diff --git a/openbis-ipad/BisKit/Classes/CISDOBIpadService.h b/openbis-ipad/BisKit/Classes/CISDOBIpadService.h
index 22df6c18a9a305f77a57175d8650d63680dbffe5..286468e8a990832ea06d220ee6c708cd4b16ac9d 100644
--- a/openbis-ipad/BisKit/Classes/CISDOBIpadService.h
+++ b/openbis-ipad/BisKit/Classes/CISDOBIpadService.h
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@ enum CISOBIpadServiceErrorCode {
 
 @property(readonly) CISDOBConnection *connection;
 @property(strong, nonatomic) CISDOBClientPreferences *clientPreferences;
-@property(strong, nonatomic) NSDate *lastRootSetUpdate;
 
 //! Designated initializer.
 - (id)initWithConnection:(CISDOBConnection *)connection;
@@ -54,6 +53,9 @@ enum CISOBIpadServiceErrorCode {
 //! Log the user into the openBIS instance. The login procedure reqests the client preferences as well.
 - (CISDOBAsyncCall *)loginUser:(NSString *)user password:(NSString *)password;
 
+//! A call that has no purpose except to inform the server that we are still here
+- (CISDOBAsyncCall *)heartbeat;
+
 //! Get all root-level entities from the openBIS ipad service, possibly along with some children as well. The success block will be invoked with a collection of CISDOBIpadRawEntity objects.
 - (CISDOBAsyncCall *)listRootLevelEntities;
 
diff --git a/openbis-ipad/BisKit/Classes/CISDOBIpadService.m b/openbis-ipad/BisKit/Classes/CISDOBIpadService.m
index 65619ad5524595b7c9572e7bdcf910e371eac793..c8426d5acfaab169359711c80d8354e16afd8601 100644
--- a/openbis-ipad/BisKit/Classes/CISDOBIpadService.m
+++ b/openbis-ipad/BisKit/Classes/CISDOBIpadService.m
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ static id OpenBisTableRowValueAtIndex(NSArray *rowData, NSUInteger index)
     return iPadCall;
 }
 
-- (CISDOBIpadServiceCall *)createIpadServiceCallWithParameters:(NSDictionary *)parameters updateRootSetTime:(BOOL)updateTime
+- (CISDOBIpadServiceCall *)createIpadServiceCallWithParameters:(NSDictionary *)parameters
 {
     CISDOBAsyncCall *connectionCall =
         [_connection
@@ -133,7 +133,6 @@ static id OpenBisTableRowValueAtIndex(NSArray *rowData, NSUInteger index)
     
     __weak CISDOBIpadService *weakSelf = self;
     connectionCall.success = ^(id result) {
-        if (updateTime) weakSelf.lastRootSetUpdate = [NSDate date];
         if (iPadCall.success) {
             iPadCall.success([weakSelf rawEntitiesFromResult: result]);
         }
@@ -141,31 +140,17 @@ static id OpenBisTableRowValueAtIndex(NSArray *rowData, NSUInteger index)
     return iPadCall;
 }
 
-- (CISDOBIpadServiceCall *)createIpadServiceCallWithParameters:(NSDictionary *)parameters
+- (CISDOBAsyncCall *)heartbeat
 {
-    return [self createIpadServiceCallWithParameters: parameters updateRootSetTime: NO];
-}
-
-- (BOOL)shouldRefreshRootLevelEntitiesCall
-{
-    if (!self.lastRootSetUpdate) return YES;
-    if (!self.clientPreferences) return YES;
-    NSTimeInterval rootSetRefreshInterval = self.clientPreferences.rootSetRefreshInterval;
-    if ([[NSDate date] timeIntervalSinceDate: self.lastRootSetUpdate] < rootSetRefreshInterval) return NO;
-    return YES;
+    NSDictionary *parameters = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObject: @"PING" forKey: @"requestKey"];
+    CISDOBIpadServiceCall *serviceCall = [self createIpadServiceCallWithParameters: parameters];
+    return serviceCall;
 }
 
