ping() throws IOException {
         Ping ping = new Ping();
-        int pingId = nextPingId;
-        nextPingId += 2;
-        if (pings == null) pings = new HashMap<Integer, Ping>();
-        pings.put(pingId, ping);
-        writePingLater(pingId, ping);
+        int pingId;
+        synchronized (this) {
+            pingId = nextPingId;
+            nextPingId += 2;
+            if (pings == null) pings = new HashMap<Integer, Ping>();
+            pings.put(pingId, ping);
+        }
+        writePing(pingId, ping);
         return ping;
     }
 
@@ -226,10 +229,9 @@ public final class SpdyConnection implements Closeable {
     }
 
     private void writePing(int id, Ping ping) throws IOException {
-        // Observe the sent time immediately before performing I/O.
-        if (ping != null) ping.send();
-
         synchronized (spdyWriter) {
+            // Observe the sent time immediately before performing I/O.
+            if (ping != null) ping.send();
             spdyWriter.ping(0, id);
         }
     }
@@ -238,6 +240,15 @@ public final class SpdyConnection implements Closeable {
         return pings != null ? pings.remove(id) : null;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Sends a noop frame to the peer.
+     */
+    public void noop() throws IOException {
+        synchronized (spdyWriter) {
+            spdyWriter.noop();
+        }
+    }
+
     public void flush() throws IOException {
         synchronized (spdyWriter) {
             spdyWriter.out.flush();
@@ -365,7 +376,7 @@ public final class SpdyConnection implements Closeable {
                 return true;
 
             case SpdyConnection.TYPE_NOOP:
-                throw new UnsupportedOperationException();
+                return true;
 
             case SpdyConnection.TYPE_PING:
                 int id = spdyReader.id;
diff --git a/src/main/java/libcore/net/spdy/SpdyReader.java b/src/main/java/libcore/net/spdy/SpdyReader.java
index d241abf90..fa64b4680 100644
--- a/src/main/java/libcore/net/spdy/SpdyReader.java
+++ b/src/main/java/libcore/net/spdy/SpdyReader.java
@@ -115,6 +115,10 @@ final class SpdyReader {
                 readSettings();
                 return SpdyConnection.TYPE_SETTINGS;
 
+            case SpdyConnection.TYPE_NOOP:
+              if (length != 0) throw ioException("TYPE_NOOP length: %d != 0", length);
+              return SpdyConnection.TYPE_NOOP;
+
             case SpdyConnection.TYPE_PING:
                 readPing();
                 return SpdyConnection.TYPE_PING;
@@ -226,14 +230,14 @@ final class SpdyReader {
     }
 
     private void readPing() throws IOException {
+        if (length != 4) throw ioException("TYPE_PING length: %d != 4", length);
         id = in.readInt();
     }
 
     private void readSettings() throws IOException {
         int numberOfEntries = in.readInt();
         if (length != 4 + 8 * numberOfEntries) {
-            throw new IOException("TYPE_SETTINGS frame length is inconsistent: "
-                    + length + " != 4 + 8 * " + numberOfEntries);
+            throw ioException("TYPE_SETTINGS length: %d != 4 + 8 * %d", length, numberOfEntries);
         }
         settings = new Settings();
         for (int i = 0; i < numberOfEntries; i++) {
@@ -247,4 +251,8 @@ final class SpdyReader {
             settings.set(id, idFlags, value);
         }
     }
+
+    private static IOException ioException(String message, Object... args) throws IOException {
+        throw new IOException(String.format(message, args));
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/libcore/net/spdy/SpdyWriter.java b/src/main/java/libcore/net/spdy/SpdyWriter.java
index 134d2b037..b62011cec 100644
--- a/src/main/java/libcore/net/spdy/SpdyWriter.java
+++ b/src/main/java/libcore/net/spdy/SpdyWriter.java
@@ -122,6 +122,15 @@ final class SpdyWriter {
         out.flush();
     }
 
