diff --git a/lib/Redis.ts b/lib/Redis.ts
index 1df870ff5..edb210067 100644
--- a/lib/Redis.ts
+++ b/lib/Redis.ts
@@ -213,10 +213,6 @@ class Redis extends Commander {
           }
 
           _this.stream = stream;
-          if (typeof options.keepAlive === "number") {
-            stream.setKeepAlive(true, options.keepAlive);
-          }
-
           if (stream.connecting) {
             stream.once(CONNECT_EVENT, eventHandler.connectHandler(_this));
 
diff --git a/lib/redis/event_handler.ts b/lib/redis/event_handler.ts
index 8b3b57d03..6121e4918 100644
--- a/lib/redis/event_handler.ts
+++ b/lib/redis/event_handler.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,10 @@ export function connectHandler(self) {
 
     self.resetCommandQueue();
 
+    if (typeof self.options.keepAlive === "number") {
+      self.stream.setKeepAlive(true, self.options.keepAlive);
+    }
+
     // AUTH command should be processed before any other commands
     let flushed = false;
     const { connectionEpoch } = self;