 - (CISDOBAsyncCall *)listRootLevelEntities
 {
-    CISDOBIpadServiceCall *serviceCall;
-    // If we have recently update the root set, just do a ping call
-    if ([self shouldRefreshRootLevelEntitiesCall]) {
-        NSDictionary *parameters = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObject: @"ROOT" forKey: @"requestKey"];
-        serviceCall = [self createIpadServiceCallWithParameters: parameters updateRootSetTime: YES];
-    } else {
-        NSDictionary *parameters = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObject: @"PING" forKey: @"requestKey"];
-        serviceCall = [self createIpadServiceCallWithParameters: parameters updateRootSetTime: NO];
-    }
+    NSDictionary *parameters = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObject: @"ROOT" forKey: @"requestKey"];
+    CISDOBIpadServiceCall *serviceCall = [self createIpadServiceCallWithParameters: parameters];
     // Make sure the timeout interval is at least 60s
     if (serviceCall.timeoutInterval < 60.) serviceCall.timeoutInterval = 60.;
     return serviceCall;
diff --git a/openbis-ipad/BisKit/Classes/CISDOBIpadServiceInternal.h b/openbis-ipad/BisKit/Classes/CISDOBIpadServiceInternal.h
index eb1d4336e65a6cb877d5cdc6794098da5b6941ed..fcc4583a53b3f366b7636950ee3d0ed373a1a006 100644
--- a/openbis-ipad/BisKit/Classes/CISDOBIpadServiceInternal.h
+++ b/openbis-ipad/BisKit/Classes/CISDOBIpadServiceInternal.h
@@ -57,10 +57,4 @@
 
 @end
 
-@interface CISDOBIpadService(CISDOBIpadServiceInternal)
-
-- (BOOL)shouldRefreshRootLevelEntitiesCall;
-- (CISDOBAsyncCall *)listRootLevelEntitiesFromServer;
-
-@end
 
diff --git a/openbis-ipad/BisKit/Classes/CISDOBIpadServiceManager.h b/openbis-ipad/BisKit/Classes/CISDOBIpadServiceManager.h
index 42a24b5a48eb4129f073a1279fcdfb258ec8f829..0b24b469adc46738bd1ee7c56e9968190a59129f 100644
--- a/openbis-ipad/BisKit/Classes/CISDOBIpadServiceManager.h
+++ b/openbis-ipad/BisKit/Classes/CISDOBIpadServiceManager.h
@@ -86,6 +86,8 @@ typedef void (^MocSaveBlock)(CISDOBIpadServiceManager *serviceManager, NSArray *
 @property (readonly) NSString *sessionToken;
 @property (nonatomic, getter=isOnline) BOOL online;
 
+@property(strong, nonatomic) NSDate *lastRootSetUpdate;
+
 //! Called when the service encounters an authentication challenge
 @property (copy, nonatomic) AuthenticationChallengeBlock authenticationChallengeBlock;
 
diff --git a/openbis-ipad/BisKit/Classes/CISDOBIpadServiceManager.m b/openbis-ipad/BisKit/Classes/CISDOBIpadServiceManager.m
index 9d615759f060ad557291d964f5c7662bc2fa7a00..80694260b72b7486e18af5ab5869b87912b55924 100644
--- a/openbis-ipad/BisKit/Classes/CISDOBIpadServiceManager.m
+++ b/openbis-ipad/BisKit/Classes/CISDOBIpadServiceManager.m
@@ -209,6 +209,8 @@ static NSManagedObjectContext* GetMainThreadManagedObjectContext(NSURL* storeUrl
     
     serviceCall.success = ^(id result) {
         weakSelf.online = YES;
+        // We treat prune as a synonym for the root set update call
+        if (prune) weakSelf.lastRootSetUpdate = [NSDate date];
         // Update the cache and call the managerCall success when done
         [weakSelf syncEntities: result pruning: prune notifying: managerCall];
     };    
@@ -248,7 +250,16 @@ static NSManagedObjectContext* GetMainThreadManagedObjectContext(NSURL* storeUrl
     return managerCall;
 }
 
