diff --git a/src/transport/middle_proxy/pool_writer.rs b/src/transport/middle_proxy/pool_writer.rs
index a7d2960..942ddaf 100644
--- a/src/transport/middle_proxy/pool_writer.rs
+++ b/src/transport/middle_proxy/pool_writer.rs
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ use super::registry::BoundConn;
 
 const ME_ACTIVE_PING_SECS: u64 = 25;
 const ME_ACTIVE_PING_JITTER_SECS: i64 = 5;
+const ME_IDLE_KEEPALIVE_MAX_SECS: u64 = 5;
 
 impl MePool {
     pub(crate) async fn prune_closed_writers(self: &Arc<Self>) {
@@ -154,9 +155,18 @@ impl MePool {
         let pool_ping = Arc::downgrade(self);
         tokio::spawn(async move {
             let mut ping_id: i64 = rand::random::<i64>();
+            let idle_interval_cap = Duration::from_secs(ME_IDLE_KEEPALIVE_MAX_SECS);
             // Per-writer jittered start to avoid phase sync.
             let startup_jitter = if keepalive_enabled {
-                let jitter_cap_ms = keepalive_interval.as_millis() / 2;
+                let mut interval = keepalive_interval;
+                if let Some(pool) = pool_ping.upgrade() {
+                    if pool.registry.is_writer_empty(writer_id).await {
+                        interval = interval.min(idle_interval_cap);
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    return;
+                }
+                let jitter_cap_ms = interval.as_millis() / 2;
                 let effective_jitter_ms = keepalive_jitter.as_millis().min(jitter_cap_ms).max(1);
                 Duration::from_millis(rand::rng().random_range(0..=effective_jitter_ms as u64))
             } else {
@@ -170,9 +180,17 @@ impl MePool {
             }
             loop {
                 let wait = if keepalive_enabled {
-                    let jitter_cap_ms = keepalive_interval.as_millis() / 2;
+                    let mut interval = keepalive_interval;
+                    if let Some(pool) = pool_ping.upgrade() {
+                        if pool.registry.is_writer_empty(writer_id).await {
+                            interval = interval.min(idle_interval_cap);
+                        }
+                    } else {
+                        break;
+                    }
+                    let jitter_cap_ms = interval.as_millis() / 2;
                     let effective_jitter_ms = keepalive_jitter.as_millis().min(jitter_cap_ms).max(1);
-                    keepalive_interval + Duration::from_millis(rand::rng().random_range(0..=effective_jitter_ms as u64))
+                    interval + Duration::from_millis(rand::rng().random_range(0..=effective_jitter_ms as u64))
                 } else {
                     let jitter = rand::rng().random_range(-ME_ACTIVE_PING_JITTER_SECS..=ME_ACTIVE_PING_JITTER_SECS);
                     let secs = (ME_ACTIVE_PING_SECS as i64 + jitter).max(5) as u64;