diff --git a/web/gui/src/main/java/org/onosproject/ui/impl/TopologyViewMessageHandler.java b/web/gui/src/main/java/org/onosproject/ui/impl/TopologyViewMessageHandler.java
index 59a7442..b6098bb 100644
--- a/web/gui/src/main/java/org/onosproject/ui/impl/TopologyViewMessageHandler.java
+++ b/web/gui/src/main/java/org/onosproject/ui/impl/TopologyViewMessageHandler.java
@@ -119,7 +119,6 @@
     private static final String SPRITE_LIST_REQ = "spriteListRequest";
     private static final String SPRITE_DATA_REQ = "spriteDataRequest";
     private static final String TOPO_START = "topoStart";
-    private static final String TOPO_HEARTBEAT = "topoHeartbeat";
     private static final String TOPO_SELECT_OVERLAY = "topoSelectOverlay";
     private static final String TOPO_STOP = "topoStop";
 
@@ -210,7 +209,6 @@
     protected Collection<RequestHandler> createRequestHandlers() {
         return ImmutableSet.of(
                 new TopoStart(),
-                new TopoHeartbeat(),
                 new TopoSelectOverlay(),
                 new TopoStop(),
                 new ReqSummary(),
@@ -267,17 +265,6 @@
         }
     }
 
-    private final class TopoHeartbeat extends RequestHandler {
-        private TopoHeartbeat() {
-            super(TOPO_HEARTBEAT);
-        }
-
-        @Override
-        public void process(long sid, ObjectNode payload) {
-            // place holder for now
-        }
-    }
-
     private final class TopoSelectOverlay extends RequestHandler {
         private TopoSelectOverlay() {
             super(TOPO_SELECT_OVERLAY);
diff --git a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/topo/topoEvent.js b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/topo/topoEvent.js
index 7988932..2a93895 100644
--- a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/topo/topoEvent.js
+++ b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/topo/topoEvent.js
@@ -31,10 +31,7 @@
 
     // internal state
     var handlerMap,
-        openListener,
-        heartbeatTimer;
-
-    var heartbeatPeriod = 9000; // 9 seconds
+        openListener;
 
     // ==========================
 
@@ -74,20 +71,6 @@
         wss.sendEvent('topoStart');
     }
 
-    function cancelHeartbeat() {
-        if (heartbeatTimer) {
-            $interval.cancel(heartbeatTimer);
-        }
-        heartbeatTimer = null;
-    }
-
-    function scheduleHeartbeat() {
-        cancelHeartbeat();
-        heartbeatTimer = $interval(function () {
-            wss.sendEvent('topoHeartbeat');
-        }, heartbeatPeriod);
-    }
-
 
     angular.module('ovTopo')
     .factory('TopoEventService',
@@ -118,12 +101,10 @@
                 // in case we fail over to a new server, listen for wsock-open
                 openListener = wss.addOpenListener(wsOpen);
                 wss.sendEvent('topoStart');
-                scheduleHeartbeat();
                 $log.debug('topo comms started');
             }
 
             function stop() {
-                cancelHeartbeat();
                 wss.sendEvent('topoStop');
                 wss.unbindHandlers(handlerMap);
                 wss.removeOpenListener(openListener);