-- (CISDOBAsyncCall *)retrieveRootLevelEntities
+- (BOOL)shouldRefreshRootLevelEntitiesCall
+{
+    if (!self.lastRootSetUpdate) return YES;
+    if (!self.service.clientPreferences) return YES;
+    NSTimeInterval rootSetRefreshInterval = self.service.clientPreferences.rootSetRefreshInterval;
+    if ([[NSDate date] timeIntervalSinceDate: self.lastRootSetUpdate] < rootSetRefreshInterval) return NO;
+    return YES;
+}
+
+- (CISDOBAsyncCall *)retrieveRootLevelEntitiesFromServer
 {
     CISDOBAsyncCall *call = [self.service listRootLevelEntities];
         // get rid of entities not mentioned in the original call
@@ -260,6 +271,17 @@ static NSManagedObjectContext* GetMainThreadManagedObjectContext(NSURL* storeUrl
     return managerCall;
 }
 
+- (CISDOBAsyncCall *)retrieveRootLevelEntities
+{
+    if ([self shouldRefreshRootLevelEntitiesCall]) return [self retrieveRootLevelEntitiesFromServer];
+    
+    // Make up a dummy call
+    CISDOBAsyncCall *call = [self.service heartbeat];
+    CISDOBIpadServiceManagerCall *managerCall = [self managerCallWrappingServiceCall: call pruning: NO];
+
+    return managerCall;
+}
+
 - (CISDOBAsyncCall *)drillOnEntity:(CISDOBIpadEntity *)entity
 {
     CISDOBAsyncCall *call = [self.service drillOnEntityWithPermId: entity.permId refcon: entity.refcon];
diff --git a/openbis-ipad/BisKit/Classes/CISDOBIpadServiceManagerInternal.h b/openbis-ipad/BisKit/Classes/CISDOBIpadServiceManagerInternal.h
index d70cd819085ee2d65cdb2c2ad7082ff756669997..aadd69243114a7b059f7b8eeb36239f8a4c5cdc5 100644
--- a/openbis-ipad/BisKit/Classes/CISDOBIpadServiceManagerInternal.h
+++ b/openbis-ipad/BisKit/Classes/CISDOBIpadServiceManagerInternal.h
@@ -57,3 +57,9 @@
 - (id)initWithServiceManager:(CISDOBIpadServiceManager *)serviceManager entity:(CISDOBIpadEntity *)entity;
 
 @end
+
+// Internal methods of the service manager
+@interface CISDOBIpadServiceManager (CISDOBIpadServiceManagerInternal)
+- (BOOL)shouldRefreshRootLevelEntitiesCall;
+- (CISDOBAsyncCall *)retrieveRootLevelEntitiesFromServer;
+@end
diff --git a/openbis-ipad/BisKit/Tests/CISDOBIpadServiceManagerTest.m b/openbis-ipad/BisKit/Tests/CISDOBIpadServiceManagerTest.m
index 0f7da007de96bcff4a514ef6815d7307df0be11b..838b954830cc719ebc4d2c07c3ac44464647070e 100644
--- a/openbis-ipad/BisKit/Tests/CISDOBIpadServiceManagerTest.m
+++ b/openbis-ipad/BisKit/Tests/CISDOBIpadServiceManagerTest.m
@@ -275,7 +275,9 @@
 - (void)testPersistEntities
 {
     [self performLogin];
+    STAssertTrue([self.serviceManager shouldRefreshRootLevelEntitiesCall], @"We have not yet initialized the root level entities, so we should do so now");
     [self performRootLevelCall];
+    STAssertFalse([self.serviceManager shouldRefreshRootLevelEntitiesCall], @"We have initialized the root level entities recently, no need to do it again.");
     
 
     // Get drill information on some entity
@@ -336,7 +338,7 @@
 {
     // Make a root level call, but do have some entities removed from the list
     CISDOBAsyncCall *call;
-    call = [self.serviceManager retrieveRootLevelEntities];
+    call = [self.serviceManager retrieveRootLevelEntitiesFromServer];
     
