diff --git a/lib/cli.js b/lib/cli.js
index ea667df5..fbb4665d 100644
--- a/lib/cli.js
+++ b/lib/cli.js
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@ program
   .option('-r, --storage-url <url>'
     , 'URL to storage client'
     , String)
+  .option('--heartbeat-interval <ms>'
+    , 'heartbeat interval'
+    , Number
+    , 10000)
   .action(function() {
     var serials = cliutil.allUnknownArgs(arguments)
       , options = cliutil.lastArg(arguments)
@@ -63,6 +67,7 @@ program
     require('./roles/provider')({
       name: options.name
     , killTimeout: 10000
+    , heartbeatInterval: options.heartbeatInterval
     , ports: cliutil.range(options.minPort, options.maxPort)
     , filter: function(device) {
         return serials.length === 0 || serials.indexOf(device.id) !== -1
@@ -106,10 +111,6 @@ program
     , 'public ip for global access'
     , String
     , ip())
-  .option('--heartbeat-interval <ms>'
-    , 'heartbeat interval'
-    , Number
-    , 10000)
   .option('-t, --group-timeout <seconds>'
     , 'group timeout'
     , Number
@@ -143,7 +144,6 @@ program
         sub: options.connectSub
       , push: options.connectPush
       }
-    , heartbeatInterval: options.heartbeatInterval
     , groupTimeout: options.groupTimeout * 1000 // change to ms
     , storageUrl: options.storageUrl
     })
diff --git a/lib/db/api.js b/lib/db/api.js
index d1e3216c..04972c49 100644
--- a/lib/db/api.js
+++ b/lib/db/api.js
@@ -208,11 +208,14 @@ dbapi.loadDevice = function(serial) {
   return db.run(r.table('devices').get(serial))
 }
 
-dbapi.updateDeviceHeartbeat = function(serial) {
+dbapi.updateProviderHeartbeat = function(channel) {
   return db.run(
-    r.table('devices').get(serial).update({
-      lastHeartbeatAt: r.now()
-    })
+    r.table('devices').getAll(channel, {
+        index: 'providerChannel'
+      })
+      .update({
+        lastHeartbeatAt: r.now()
+      })
   , {
       noreply: true
     , durability: 'soft'
diff --git a/lib/db/tables.js b/lib/db/tables.js
index 424ebb43..2e7d1ae7 100644
--- a/lib/db/tables.js
+++ b/lib/db/tables.js
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ module.exports = {
         )
       }
     , lastHeartbeatAt: null
+    , providerChannel: function(device) {
+        return device('provider')('channel')
+      }
     }
   }
 , logs: {
diff --git a/lib/roles/device.js b/lib/roles/device.js
index cace32b8..58dad0d3 100644
--- a/lib/roles/device.js
+++ b/lib/roles/device.js
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ module.exports = function(options) {
       log.info('Preparing device')
       return syrup.serial()
         .dependency(require('./device/plugins/solo'))
-        .dependency(require('./device/plugins/heartbeat'))
         .dependency(require('./device/plugins/display'))
         .dependency(require('./device/plugins/screenshot'))
         .dependency(require('./device/plugins/http'))
diff --git a/lib/roles/device/plugins/heartbeat.js b/lib/roles/device/plugins/heartbeat.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 29c6f00f..00000000
--- a/lib/roles/device/plugins/heartbeat.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
-var syrup = require('syrup')
-
-var wire = require('../../../wire')
-var wireutil = require('../../../wire/util')
-
-module.exports = syrup.serial()
-  .dependency(require('../support/push'))
-  .define(function(options, push) {
-    function heartbeat() {
-      push.send([
-        wireutil.heartbeat
-      , wireutil.envelope(new wire.DeviceHeartbeatMessage(
-          options.serial
-        ))
-      ])
-      setTimeout(heartbeat, options.heartbeatInterval)
-    }
-
-    heartbeat()
-  })
diff --git a/lib/roles/processor.js b/lib/roles/processor.js
index f786e016..e283a398 100644
--- a/lib/roles/processor.js
+++ b/lib/roles/processor.js
@@ -33,6 +33,10 @@ module.exports = function(options) {
   })
 
   devDealer.on('message', wirerouter()
+    // Provider messages
+    .on(wire.ProviderHeartbeatMessage, function(channel, message) {
+      dbapi.updateProviderHeartbeat(message.channel)
+    })
     // Initial device message
     .on(wire.DevicePresentMessage, function(channel, message, data) {
       dbapi.saveDevice(message.serial, message)
@@ -66,9 +70,6 @@ module.exports = function(options) {
         })
     })
     // Worker messages
-    .on(wire.DeviceHeartbeatMessage, function(channel, message) {
-      dbapi.updateDeviceHeartbeat(message.serial)
-    })
     .on(wire.JoinGroupMessage, function(channel, message, data) {
       dbapi.setDeviceOwner(message.serial, message.owner)
       appDealer.send([channel, data])
diff --git a/lib/roles/provider.js b/lib/roles/provider.js
index be4f05a4..fd0b3311 100644
--- a/lib/roles/provider.js
+++ b/lib/roles/provider.js
@@ -362,6 +362,19 @@ module.exports = function(options) {
     lifecycle.share('Tracker', tracker)
   })
 
+  // This keeps the devices "present" in the database. It relies on the
+  // provider channel changing on every run so that we never match old
+  // devices.
+  ;(function heartbeat() {
+    push.send([
+      wireutil.heartbeat
+    , wireutil.envelope(new wire.ProviderHeartbeatMessage(
+        solo
+      ))
+    ])
+    setTimeout(heartbeat, options.heartbeatInterval)
+  })()
+
   lifecycle.observe(function() {
     clearTimeout(totalsTimer)
 
diff --git a/lib/wire/wire.proto b/lib/wire/wire.proto
index d6df28b5..a54f02e7 100644
--- a/lib/wire/wire.proto
+++ b/lib/wire/wire.proto
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 enum MessageType {
   CopyMessage                = 33;
   DeviceAbsentMessage        = 1;
-  DeviceHeartbeatMessage     = 28;
   DeviceIdentityMessage      = 2;
   DeviceLogcatEntryMessage   = 3;
   DeviceLogMessage           = 4;
@@ -51,6 +50,7 @@ enum MessageType {
   RotationEvent              = 48;
   StoreOpenMessage           = 49;
   ScreenCaptureMessage       = 50;
+  ProviderHeartbeatMessage   = 51;
 }
 
 message Envelope {
@@ -74,12 +74,6 @@ message TransactionDoneMessage {
   optional string body = 5;
 }
 
-// Heartbeat
-
-message DeviceHeartbeatMessage {
-  required string serial = 1;
-}
-
 // Logging
 
 message DeviceLogMessage {
@@ -99,6 +93,10 @@ message ProviderMessage {
   required string name = 2;
 }
 
+message ProviderHeartbeatMessage {
+  required string channel = 1;
+}
+
 message DevicePresentMessage {
   required string serial = 1;
   required DeviceStatus status = 2;