diff --git a/src/remote/blockingTCP.h b/src/remote/blockingTCP.h
index b70c758..cc14af3 100644
--- a/src/remote/blockingTCP.h
+++ b/src/remote/blockingTCP.h
@@ -82,9 +82,9 @@ namespace epics {
             int _receiveBufferSize;
 
             /**
-             * Beacon interval.
+             * Heartbeat interval.
              */
-            float _beaconInterval;
+            float _heartbeatInterval;
 
             /**
              * Tries to connect to the given address.
diff --git a/src/remote/blockingTCPConnector.cpp b/src/remote/blockingTCPConnector.cpp
index 7552035..0c8ea44 100644
--- a/src/remote/blockingTCPConnector.cpp
+++ b/src/remote/blockingTCPConnector.cpp
@@ -24,11 +24,11 @@ namespace epics {
         BlockingTCPConnector::BlockingTCPConnector(
                 Context::shared_pointer const & context,
                 int receiveBufferSize,
-                float beaconInterval) :
+                float heartbeatInterval) :
             _context(context),
             _namedLocker(),
             _receiveBufferSize(receiveBufferSize),
-            _beaconInterval(beaconInterval)
+            _heartbeatInterval(heartbeatInterval)
         {
         }
 
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ namespace epics {
 
                     transport = detail::BlockingClientTCPTransportCodec::create(
                                             context, socket, responseHandler, _receiveBufferSize, _socketSendBufferSize,
-                                            client, transportRevision, _beaconInterval, priority);
+                                            client, transportRevision, _heartbeatInterval, priority);
 
                     // verify
                     if(!transport->verify(3000)) {
diff --git a/src/remote/codec.cpp b/src/remote/codec.cpp
index a67da07..80f85c1 100644
--- a/src/remote/codec.cpp
+++ b/src/remote/codec.cpp
@@ -1622,11 +1622,11 @@ namespace epics {
     int32_t receiveBufferSize,
     TransportClient::shared_pointer const & client,
     epics::pvData::int8 /*remoteTransportRevision*/,
-    float beaconInterval,
+    float heartbeatInterval,
     int16_t priority ) :
     BlockingTCPTransportCodec(false, context, channel, responseHandler,
       sendBufferSize, receiveBufferSize, priority),
-    _connectionTimeout(beaconInterval*1000),
+    _connectionTimeout(heartbeatInterval*1000),
     _unresponsiveTransport(false),
     _verifyOrEcho(true)
   {
@@ -1667,7 +1667,7 @@ namespace epics {
             double diff = epicsTimeDiffInSeconds(&currentTime, &_aliveTimestamp);
             _mutex.unlock();
             
-            if(diff>2*_connectionTimeout) {
+            if(diff>((3*_connectionTimeout)/2)) {
                 unresponsiveTransport();
             }
             // use some k (3/4) to handle "jitter"
diff --git a/src/remote/codec.h b/src/remote/codec.h
index 1660de8..ad48350 100644
--- a/src/remote/codec.h
+++ b/src/remote/codec.h
@@ -703,7 +703,7 @@ namespace epics {
         int32_t receiveBufferSize,
         TransportClient::shared_pointer const & client,
         epics::pvData::int8 remoteTransportRevision,
-        float beaconInterval,
+        float heartbeatInterval,
         int16_t priority);
 
     public:
@@ -715,7 +715,7 @@ namespace epics {
         int32_t receiveBufferSize,
         TransportClient::shared_pointer const & client,
         int8_t remoteTransportRevision,
-        float beaconInterval,
+        float heartbeatInterval,
         int16_t priority )
       {
         shared_pointer thisPointer(
@@ -723,7 +723,7 @@ namespace epics {
             context, channel, responseHandler,
             sendBufferSize, receiveBufferSize,
             client, remoteTransportRevision,
-            beaconInterval, priority)
+            heartbeatInterval, priority)
           );
         thisPointer->activate();
         return thisPointer;
diff --git a/src/remoteClient/clientContextImpl.cpp b/src/remoteClient/clientContextImpl.cpp
index ff29f00..255360f 100644
--- a/src/remoteClient/clientContextImpl.cpp
+++ b/src/remoteClient/clientContextImpl.cpp
@@ -4100,7 +4100,7 @@ TODO
                 osiSockAttach();
                 m_timer.reset(new Timer("pvAccess-client timer", lowPriority));
                 Context::shared_pointer thisPointer = shared_from_this();
-                m_connector.reset(new BlockingTCPConnector(thisPointer, m_receiveBufferSize, m_beaconPeriod));
+                m_connector.reset(new BlockingTCPConnector(thisPointer, m_receiveBufferSize, m_connectionTimeout));
                 m_transportRegistry.reset(new TransportRegistry());
 
                 // TODO put memory barrier here... (if not already called withing a lock?)
diff --git a/src/utils/configuration.cpp b/src/utils/configuration.cpp
index b9eecc0..38ce89b 100644
--- a/src/utils/configuration.cpp
+++ b/src/utils/configuration.cpp
@@ -274,13 +274,15 @@ bool SystemConfigurationImpl::getPropertyAsBoolean(const string &name, const boo
 	std::transform(value.begin(), value.end(), value.begin(), ::tolower);
 
 	bool isTrue = (value == "1") || (value == "true") || (value == "yes");
+    if (isTrue)
+        return true;
+
 	bool isFalse = (value == "0") || (value == "false") || (value == "no");
+    if (isFalse)
+        return false;
 
 	// invalid value
-	if (!(isTrue || isFalse))
-		return defaultValue;
-	else
-		return isTrue == true;
+    return defaultValue;
 }
 
 int32 SystemConfigurationImpl::getPropertyAsInteger(const string &name, const int32 defaultValue)