     NSArray *removedEntities = [self.serviceManager.service convertToEntitiesPermIds: [NSArray arrayWithObject: entityToRemove.permId] refcons: [NSArray arrayWithObject: entityToRemove.refcon] count: 1];
     CISDOBIpadServiceCall *serviceCall = (CISDOBIpadServiceCall *)((CISDOBIpadServiceManagerCall *)call).serviceCall;
@@ -347,7 +349,6 @@
     NSDictionary *oldServiceParams = [params objectAtIndex: 3];
     NSMutableDictionary *serviceParams = [NSMutableDictionary dictionaryWithDictionary: oldServiceParams];
         // Force the root request, bypassing the timing checks
-    [serviceParams setObject: @"ROOT" forKey: @"requestKey"];
     [serviceParams setObject: removedEntities forKey: @"HIDE"];
     [params replaceObjectAtIndex: 3 withObject: serviceParams];
     connectionCall.params = params;
diff --git a/openbis-ipad/BisKit/Tests/CISDOBIpadServiceTest.m b/openbis-ipad/BisKit/Tests/CISDOBIpadServiceTest.m
index aa7473b00702cfd8d5ef9319945d4c9f946b2bbf..ecabae8423d0abe8f79724a58290b27b1d2f17b3 100644
--- a/openbis-ipad/BisKit/Tests/CISDOBIpadServiceTest.m
+++ b/openbis-ipad/BisKit/Tests/CISDOBIpadServiceTest.m
@@ -63,14 +63,12 @@
     STAssertNotNil(_service.clientPreferences, @"The client preferences should have been initialized");
     STAssertEquals(_service.clientPreferences.rootSetRefreshInterval, 60. * 30., @"The default root refresh interval should be 30 min");
     
-    STAssertTrue([_service shouldRefreshRootLevelEntitiesCall], @"We have not yet initialized the root level entities, so we should do so now");
     call = [_service listRootLevelEntities];
     [self configureAndRunCallSynchronously: call];
     
     STAssertNotNil(_callResult, @"The iPad service should have returned some entities.");
     NSArray *rawEntities = _callResult;
     STAssertTrue([rawEntities count] > 0, @"The Pad service should have returned some entities.");
-    STAssertFalse([_service shouldRefreshRootLevelEntitiesCall], @"We have initialized the root level entities recently, no need to do it again.");
     
     for (CISDOBIpadRawEntity *rawEntity in rawEntities) {
         NSString *summaryHeader = rawEntity.summaryHeader;
diff --git a/openbis-ipad/Research/BisMac.xcodeproj/project.xcworkspace/xcuserdata/cramakri.xcuserdatad/UserInterfaceState.xcuserstate b/openbis-ipad/Research/BisMac.xcodeproj/project.xcworkspace/xcuserdata/cramakri.xcuserdatad/UserInterfaceState.xcuserstate
index 7c807974912002f4222bdc1cebb6dc6c2f42123e..963b69a498b01e3974540d2ed115cfcb7a45a224 100644
Binary files a/openbis-ipad/Research/BisMac.xcodeproj/project.xcworkspace/xcuserdata/cramakri.xcuserdatad/UserInterfaceState.xcuserstate and b/openbis-ipad/Research/BisMac.xcodeproj/project.xcworkspace/xcuserdata/cramakri.xcuserdatad/UserInterfaceState.xcuserstate differ
diff --git a/openbis-ipad/openBIS/openBIS.xcodeproj/project.xcworkspace/xcuserdata/cramakri.xcuserdatad/UserInterfaceState.xcuserstate b/openbis-ipad/openBIS/openBIS.xcodeproj/project.xcworkspace/xcuserdata/cramakri.xcuserdatad/UserInterfaceState.xcuserstate
index 105c72545cdd1f2f2c32c76a632ba113c581cef5..9c84184cb40fdde92bdea4c23d47da223bbafabf 100644
Binary files a/openbis-ipad/openBIS/openBIS.xcodeproj/project.xcworkspace/xcuserdata/cramakri.xcuserdatad/UserInterfaceState.xcuserstate and b/openbis-ipad/openBIS/openBIS.xcodeproj/project.xcworkspace/xcuserdata/cramakri.xcuserdatad/UserInterfaceState.xcuserstate differ