diff --git a/src/helper/log.c b/src/helper/log.c
index 12f1790e9..106d22867 100644
--- a/src/helper/log.c
+++ b/src/helper/log.c
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 #include "command.h"
 #include "replacements.h"
 #include "time_support.h"
+#include <server/server.h>
 
 #include <stdarg.h>
 
@@ -110,32 +111,27 @@ static void log_puts(enum log_levels level,
 	if (f)
 		file = f + 1;
 
-	if (strlen(string) > 0) {
-		if (debug_level >= LOG_LVL_DEBUG) {
-			/* print with count and time information */
-			int64_t t = timeval_ms() - start;
+	if (debug_level >= LOG_LVL_DEBUG) {
+		/* print with count and time information */
+		int64_t t = timeval_ms() - start;
 #ifdef _DEBUG_FREE_SPACE_
-			struct mallinfo info;
-			info = mallinfo();
+		struct mallinfo info;
+		info = mallinfo();
 #endif
-			fprintf(log_output, "%s%d %" PRId64 " %s:%d %s()"
+		fprintf(log_output, "%s%d %" PRId64 " %s:%d %s()"
 #ifdef _DEBUG_FREE_SPACE_
-				" %d"
+			" %d"
 #endif
-				": %s", log_strings[level + 1], count, t, file, line, function,
+			": %s", log_strings[level + 1], count, t, file, line, function,
 #ifdef _DEBUG_FREE_SPACE_
-				info.fordblks,
+			info.fordblks,
 #endif
-				string);
-		} else {
-			/* if we are using gdb through pipes then we do not want any output
-			 * to the pipe otherwise we get repeated strings */
-			fprintf(log_output, "%s%s",
-				(level > LOG_LVL_USER) ? log_strings[level + 1] : "", string);
-		}
+			string);
 	} else {
-		/* Empty strings are sent to log callbacks to keep e.g. gdbserver alive, here we do
-		 *nothing. */
+		/* if we are using gdb through pipes then we do not want any output
+		 * to the pipe otherwise we get repeated strings */
+		fprintf(log_output, "%s%s",
+			(level > LOG_LVL_USER) ? log_strings[level + 1] : "", string);
 	}
 
 	fflush(log_output);
@@ -452,7 +448,7 @@ void keep_alive(void)
 		last_time = current_time;
 
 		/* this will keep the GDB connection alive */
-		LOG_USER_N("%s", "");
+		server_keep_clients_alive();
 
 		/* DANGER!!!! do not add code to invoke e.g. target event processing,
 		 * jim timer processing, etc. it can cause infinite recursion +
diff --git a/src/server/gdb_server.c b/src/server/gdb_server.c
index b47e312a3..f5736196e 100644
--- a/src/server/gdb_server.c
+++ b/src/server/gdb_server.c
@@ -3673,13 +3673,35 @@ static int gdb_input(struct connection *connection)
 	return ERROR_OK;
 }
 
+static void gdb_keep_client_alive(struct connection *connection)
+{
+	struct gdb_connection *gdb_con = connection->priv;
+
+	if (gdb_con->busy) {
+		/* do not send packets, retry asap */
+		return;
+	}
+
+	switch (gdb_con->output_flag) {
+	case GDB_OUTPUT_NO:
+		/* no need for keep-alive */
+		break;
+	case GDB_OUTPUT_ALL:
+		/* send an empty O packet */
+		gdb_output_con(connection, "");
+		break;
+	default:
+		break;
+	}
+}
+
 static const struct service_driver gdb_service_driver = {
 	.name = "gdb",
 	.new_connection_during_keep_alive_handler = NULL,
 	.new_connection_handler = gdb_new_connection,
 	.input_handler = gdb_input,
 	.connection_closed_handler = gdb_connection_closed,
-	.keep_client_alive_handler = NULL,
+	.keep_client_alive_handler = gdb_keep_client_alive,
 };
 
 static int gdb_target_start(struct target *target, const char *port)
diff --git a/src/server/server.c b/src/server/server.c
index 4ec196728..dd408048c 100644
--- a/src/server/server.c
+++ b/src/server/server.c
@@ -421,6 +421,14 @@ static int remove_services(void)
 	return ERROR_OK;
 }
 
+void server_keep_clients_alive(void)
+{
+	for (struct service *s = services; s; s = s->next)
+		if (s->keep_client_alive)
+			for (struct connection *c = s->connections; c; c = c->next)
+				s->keep_client_alive(c);
+}
+
 int server_loop(struct command_context *command_context)
 {
 	struct service *service;
diff --git a/src/server/server.h b/src/server/server.h
index 00f1a428f..a6b1963a6 100644
--- a/src/server/server.h
+++ b/src/server/server.h
@@ -106,6 +106,8 @@ int server_quit(void);
 void server_free(void);
 void exit_on_signal(int sig);
 
+void server_keep_clients_alive(void);
+
 int server_loop(struct command_context *command_context);
 
 int server_register_commands(struct command_context *context);