diff --git a/lib/Doctrine/DBAL/Connection.php b/lib/Doctrine/DBAL/Connection.php
index 912e5779b2e..1b7fc54198d 100644
--- a/lib/Doctrine/DBAL/Connection.php
+++ b/lib/Doctrine/DBAL/Connection.php
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 use Doctrine\DBAL\Cache\QueryCacheProfile;
 use Doctrine\DBAL\Cache\ArrayStatement;
 use Doctrine\DBAL\Cache\CacheException;
+use Doctrine\DBAL\Driver\PingableConnection;
 
 /**
  * A wrapper around a Doctrine\DBAL\Driver\Connection that adds features like
@@ -1488,4 +1489,31 @@ public function createQueryBuilder()
     {
         return new Query\QueryBuilder($this);
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Ping the server!
+     *
+     * @return bool
+     */
+    public function ping()
+    {
+        if ( ! $this->_isConnected) {
+            return false; // Don't connect if not done yet. It will be lazy on first use
+        }
+
+        if ($this->_conn instanceof PingableConnection) {
+            return $this->_conn->ping();
+        }
+
+        try {
+            $this->query($this->_platform->getDummySelectSQL());
+
+            return true;
+        } catch (DBALException $e) {
+            // As the underlying connection is unset, the next query will connect again thanks to the lazyness
+            $this->close();
+        }
+
+        return false;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/lib/Doctrine/DBAL/Driver/Mysqli/MysqliConnection.php b/lib/Doctrine/DBAL/Driver/Mysqli/MysqliConnection.php
index fde9e984921..7aefb26aa07 100644
--- a/lib/Doctrine/DBAL/Driver/Mysqli/MysqliConnection.php
+++ b/lib/Doctrine/DBAL/Driver/Mysqli/MysqliConnection.php
@@ -20,11 +20,13 @@
 namespace Doctrine\DBAL\Driver\Mysqli;
 
 use Doctrine\DBAL\Driver\Connection as Connection;
+use \Doctrine\DBAL\Driver\PingableConnection;
 
 /**
  * @author Kim Hemsø Rasmussen <kimhemsoe@gmail.com>
+ * @author Till Klampaeckel <till@php.net>
  */
-class MysqliConnection implements Connection
+class MysqliConnection implements Connection, PingableConnection
 {
     /**
      * @var \mysqli
@@ -207,4 +209,14 @@ private function setDriverOptions(array $driverOptions = array())
             );
         }
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Pings the server and re-connects when `mysqli.reconnect = 1`
+     *
+     * @return bool
+     */
+    public function ping()
+    {
+        return $this->_conn->ping();
+    }
 }
diff --git a/lib/Doctrine/DBAL/Driver/PingableConnection.php b/lib/Doctrine/DBAL/Driver/PingableConnection.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9bc893778be
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/Doctrine/DBAL/Driver/PingableConnection.php
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+<?php
+/*
+ * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+ * "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+ * LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
+ * A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
+ * OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
+ * SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+ * LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
+ * DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
+ * THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
+ * (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
+ * OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+ *
+ * This software consists of voluntary contributions made by many individuals
+ * and is licensed under the MIT license. For more information, see
+ * <http://www.doctrine-project.org>.
+ */
+
+namespace Doctrine\DBAL\Driver;
+
+/**
+ * An interface for connections which support a "native" ping method.
+ *
+ * @link   www.doctrine-project.org
+ * @since  2.5
+ * @author Till Klampaeckel <till@php.net>
+ * @author Benjamin Eberlei <kontakt@beberlei.de>
+ */
+interface PingableConnection
+{
+    /**
+     * Pings the database server to determine if the connection is still
+     * available. Return true/false based on if that was successful or not.
+     *
+     * @return bool
+     */
+    public function ping();
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/Doctrine/Tests/DBAL/Functional/ConnectionTest.php b/tests/Doctrine/Tests/DBAL/Functional/ConnectionTest.php
index 31da42f32bd..9ab7621bfde 100644
--- a/tests/Doctrine/Tests/DBAL/Functional/ConnectionTest.php
+++ b/tests/Doctrine/Tests/DBAL/Functional/ConnectionTest.php
@@ -193,6 +193,7 @@ public function testTransactionalWithException()
     {
         try {
             $this->_conn->transactional(function($conn) {
+                /* @var $conn \Doctrine\DBAL\Connection */
                 $conn->executeQuery($conn->getDatabasePlatform()->getDummySelectSQL());
                 throw new \RuntimeException("Ooops!");
             });
@@ -204,7 +205,7 @@ public function testTransactionalWithException()
     public function testTransactional()
     {
         $this->_conn->transactional(function($conn) {
-            /* @var $conn Connection */
+            /* @var $conn \Doctrine\DBAL\Connection */
             $conn->executeQuery($conn->getDatabasePlatform()->getDummySelectSQL());
         });
     }
@@ -216,4 +217,15 @@ public function testQuote()
     {
         $this->assertEquals($this->_conn->quote("foo", Type::STRING), $this->_conn->quote("foo", \PDO::PARAM_STR));
     }
+
+    public function testPingDoesNotTriggerConnect()
+    {
+        $this->assertFalse($this->_conn->ping());
+    }
+
+    public function testPingReturnsTrueWhenConnectionIsPingedOrOpen()
+    {
+        $this->_conn->connect();
+        $this->assertTrue($this->_conn->ping());
+    }
 }
diff --git a/tests/Doctrine/Tests/DBAL/Functional/Mysqli/ConnectionTest.php b/tests/Doctrine/Tests/DBAL/Functional/Mysqli/ConnectionTest.php
index 662e0ea5a35..ec25e5b78cf 100644
--- a/tests/Doctrine/Tests/DBAL/Functional/Mysqli/ConnectionTest.php
+++ b/tests/Doctrine/Tests/DBAL/Functional/Mysqli/ConnectionTest.php
@@ -39,6 +39,12 @@ public function testUnsupportedDriverOption()
         $this->getConnection(array('hello' => 'world')); // use local infile
     }
 
+    public function testPing()
+    {
+        $conn = $this->getConnection(array());
+        $this->assertTrue($conn->ping());
+    }
+
     private function getConnection(array $driverOptions)
     {
         return new \Doctrine\DBAL\Driver\Mysqli\MysqliConnection(