diff --git a/include/libssh/channels.h b/include/libssh/channels.h
index 19d29607..343aa7f7 100644
--- a/include/libssh/channels.h
+++ b/include/libssh/channels.h
@@ -98,5 +98,9 @@ int ssh_channel_flush(ssh_channel channel);
 uint32_t ssh_channel_new_id(ssh_session session);
 ssh_channel ssh_channel_from_local(ssh_session session, uint32_t id);
 void ssh_channel_do_free(ssh_channel channel);
+int ssh_global_request(ssh_session session,
+                       const char *request,
+                       ssh_buffer buffer,
+                       int reply);
 
 #endif /* CHANNELS_H_ */
diff --git a/src/channels.c b/src/channels.c
index f031b021..0dfa946d 100644
--- a/src/channels.c
+++ b/src/channels.c
@@ -2090,8 +2090,11 @@ static int ssh_global_request_termination(void *s){
  *                      SSH_AGAIN if in nonblocking mode and call has
  *                      to be done again.
  */
-static int global_request(ssh_session session, const char *request,
-    ssh_buffer buffer, int reply) {
+int ssh_global_request(ssh_session session,
+                       const char *request,
+                       ssh_buffer buffer,
+                       int reply)
+{
   int rc;
 
   switch (session->global_req_state) {
@@ -2222,7 +2225,7 @@ int ssh_channel_listen_forward(ssh_session session,
     goto error;
   }
 pending:
-  rc = global_request(session, "tcpip-forward", buffer, 1);
+  rc = ssh_global_request(session, "tcpip-forward", buffer, 1);
 
   /* TODO: FIXME no guarantee the last packet we received contains
    * that info */
@@ -2302,7 +2305,7 @@ int ssh_channel_cancel_forward(ssh_session session,
       goto error;
   }
 pending:
-  rc = global_request(session, "cancel-tcpip-forward", buffer, 1);
+  rc = ssh_global_request(session, "cancel-tcpip-forward", buffer, 1);
 
 error:
   ssh_buffer_free(buffer);
diff --git a/src/server.c b/src/server.c
index 84cc4f7a..b998c9cb 100644
--- a/src/server.c
+++ b/src/server.c
@@ -1253,30 +1253,10 @@ int ssh_execute_message_callbacks(ssh_session session){
 
 int ssh_send_keepalive(ssh_session session)
 {
-  int rc;
+    /* Client denies the request, so the error code is not meaningful */
+    (void)ssh_global_request(session, "keepalive@openssh.com", NULL, 1);
 
-  rc = ssh_buffer_pack(session->out_buffer,
-                       "bsb",
-                       SSH2_MSG_GLOBAL_REQUEST,
-                       "keepalive@openssh.com",
-                       1);
-  if (rc != SSH_OK) {
-    goto err;
-  }
-
-  if (ssh_packet_send(session) == SSH_ERROR) {
-    goto err;
-  }
-
-  ssh_handle_packets(session, SSH_TIMEOUT_NONBLOCKING);
-
-  SSH_LOG(SSH_LOG_PACKET, "Sent a keepalive");
-  return SSH_OK;
-
-err:
-  ssh_set_error_oom(session);
-  ssh_buffer_reinit(session->out_buffer);
-  return SSH_ERROR;
+    return SSH_OK;
 }
 
 /** @} */