diff --git a/cmds/statsd/src/shell/ShellSubscriber.cpp b/cmds/statsd/src/shell/ShellSubscriber.cpp
index bed836a..7b68721 100644
--- a/cmds/statsd/src/shell/ShellSubscriber.cpp
+++ b/cmds/statsd/src/shell/ShellSubscriber.cpp
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 #include "ShellSubscriber.h"
 
 #include <android-base/file.h>
+
 #include "matchers/matcher_util.h"
 #include "stats_log_util.h"
 
@@ -32,41 +33,52 @@
 
 void ShellSubscriber::startNewSubscription(int in, int out, int timeoutSec) {
     int myToken = claimToken();
+    VLOG("ShellSubscriber: new subscription %d has come in", myToken);
     mSubscriptionShouldEnd.notify_one();
 
     shared_ptr<SubscriptionInfo> mySubscriptionInfo = make_shared<SubscriptionInfo>(in, out);
-    if (!readConfig(mySubscriptionInfo)) {
-        return;
-    }
+    if (!readConfig(mySubscriptionInfo)) return;
 
-    // critical-section
-    std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lock(mMutex);
-    if (myToken != mToken) {
-        // Some other subscription has already come in. Stop.
-        return;
-    }
-    mSubscriptionInfo = mySubscriptionInfo;
+    {
+        std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lock(mMutex);
+        if (myToken != mToken) {
+            // Some other subscription has already come in. Stop.
+            return;
+        }
+        mSubscriptionInfo = mySubscriptionInfo;
 
-    if (mySubscriptionInfo->mPulledInfo.size() > 0 && mySubscriptionInfo->mPullIntervalMin > 0) {
-        // This thread terminates after it detects that mToken has changed.
+        spawnHelperThreadsLocked(mySubscriptionInfo, myToken);
+        waitForSubscriptionToEndLocked(mySubscriptionInfo, myToken, lock, timeoutSec);
+
+        if (mSubscriptionInfo == mySubscriptionInfo) {
+            mSubscriptionInfo = nullptr;
+        }
+
+    }
+}
+
+void ShellSubscriber::spawnHelperThreadsLocked(shared_ptr<SubscriptionInfo> myInfo, int myToken) {
+    if (!myInfo->mPulledInfo.empty() && myInfo->mPullIntervalMin > 0) {
         std::thread puller([this, myToken] { startPull(myToken); });
         puller.detach();
     }
 
-    // Block until subscription has ended.
-    if (timeoutSec > 0) {
-        mSubscriptionShouldEnd.wait_for(
-                lock, timeoutSec * 1s, [this, myToken, &mySubscriptionInfo] {
-                    return mToken != myToken || !mySubscriptionInfo->mClientAlive;
-                });
-    } else {
-        mSubscriptionShouldEnd.wait(lock, [this, myToken, &mySubscriptionInfo] {
-            return mToken != myToken || !mySubscriptionInfo->mClientAlive;
-        });
-    }
+    std::thread heartbeatSender([this, myToken] { sendHeartbeats(myToken); });
+    heartbeatSender.detach();
+}
 
-    if (mSubscriptionInfo == mySubscriptionInfo) {
-        mSubscriptionInfo = nullptr;
+void ShellSubscriber::waitForSubscriptionToEndLocked(shared_ptr<SubscriptionInfo> myInfo,
+                                                     int myToken,
+                                                     std::unique_lock<std::mutex>& lock,
+                                                     int timeoutSec) {
+    if (timeoutSec > 0) {
+        mSubscriptionShouldEnd.wait_for(lock, timeoutSec * 1s, [this, myToken, &myInfo] {
+            return mToken != myToken || !myInfo->mClientAlive;
+        });
+    } else {
+        mSubscriptionShouldEnd.wait(lock, [this, myToken, &myInfo] {
+            return mToken != myToken || !myInfo->mClientAlive;
+        });
     }
 }
 
@@ -129,51 +141,55 @@
     return true;
 }
 
-void ShellSubscriber::startPull(int64_t myToken) {
+void ShellSubscriber::startPull(int myToken) {
+    VLOG("ShellSubscriber: pull thread %d starting", myToken);
     while (true) {
-        std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(mMutex);
-        if (!mSubscriptionInfo || mToken != myToken) {
-            VLOG("Pulling thread %lld done!", (long long)myToken);
-            return;
-        }
+        {
+            std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(mMutex);
+            if (!mSubscriptionInfo || mToken != myToken) {
+                VLOG("ShellSubscriber: pulling thread %d done!", myToken);
+                return;
+            }
 
-        int64_t nowMillis = getElapsedRealtimeMillis();
-        for (auto& pullInfo : mSubscriptionInfo->mPulledInfo) {
-            if (pullInfo.mPrevPullElapsedRealtimeMs + pullInfo.mInterval < nowMillis) {
-                vector<std::shared_ptr<LogEvent>> data;
+            int64_t nowMillis = getElapsedRealtimeMillis();
+            for (PullInfo& pullInfo : mSubscriptionInfo->mPulledInfo) {
+                if (pullInfo.mPrevPullElapsedRealtimeMs + pullInfo.mInterval >= nowMillis) {
+                    continue;
+                }
+
                 vector<int32_t> uids;
-                uids.insert(uids.end(), pullInfo.mPullUids.begin(), pullInfo.mPullUids.end());
-                // This is slow. Consider storing the uids per app and listening to uidmap updates.
-                for (const string& pkg : pullInfo.mPullPackages) {
-                    set<int32_t> uidsForPkg = mUidMap->getAppUid(pkg);
-                    uids.insert(uids.end(), uidsForPkg.begin(), uidsForPkg.end());
-                }
-                uids.push_back(DEFAULT_PULL_UID);
-                mPullerMgr->Pull(pullInfo.mPullerMatcher.atom_id(), uids, &data);
-                VLOG("pulled %zu atoms with id %d", data.size(), pullInfo.mPullerMatcher.atom_id());
+                getUidsForPullAtom(&uids, pullInfo);
 
-                if (!writePulledAtomsLocked(data, pullInfo.mPullerMatcher)) {
-                    mSubscriptionInfo->mClientAlive = false;
-                    mSubscriptionShouldEnd.notify_one();
-                    return;
-                }
+                vector<std::shared_ptr<LogEvent>> data;
+                mPullerMgr->Pull(pullInfo.mPullerMatcher.atom_id(), uids, &data);
+                VLOG("Pulled %zu atoms with id %d", data.size(), pullInfo.mPullerMatcher.atom_id());
+                writePulledAtomsLocked(data, pullInfo.mPullerMatcher);
+
                 pullInfo.mPrevPullElapsedRealtimeMs = nowMillis;
             }
         }
 
-        VLOG("Pulling thread %lld sleep....", (long long)myToken);
+        VLOG("ShellSubscriber: pulling thread %d sleeping for %d ms", myToken,
+             mSubscriptionInfo->mPullIntervalMin);
         std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(mSubscriptionInfo->mPullIntervalMin));
     }
 }
 
-// \return boolean indicating if writes were successful (will return false if
-// client dies)
-bool ShellSubscriber::writePulledAtomsLocked(const vector<std::shared_ptr<LogEvent>>& data,
+void ShellSubscriber::getUidsForPullAtom(vector<int32_t>* uids, const PullInfo& pullInfo) {
+    uids->insert(uids->end(), pullInfo.mPullUids.begin(), pullInfo.mPullUids.end());
+    // This is slow. Consider storing the uids per app and listening to uidmap updates.
+    for (const string& pkg : pullInfo.mPullPackages) {
+        set<int32_t> uidsForPkg = mUidMap->getAppUid(pkg);
+        uids->insert(uids->end(), uidsForPkg.begin(), uidsForPkg.end());
+    }
+    uids->push_back(DEFAULT_PULL_UID);
+}
+
+void ShellSubscriber::writePulledAtomsLocked(const vector<std::shared_ptr<LogEvent>>& data,
                                              const SimpleAtomMatcher& matcher) {
     mProto.clear();
     int count = 0;
     for (const auto& event : data) {
-        VLOG("%s", event->ToString().c_str());
         if (matchesSimple(*mUidMap, matcher, *event)) {
             count++;
             uint64_t atomToken = mProto.start(util::FIELD_TYPE_MESSAGE |
@@ -183,55 +199,67 @@
         }
     }
 
-    if (count > 0) {
-        // First write the payload size.
-        size_t bufferSize = mProto.size();
-        if (!android::base::WriteFully(mSubscriptionInfo->mOutputFd, &bufferSize,
-                                       sizeof(bufferSize))) {
-            return false;
-        }
-
-        VLOG("%d atoms, proto size: %zu", count, bufferSize);
-        // Then write the payload.
-        if (!mProto.flush(mSubscriptionInfo->mOutputFd)) {
-            return false;
-        }
-    }
-
-    return true;
+    if (count > 0) attemptWriteToSocketLocked(mProto.size());
 }
 
 void ShellSubscriber::onLogEvent(const LogEvent& event) {
     std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(mMutex);
-    if (!mSubscriptionInfo) {
-        return;
-    }
+    if (!mSubscriptionInfo) return;
 
     mProto.clear();
     for (const auto& matcher : mSubscriptionInfo->mPushedMatchers) {
         if (matchesSimple(*mUidMap, matcher, event)) {
-            VLOG("%s", event.ToString().c_str());
             uint64_t atomToken = mProto.start(util::FIELD_TYPE_MESSAGE |
                                               util::FIELD_COUNT_REPEATED | FIELD_ID_ATOM);
             event.ToProto(mProto);
             mProto.end(atomToken);
+            attemptWriteToSocketLocked(mProto.size());
+        }
+    }
+}
 
-            // First write the payload size.
-            size_t bufferSize = mProto.size();
-            if (!android::base::WriteFully(mSubscriptionInfo->mOutputFd, &bufferSize,
-                                           sizeof(bufferSize))) {
-                mSubscriptionInfo->mClientAlive = false;
-                mSubscriptionShouldEnd.notify_one();
+// Tries to write the atom encoded in mProto to the socket. If the write fails
+// because the read end of the pipe has closed, signals to other threads that
+// the subscription should end.
+void ShellSubscriber::attemptWriteToSocketLocked(size_t dataSize) {
+    // First write the payload size.
+    if (!android::base::WriteFully(mSubscriptionInfo->mOutputFd, &dataSize, sizeof(dataSize))) {
+        mSubscriptionInfo->mClientAlive = false;
+        mSubscriptionShouldEnd.notify_one();
+        return;
+    }
+
+    if (dataSize == 0) return;
+
+    // Then, write the payload.
+    if (!mProto.flush(mSubscriptionInfo->mOutputFd)) {
+        mSubscriptionInfo->mClientAlive = false;
+        mSubscriptionShouldEnd.notify_one();
+        return;
+    }
+
+    mLastWriteMs = getElapsedRealtimeMillis();
+}
+
+// Send a heartbeat, consisting solely of a data size of 0, if perfd has not
+// recently received any writes from statsd. When it receives the data size of
+// 0, perfd will not expect any data and recheck whether the shell command is
+// still running.
+void ShellSubscriber::sendHeartbeats(int myToken) {
+    while (true) {
+        {
+            std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(mMutex);
+            if (!mSubscriptionInfo || myToken != mToken) {
+                VLOG("ShellSubscriber: heartbeat thread %d done!", myToken);
                 return;
             }
 
-            // Then write the payload.
-            if (!mProto.flush(mSubscriptionInfo->mOutputFd)) {
-                mSubscriptionInfo->mClientAlive = false;
-                mSubscriptionShouldEnd.notify_one();
-                return;
+            if (getElapsedRealtimeMillis() - mLastWriteMs > kMsBetweenHeartbeats) {
+                VLOG("ShellSubscriber: sending a heartbeat to perfd");
+                attemptWriteToSocketLocked(/*dataSize=*/0);
             }
         }
+        std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(kMsBetweenHeartbeats));
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/cmds/statsd/src/shell/ShellSubscriber.h b/cmds/statsd/src/shell/ShellSubscriber.h
index 61457d8..26c8a2a 100644
--- a/cmds/statsd/src/shell/ShellSubscriber.h
+++ b/cmds/statsd/src/shell/ShellSubscriber.h
@@ -38,11 +38,11 @@
  *
  * A shell subscription lasts *until shell exits*. Unlike config based clients, a shell client
  * communicates with statsd via file descriptors. They can subscribe pushed and pulled atoms.
- * The atoms are sent back to the client in real time, as opposed to
- * keeping the data in memory. Shell clients do not subscribe aggregated metrics, as they are
- * responsible for doing the aggregation after receiving the atom events.
+ * The atoms are sent back to the client in real time, as opposed to keeping the data in memory.
+ * Shell clients do not subscribe aggregated metrics, as they are responsible for doing the
+ * aggregation after receiving the atom events.
  *
- * Shell client pass ShellSubscription in the proto binary format. Client can update the
+ * Shell clients pass ShellSubscription in the proto binary format. Clients can update the
  * subscription by sending a new subscription. The new subscription would replace the old one.
  * Input data stream format is:
  *
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@
  * The stream would be in the following format:
  * |size_t|shellData proto|size_t|shellData proto|....
  *
- * Only one shell subscriber allowed at a time, because each shell subscriber blocks one thread
+ * Only one shell subscriber is allowed at a time because each shell subscriber blocks one thread
  * until it exits.
  */
 class ShellSubscriber : public virtual RefBase {
@@ -100,11 +100,28 @@
 
     bool readConfig(std::shared_ptr<SubscriptionInfo> subscriptionInfo);
 
-    void startPull(int64_t myToken);
+    void spawnHelperThreadsLocked(std::shared_ptr<SubscriptionInfo> myInfo, int myToken);
 
-    bool writePulledAtomsLocked(const vector<std::shared_ptr<LogEvent>>& data,
+    void waitForSubscriptionToEndLocked(std::shared_ptr<SubscriptionInfo> myInfo,
+                                        int myToken,
+                                        std::unique_lock<std::mutex>& lock,
+                                        int timeoutSec);
+
+    void startPull(int myToken);
+
+    void writePulledAtomsLocked(const vector<std::shared_ptr<LogEvent>>& data,
                                 const SimpleAtomMatcher& matcher);
 
+    void getUidsForPullAtom(vector<int32_t>* uids, const PullInfo& pullInfo);
+
+    void attemptWriteToSocketLocked(size_t dataSize);
+
+    // Send ocassional heartbeats for two reasons: (a) for statsd to detect when
+    // the read end of the pipe has closed and (b) for perfd to escape a
+    // blocking read call and recheck if the user has terminated the
+    // subscription.
+    void sendHeartbeats(int myToken);
+
     sp<UidMap> mUidMap;
 
     sp<StatsPullerManager> mPullerMgr;
@@ -120,6 +137,11 @@
     int mToken = 0;
 
     const int32_t DEFAULT_PULL_UID = AID_SYSTEM;
+
+    // Tracks when we last send data to perfd. We need that time to determine
+    // when next to send a heartbeat.
+    int64_t mLastWriteMs = 0;
+    const int64_t kMsBetweenHeartbeats = 1000;
 };
 
 }  // namespace statsd
diff --git a/cmds/statsd/tests/shell/ShellSubscriber_test.cpp b/cmds/statsd/tests/shell/ShellSubscriber_test.cpp
index 7b952d7..363fcb4 100644
--- a/cmds/statsd/tests/shell/ShellSubscriber_test.cpp
+++ b/cmds/statsd/tests/shell/ShellSubscriber_test.cpp
@@ -86,28 +86,34 @@
     // wait for the data to be written.
     std::this_thread::sleep_for(100ms);
 
-    int expected_data_size = expectedData.ByteSize();
+    // Because we might receive heartbeats from statsd, consisting of data sizes
+    // of 0, encapsulate reads within a while loop.
+    bool readAtom = false;
+    while (!readAtom) {
+        // Read the atom size.
+        size_t dataSize = 0;
+        read(fds_data[0], &dataSize, sizeof(dataSize));
+        if (dataSize == 0) continue;
+        EXPECT_EQ(expectedData.ByteSize(), int(dataSize));
 
-    // now read from the pipe. firstly read the atom size.
-    size_t dataSize = 0;
-    EXPECT_EQ((int)sizeof(dataSize), read(fds_data[0], &dataSize, sizeof(dataSize)));
+        // Read that much data in proto binary format.
+        vector<uint8_t> dataBuffer(dataSize);
+        EXPECT_EQ((int)dataSize, read(fds_data[0], dataBuffer.data(), dataSize));
 
-    EXPECT_EQ(expected_data_size, (int)dataSize);
+        // Make sure the received bytes can be parsed to an atom.
+        ShellData receivedAtom;
+        EXPECT_TRUE(receivedAtom.ParseFromArray(dataBuffer.data(), dataSize) != 0);
 
-    // then read that much data which is the atom in proto binary format
-    vector<uint8_t> dataBuffer(dataSize);
-    EXPECT_EQ((int)dataSize, read(fds_data[0], dataBuffer.data(), dataSize));
+        // Serialize the expected atom to byte array and compare to make sure
+        // they are the same.
+        vector<uint8_t> expectedAtomBuffer(expectedData.ByteSize());
+        expectedData.SerializeToArray(expectedAtomBuffer.data(), expectedData.ByteSize());
+        EXPECT_EQ(expectedAtomBuffer, dataBuffer);
 
-    // make sure the received bytes can be parsed to an atom
-    ShellData receivedAtom;
-    EXPECT_TRUE(receivedAtom.ParseFromArray(dataBuffer.data(), dataSize) != 0);
+        readAtom = true;
+    }
 
-    // serialze the expected atom to bytes. and compare. to make sure they are the same.
-    vector<uint8_t> atomBuffer(expected_data_size);
-    expectedData.SerializeToArray(&atomBuffer[0], expected_data_size);
-    EXPECT_EQ(atomBuffer, dataBuffer);
     close(fds_data[0]);
-
     if (reader.joinable()) {
         reader.join();
     }