diff --git a/src/_ert/forward_model_runner/client.py b/src/_ert/forward_model_runner/client.py
index 91d0fc22df3..bee558fcb39 100644
--- a/src/_ert/forward_model_runner/client.py
+++ b/src/_ert/forward_model_runner/client.py
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ class ClientConnectionError(Exception):
 CONNECT_MSG = b"CONNECT"
 DISCONNECT_MSG = b"DISCONNECT"
 ACK_MSG = b"ACK"
-PING_MSG = b"PING"
-PING_TIMEOUT = 5.0
+HEARTBEAT_MSG = b"BEAT"
+HEARTBEAT_TIMEOUT = 5.0
 
 
 class Client:
@@ -95,23 +95,23 @@ async def process_message(self, msg: str) -> None:
         raise NotImplementedError("Only monitor can receive messages!")
 
     async def _receiver(self) -> None:
-        last_ping_time: float | None = None
+        last_beat_time: float | None = None
         while True:
             try:
                 _, raw_msg = await self.socket.recv_multipart()
                 if raw_msg == ACK_MSG:
                     self._ack_event.set()
-                elif raw_msg == PING_MSG:
+                elif raw_msg == HEARTBEAT_MSG:
                     if (
-                        last_ping_time
-                        and (asyncio.get_running_loop().time() - last_ping_time)
-                        > 2 * PING_TIMEOUT
+                        last_beat_time
+                        and (asyncio.get_running_loop().time() - last_beat_time)
+                        > 2 * HEARTBEAT_TIMEOUT
                     ):
                         await self.socket.send_multipart([b"", CONNECT_MSG])
                         logger.warning(
-                            f"{self.dealer_id} pinging failed - reconnecting."
+                            f"{self.dealer_id} heartbeat failed - reconnecting."
                         )
-                    last_ping_time = asyncio.get_running_loop().time()
+                    last_beat_time = asyncio.get_running_loop().time()
                 else:
                     await self.process_message(raw_msg.decode("utf-8"))
             except zmq.ZMQError as exc:
diff --git a/src/ert/ensemble_evaluator/evaluator.py b/src/ert/ensemble_evaluator/evaluator.py
index 1684bb660c0..bad05358b44 100644
--- a/src/ert/ensemble_evaluator/evaluator.py
+++ b/src/ert/ensemble_evaluator/evaluator.py
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@
     ACK_MSG,
     CONNECT_MSG,
     DISCONNECT_MSG,
-    PING_MSG,
-    PING_TIMEOUT,
+    HEARTBEAT_MSG,
+    HEARTBEAT_TIMEOUT,
 )
 from ert.ensemble_evaluator import identifiers as ids
 
@@ -78,12 +78,12 @@ def __init__(self, ensemble: Ensemble, config: EvaluatorServerConfig):
         self._dispatchers_empty: asyncio.Event = asyncio.Event()
         self._dispatchers_empty.set()
 
-    async def _ping_clients(self) -> None:
+    async def _do_heartbeat_clients(self) -> None:
         await self._server_started.wait()
         while True:
             if self._clients_connected:
-                await self._events_to_send.put(PING_MSG)
-            await asyncio.sleep(PING_TIMEOUT)
+                await self._events_to_send.put(HEARTBEAT_MSG)
+            await asyncio.sleep(HEARTBEAT_TIMEOUT)
 
     async def _publisher(self) -> None:
         await self._server_started.wait()
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ async def _start_running(self) -> None:
             raise ValueError("no config for evaluator")
         self._ee_tasks = [
             asyncio.create_task(self._server(), name="server_task"),
-            asyncio.create_task(self._ping_clients(), name="ping_task"),
+            asyncio.create_task(self._do_heartbeat_clients(), name="beat_task"),
             asyncio.create_task(
                 self._batch_events_into_buffer(), name="dispatcher_task"
             ),
diff --git a/tests/ert/unit_tests/ensemble_evaluator/test_ensemble_client.py b/tests/ert/unit_tests/ensemble_evaluator/test_ensemble_client.py
index b62a37a1f22..af8148a10ff 100644
--- a/tests/ert/unit_tests/ensemble_evaluator/test_ensemble_client.py
+++ b/tests/ert/unit_tests/ensemble_evaluator/test_ensemble_client.py
@@ -51,10 +51,10 @@ async def test_retry(unused_tcp_port):
     assert mock_server.messages.count("test_3") == 1
 
 
-async def test_reconnect_when_missing_ping(unused_tcp_port, monkeypatch):
+async def test_reconnect_when_missing_heartbeat(unused_tcp_port, monkeypatch):
     host = "localhost"
     url = f"tcp://{host}:{unused_tcp_port}"
-    monkeypatch.setattr(_ert.forward_model_runner.client, "PING_TIMEOUT", 0.1)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(_ert.forward_model_runner.client, "HEARTBEAT_TIMEOUT", 0.1)
 
     async with (
         MockZMQServer(unused_tcp_port, signal=3) as mock_server,
@@ -62,9 +62,9 @@ async def test_reconnect_when_missing_ping(unused_tcp_port, monkeypatch):
     ):
         await client.send("start", retries=1)
 
-        await mock_server.do_ping()
+        await mock_server.do_heartbeat()
         await asyncio.sleep(1)
-        await mock_server.do_ping()
+        await mock_server.do_heartbeat()
         await client.send("stop", retries=1)
 
     # when reconnection happens CONNECT message is sent again
diff --git a/tests/ert/utils.py b/tests/ert/utils.py
index e80ff3957e4..7a1ecff1452 100644
--- a/tests/ert/utils.py
+++ b/tests/ert/utils.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
     ACK_MSG,
     CONNECT_MSG,
     DISCONNECT_MSG,
-    PING_MSG,
+    HEARTBEAT_MSG,
 )
 from _ert.threading import ErtThread
 from ert.scheduler.event import FinishedEvent, StartedEvent
@@ -123,9 +123,9 @@ async def mock_zmq_server(self):
     def signal(self, value):
         self.value = value
 
-    async def do_ping(self):
+    async def do_heartbeat(self):
         for dealer in self.dealers:
-            await self.router_socket.send_multipart([dealer, b"", PING_MSG])
+            await self.router_socket.send_multipart([dealer, b"", HEARTBEAT_MSG])
 
     async def _handler(self):
         while True: