diff --git a/kubernetes/client/configuration.py b/kubernetes/client/configuration.py
index 9d67b322b3..205c7e2edc 100644
--- a/kubernetes/client/configuration.py
+++ b/kubernetes/client/configuration.py
@@ -387,6 +387,15 @@ def __init__(
         self.socket_options = socket_options
         """Options to pass down to the underlying urllib3 socket
         """
+        self.keep_alive = False
+        """Enable TCP keepalive on the underlying urllib3 sockets.
+
+           Long lived requests such as watches are otherwise dropped
+           silently by an idle proxy or load balancer. When enabled, the
+           client asks the kernel for the same keepalive timings client-go
+           uses. Ignored if ``socket_options`` is set, which takes
+           precedence.
+        """
 
         self.datetime_format = datetime_format
         """datetime format
diff --git a/kubernetes/client/rest.py b/kubernetes/client/rest.py
index 736c33f3cb..38ce2f838f 100644
--- a/kubernetes/client/rest.py
+++ b/kubernetes/client/rest.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
     on_retry_after_error,
     retry_after_backoff,
 )
+from kubernetes.utils.keepalive import tcp_keepalive_socket_options
 from kubernetes.client.exceptions import ApiException, ApiValueError
 
 SUPPORTED_SOCKS_PROXIES = {"socks5", "socks5h", "socks4", "socks4a"}
@@ -160,6 +161,8 @@ def __init__(self, configuration) -> None:
 
         if configuration.socket_options is not None:
             pool_args['socket_options'] = configuration.socket_options
+        elif getattr(configuration, 'keep_alive', False):
+            pool_args['socket_options'] = tcp_keepalive_socket_options()
 
         if configuration.connection_pool_maxsize is not None:
             pool_args['maxsize'] = configuration.connection_pool_maxsize
diff --git a/kubernetes/utils/__init__.py b/kubernetes/utils/__init__.py
index 681123a57c..4b8c07f312 100644
--- a/kubernetes/utils/__init__.py
+++ b/kubernetes/utils/__init__.py
@@ -25,3 +25,4 @@
                     on_retry_after_error, retry_after_backoff,
                     retry_after_max_retries, retry_on_conflict,
                     retry_after_seconds)
+from .keepalive import tcp_keepalive_socket_options
diff --git a/kubernetes/utils/keepalive.py b/kubernetes/utils/keepalive.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0e54a43ea6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kubernetes/utils/keepalive.py
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+# Copyright 2026 The Kubernetes Authors.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+import socket
+from typing import List, Tuple
+
+import urllib3
+
+
+# client-go dials the API server with a 30 second keepalive:
+# https://github.com/kubernetes/client-go/blob/master/transport/cache.go
+# Go folds that single duration into the idle time and leaves the probe
+# interval and count at its own defaults, 15 seconds and 9 probes:
+# https://github.com/golang/go/blob/master/src/net/tcpsock.go
+# https://github.com/golang/go/blob/master/src/net/dial.go
+DEFAULT_IDLE = 30
+DEFAULT_INTERVAL = 15
+DEFAULT_COUNT = 9
+
+SocketOptions = List[Tuple[int, int, int]]
+
+
+def tcp_keepalive_socket_options(
+    idle: int = DEFAULT_IDLE,
+    interval: int = DEFAULT_INTERVAL,
+    count: int = DEFAULT_COUNT,
+) -> SocketOptions:
+    """Build urllib3 socket options that enable TCP keepalive.
+
+    The defaults match what client-go asks the kernel for, so an idle
+    watch is probed after ``idle`` seconds and dropped after ``count``
+    unanswered probes ``interval`` seconds apart.
+
+    The returned list starts from ``urllib3``'s own default socket
+    options, which disable Nagle's algorithm. urllib3 replaces its
+    defaults with whatever list it is given rather than merging, so
+    building on them keeps that behaviour.
+
+    Options the platform does not define are left out: macOS spells the
+    idle time ``TCP_KEEPALIVE``, and Windows only grew the idle and
+    interval options in Windows 10 1709.
+    """
+
+    for name, value in (('idle', idle), ('interval', interval),
+                        ('count', count)):
+        if value < 1:
+            raise ValueError('%s must be at least 1' % name)
+
+    options = list(urllib3.connection.HTTPConnection.default_socket_options)
+    options.append((socket.SOL_SOCKET, socket.SO_KEEPALIVE, 1))
+
+    if hasattr(socket, 'TCP_KEEPIDLE'):
+        options.append((socket.IPPROTO_TCP, socket.TCP_KEEPIDLE, idle))
+    elif hasattr(socket, 'TCP_KEEPALIVE'):
+        options.append((socket.IPPROTO_TCP, socket.TCP_KEEPALIVE, idle))
+
+    if hasattr(socket, 'TCP_KEEPINTVL'):
+        options.append((socket.IPPROTO_TCP, socket.TCP_KEEPINTVL, interval))
+
+    if hasattr(socket, 'TCP_KEEPCNT'):
+        options.append((socket.IPPROTO_TCP, socket.TCP_KEEPCNT, count))
+
+    return options
diff --git a/kubernetes/utils/keepalive_test.py b/kubernetes/utils/keepalive_test.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..005808fb83
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kubernetes/utils/keepalive_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,140 @@
+# Copyright 2026 The Kubernetes Authors.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+import socket
+import types
+import unittest
+from unittest import mock
+
+import urllib3
+
+from kubernetes.client import Configuration
+from kubernetes.client.rest import RESTClientObject
+from kubernetes.utils import keepalive
+from kubernetes.utils.keepalive import tcp_keepalive_socket_options
+
+
+def fake_socket_module(**names):
+    """A stand-in for the socket module exposing only the given names."""
+
+    defaults = {
+        'SOL_SOCKET': socket.SOL_SOCKET,
+        'SO_KEEPALIVE': socket.SO_KEEPALIVE,
+        'IPPROTO_TCP': socket.IPPROTO_TCP,
+    }
+    defaults.update(names)
+    return types.SimpleNamespace(**defaults)
+
+
+class TestTcpKeepaliveSocketOptions(unittest.TestCase):
+
+    def test_defaults_match_client_go(self):
+        options = tcp_keepalive_socket_options()
+
+        self.assertIn((socket.SOL_SOCKET, socket.SO_KEEPALIVE, 1), options)
+        self.assertIn(
+            (socket.IPPROTO_TCP, socket.TCP_KEEPIDLE, 30), options)
+        self.assertIn(
+            (socket.IPPROTO_TCP, socket.TCP_KEEPINTVL, 15), options)
+        self.assertIn((socket.IPPROTO_TCP, socket.TCP_KEEPCNT, 9), options)
+
+    def test_keeps_the_urllib3_defaults(self):
+        options = tcp_keepalive_socket_options()
+
+        defaults = urllib3.connection.HTTPConnection.default_socket_options
+        for default in defaults:
+            self.assertIn(default, options)
+
+    def test_custom_timings(self):
+        options = tcp_keepalive_socket_options(idle=5, interval=2, count=3)
+
+        self.assertIn((socket.IPPROTO_TCP, socket.TCP_KEEPIDLE, 5), options)
+        self.assertIn((socket.IPPROTO_TCP, socket.TCP_KEEPINTVL, 2), options)
+        self.assertIn((socket.IPPROTO_TCP, socket.TCP_KEEPCNT, 3), options)
+
+    def test_timings_must_be_positive(self):
+        for kwargs in ({'idle': 0}, {'interval': 0}, {'count': 0}):
+            with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
+                tcp_keepalive_socket_options(**kwargs)
+
+    def test_options_are_setsockopt_triples(self):
+        for option in tcp_keepalive_socket_options():
+            self.assertEqual(3, len(option))
+            for item in option:
+                self.assertIsInstance(item, int)
+
+    def test_options_apply_to_a_socket(self):
+        with socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM) as sock:
+            for level, name, value in tcp_keepalive_socket_options():
+                sock.setsockopt(level, name, value)
+
+            self.assertEqual(
+                1, sock.getsockopt(socket.SOL_SOCKET, socket.SO_KEEPALIVE))
+            self.assertEqual(
+                30, sock.getsockopt(socket.IPPROTO_TCP, socket.TCP_KEEPIDLE))
+
+    def test_falls_back_to_tcp_keepalive_on_macos(self):
+        macos = fake_socket_module(
+            TCP_KEEPALIVE=0x10,
+            TCP_KEEPINTVL=socket.TCP_KEEPINTVL,
+            TCP_KEEPCNT=socket.TCP_KEEPCNT,
+        )
+        with mock.patch.object(keepalive, 'socket', macos):
+            options = tcp_keepalive_socket_options()
+
+        self.assertIn((socket.IPPROTO_TCP, 0x10, 30), options)
+
+    def test_skips_options_the_platform_lacks(self):
+        with mock.patch.object(keepalive, 'socket', fake_socket_module()):
+            options = tcp_keepalive_socket_options()
+
+        self.assertIn((socket.SOL_SOCKET, socket.SO_KEEPALIVE, 1), options)
+        defaults = urllib3.connection.HTTPConnection.default_socket_options
+        self.assertEqual(len(defaults) + 1, len(options))
+
+
+class TestConfigurationKeepAlive(unittest.TestCase):
+
+    def pool_socket_options(self, configuration):
+        rest_client = RESTClientObject(configuration)
+        return rest_client.pool_manager.connection_pool_kw.get(
+            'socket_options')
+
+    def test_off_by_default(self):
+        configuration = Configuration()
+
+        self.assertFalse(configuration.keep_alive)
+        self.assertIsNone(self.pool_socket_options(configuration))
+
+    def test_enabled(self):
+        configuration = Configuration()
+        configuration.keep_alive = True
+
+        self.assertEqual(
+            tcp_keepalive_socket_options(),
+            self.pool_socket_options(configuration))
+
+    def test_socket_options_win(self):
+        configuration = Configuration()
+        configuration.keep_alive = True
+        configuration.socket_options = [
+            (socket.IPPROTO_TCP, socket.TCP_NODELAY, 1)]
+
+        self.assertEqual(
+            configuration.socket_options,
+            self.pool_socket_options(configuration))
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()
diff --git a/scripts/keepalive_patch.diff b/scripts/keepalive_patch.diff
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1583fde05c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/keepalive_patch.diff
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+diff --git a/kubernetes/client/configuration.py b/kubernetes/client/configuration.py
+--- a/kubernetes/client/configuration.py
++++ b/kubernetes/client/configuration.py
+@@ -387,6 +387,15 @@
+         self.socket_options = socket_options
+         """Options to pass down to the underlying urllib3 socket
+         """
++        self.keep_alive = False
++        """Enable TCP keepalive on the underlying urllib3 sockets.
++
++           Long lived requests such as watches are otherwise dropped
++           silently by an idle proxy or load balancer. When enabled, the
++           client asks the kernel for the same keepalive timings client-go
++           uses. Ignored if ``socket_options`` is set, which takes
++           precedence.
++        """
+ 
+         self.datetime_format = datetime_format
+         """datetime format
+diff --git a/kubernetes/client/rest.py b/kubernetes/client/rest.py
+--- a/kubernetes/client/rest.py
++++ b/kubernetes/client/rest.py
+@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
+     on_retry_after_error,
+     retry_after_backoff,
+ )
++from kubernetes.utils.keepalive import tcp_keepalive_socket_options
+ from kubernetes.client.exceptions import ApiException, ApiValueError
+ 
+ SUPPORTED_SOCKS_PROXIES = {"socks5", "socks5h", "socks4", "socks4a"}
+@@ -160,6 +161,8 @@
+ 
+         if configuration.socket_options is not None:
+             pool_args['socket_options'] = configuration.socket_options
++        elif getattr(configuration, 'keep_alive', False):
++            pool_args['socket_options'] = tcp_keepalive_socket_options()
+ 
+         if configuration.connection_pool_maxsize is not None:
+             pool_args['maxsize'] = configuration.connection_pool_maxsize
diff --git a/scripts/update-client.sh b/scripts/update-client.sh
index e128e8454c..102db9a1b7 100755
--- a/scripts/update-client.sh
+++ b/scripts/update-client.sh
@@ -65,6 +65,9 @@ git apply "${SCRIPT_ROOT}/rest_client_patch.diff"
 echo ">>> restoring Kubernetes client-go retry integration..."
 git apply "${SCRIPT_ROOT}/client_go_retry_patch.diff"
 
+echo ">>> restoring Kubernetes TCP keepalive option..."
+git apply "${SCRIPT_ROOT}/keepalive_patch.diff"
+
 echo ">>> updating version information..."
 sed -i'' "s/^CLIENT_VERSION = .*/CLIENT_VERSION = \\\"${CLIENT_VERSION}\\\"/" "${SCRIPT_ROOT}/../setup.py"
 sed -i'' "s/^__version__ = .*/__version__ = \\\"${CLIENT_VERSION}\\\"/" "${CLIENT_ROOT}/__init__.py"