+    public void noop() throws IOException {
+        int type = SpdyConnection.TYPE_NOOP;
+        int length = 0;
+        int flags = 0;
+        out.writeInt(0x80000000 | (SpdyConnection.VERSION & 0x7fff) << 16 | type & 0xffff);
+        out.writeInt((flags & 0xff) << 24 | length & 0xffffff);
+        out.flush();
+    }
+
     public void ping(int flags, int id) throws IOException {
         int type = SpdyConnection.TYPE_PING;
         int length = 4;
diff --git a/src/test/java/libcore/net/spdy/SpdyConnectionTest.java b/src/test/java/libcore/net/spdy/SpdyConnectionTest.java
index 229d02c99..d51e8c476 100644
--- a/src/test/java/libcore/net/spdy/SpdyConnectionTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/libcore/net/spdy/SpdyConnectionTest.java
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import junit.framework.TestCase;
 
 import static libcore.net.spdy.Settings.PERSIST_VALUE;
 import static libcore.net.spdy.SpdyConnection.FLAG_FIN;
+import static libcore.net.spdy.SpdyConnection.TYPE_NOOP;
 import static libcore.net.spdy.SpdyConnection.TYPE_PING;
 import static libcore.net.spdy.SpdyConnection.TYPE_RST_STREAM;
 import static libcore.net.spdy.SpdyConnection.TYPE_SYN_REPLY;
@@ -125,6 +126,24 @@ public final class SpdyConnectionTest extends TestCase {
         assertEquals(1, receiveCount.get());
     }
 
+    public void testNoop() throws Exception {
+        // write the mocking script
+        peer.acceptFrame();
+        peer.play();
+
+        // play it back
+        SpdyConnection connection = new SpdyConnection.Builder(true, peer.openSocket())
+                .handler(REJECT_INCOMING_STREAMS)
+                .build();
+        connection.noop();
+
+        // verify the peer received what was expected
+        MockSpdyPeer.InFrame ping = peer.takeFrame();
+        assertEquals(TYPE_NOOP, ping.reader.type);
+        assertEquals(0, ping.reader.flags);
+        assertEquals(0, ping.reader.length);
+    }
+
     public void testServerPingsClient() throws Exception {
         // write the mocking script
         peer.sendFrame().ping(0, 2);
@@ -187,10 +206,9 @@ public final class SpdyConnectionTest extends TestCase {
 
     public void testServerSendsSettingsToClient() throws Exception {
         // write the mocking script
-        SpdyWriter newStream = peer.sendFrame();
         Settings settings = new Settings();
         settings.set(Settings.MAX_CONCURRENT_STREAMS, PERSIST_VALUE, 10);
-        newStream.settings(Settings.FLAG_CLEAR_PREVIOUSLY_PERSISTED_SETTINGS, settings);
+        peer.sendFrame().settings(Settings.FLAG_CLEAR_PREVIOUSLY_PERSISTED_SETTINGS, settings);
         peer.sendFrame().ping(0, 2);
         peer.acceptFrame();
         peer.play();
@@ -208,17 +226,16 @@ public final class SpdyConnectionTest extends TestCase {
 
     public void testMultipleSettingsFramesAreMerged() throws Exception {
         // write the mocking script
-        SpdyWriter newStream = peer.sendFrame();
         Settings settings1 = new Settings();
         settings1.set(Settings.UPLOAD_BANDWIDTH, PERSIST_VALUE, 100);
         settings1.set(Settings.DOWNLOAD_BANDWIDTH, PERSIST_VALUE, 200);
         settings1.set(Settings.DOWNLOAD_RETRANS_RATE, 0, 300);
-        newStream.settings(0, settings1);
+        peer.sendFrame().settings(0, settings1);
         Settings settings2 = new Settings();
         settings2.set(Settings.DOWNLOAD_BANDWIDTH, 0, 400);
         settings2.set(Settings.DOWNLOAD_RETRANS_RATE, PERSIST_VALUE, 500);
         settings2.set(Settings.MAX_CONCURRENT_STREAMS, PERSIST_VALUE, 600);
-        newStream.settings(0, settings2);
+        peer.sendFrame().settings(0, settings2);
         peer.sendFrame().ping(0, 2);
         peer.acceptFrame();
         peer.play();