diff --git a/server/portal_server.js b/server/portal_server.js
index f5ec0bcc..9dc2cf01 100644
--- a/server/portal_server.js
+++ b/server/portal_server.js
@@ -21,10 +21,13 @@ const log = mozlog('portal.server');
 
 const app = express();
 
-app.engine('handlebars', exphbs({ 
-  defaultLayout: 'main',
-  partialsDir: 'views/partials/'
-}));
+app.engine(
+  'handlebars',
+  exphbs({
+    defaultLayout: 'main',
+    partialsDir: 'views/partials/'
+  })
+);
 app.set('view engine', 'handlebars');
 
 app.use(helmet());
@@ -32,7 +35,6 @@ app.use(busboy());
 app.use(bodyParser.json());
 app.use(express.static(path.join(__dirname, '../public')));
 
-
 app.get('/', (req, res) => {
   res.render('index', {
     shouldRenderAnalytics: notLocalHost,
@@ -155,6 +157,10 @@ app.get('/__lbheartbeat__', (req, res) => {
   res.sendStatus(200);
 });
 
+app.get('/__heartbeat__', (req, res) => {
+  storage.ping().then(() => res.sendStatus(200), () => res.sendStatus(500));
+});
+
 app.listen(conf.listen_port, () => {
   log.info('startServer:', `Portal app listening on port ${conf.listen_port}!`);
 });
diff --git a/server/storage.js b/server/storage.js
index 63b1bbdc..9d089fa1 100644
--- a/server/storage.js
+++ b/server/storage.js
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ const log = mozlog('portal.storage');
 
 const redis = require('redis');
 const redis_client = redis.createClient({
-  host: conf.redis_host
+  host: conf.redis_host,
+  connect_timeout: 10000
 });
 
 redis_client.on('error', err => {
@@ -29,7 +30,8 @@ if (notLocalHost) {
     get: awsGet,
     set: awsSet,
     delete: awsDelete,
-    forceDelete: awsForceDelete
+    forceDelete: awsForceDelete,
+    ping: awsPing
   };
 } else {
   module.exports = {
@@ -39,7 +41,8 @@ if (notLocalHost) {
     get: localGet,
     set: localSet,
     delete: localDelete,
-    forceDelete: localForceDelete
+    forceDelete: localForceDelete,
+    ping: localPing
   };
 }
 
@@ -124,6 +127,14 @@ function localForceDelete(id) {
   });
 }
 
+function localPing() {
+  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+    redis_client.ping(err => {
+      return err ? reject() : resolve();
+    });
+  });
+}
+
 function awsLength(id) {
   const params = {
     Bucket: conf.s3_bucket,
@@ -215,3 +226,9 @@ function awsForceDelete(id) {
     });
   });
 }
+
+function awsPing() {
+  return localPing().then(() =>
+    s3.headBucket({ Bucket: conf.s3_bucket }).promise()
+  );
+}