diff --git a/devices/clients/sst_client.py b/devices/clients/sst_client.py
index 8cc80a584c52d06d12947fd104112e34fdf8dbc1..18d17276cb0b3c39fbfb10dc497b0e21473e6db9 100644
--- a/devices/clients/sst_client.py
+++ b/devices/clients/sst_client.py
@@ -63,6 +63,13 @@ class sst_client(CommClient):
 
         return super().connect()
 
+    def ping(self):
+        if not self.sst.isAlive():
+            raise Exception("SST thread died unexpectedly")
+
+        if not self.udp.isAlive():
+            raise Exception("UDP thread died unexpectedly")
+
     def disconnect(self):
         # explicit disconnect, instead of waiting for the GC to kick in after "del" below
         self.sst.disconnect()