diff --git a/distaff/src/heartbeat.rs b/distaff/src/heartbeat.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..29f5516
--- /dev/null
+++ b/distaff/src/heartbeat.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,176 @@
+use std::{
+    collections::BTreeMap,
+    mem::ManuallyDrop,
+    ops::Deref,
+    ptr::NonNull,
+    sync::{
+        Arc,
+        atomic::{AtomicBool, Ordering},
+    },
+    time::Instant,
+};
+
+use parking_lot::Mutex;
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
+pub struct HeartbeatList {
+    inner: Arc<Mutex<HeartbeatListInner>>,
+}
+
+impl HeartbeatList {
+    pub fn new() -> Self {
+        Self {
+            inner: Arc::new(Mutex::new(HeartbeatListInner::new())),
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn new_heartbeat(&self) -> OwnedHeartbeatReceiver {
+        let (recv, _) = self.inner.lock().new_heartbeat();
+        OwnedHeartbeatReceiver {
+            list: self.clone(),
+            receiver: ManuallyDrop::new(recv),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+struct HeartbeatListInner {
+    heartbeats: BTreeMap<u64, HeartbeatSender>,
+    heartbeat_index: u64,
+}
+
+impl HeartbeatListInner {
+    fn new() -> Self {
+        Self {
+            heartbeats: BTreeMap::new(),
+            heartbeat_index: 0,
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn new_heartbeat(&mut self) -> (HeartbeatReceiver, u64) {
+        let heartbeat = Heartbeat::new(self.heartbeat_index);
+        let (recv, send, i) = heartbeat.into_recv_send();
+        self.heartbeats.insert(i, send);
+        self.heartbeat_index += 1;
+        (recv, i)
+    }
+
+    fn remove_heartbeat(&mut self, receiver: HeartbeatReceiver) {
+        if let Some(send) = self.heartbeats.remove(&receiver.i) {
+            _ = Heartbeat::from_recv_send(receiver, send);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+pub struct OwnedHeartbeatReceiver {
+    list: HeartbeatList,
+    receiver: ManuallyDrop<HeartbeatReceiver>,
+}
+
+impl Deref for OwnedHeartbeatReceiver {
+    type Target = HeartbeatReceiver;
+
+    fn deref(&self) -> &Self::Target {
+        &self.receiver
+    }
+}
+
+impl Drop for OwnedHeartbeatReceiver {
+    fn drop(&mut self) {
+        // SAFETY:
+        // `AtomicBool` is `Sync` and `Send`, so it can be safely shared between threads.
+        unsafe {
+            let receiver = ManuallyDrop::take(&mut self.receiver);
+            self.list.inner.lock().remove_heartbeat(receiver);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct Heartbeat {
+    ptr: NonNull<AtomicBool>,
+    i: u64,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct HeartbeatReceiver {
+    ptr: NonNull<AtomicBool>,
+    i: u64,
+}
+
+unsafe impl Send for HeartbeatReceiver {}
+
+impl Drop for Heartbeat {
+    fn drop(&mut self) {
+        // SAFETY:
+        // `AtomicBool` is `Sync` and `Send`, so it can be safely shared between threads.
+        unsafe {
+            let _ = Box::from_raw(self.ptr.as_ptr());
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct HeartbeatSender {
+    ptr: NonNull<AtomicBool>,
+    pub last_heartbeat: Instant,
+}
+
+unsafe impl Send for HeartbeatSender {}
+
+impl Heartbeat {
+    pub fn new(i: u64) -> Heartbeat {
+        // SAFETY:
+        // `AtomicBool` is `Sync` and `Send`, so it can be safely shared between threads.
+        let ptr = NonNull::new(Box::into_raw(Box::new(AtomicBool::new(true)))).unwrap();
+        Self { ptr, i }
+    }
+
+    pub fn from_recv_send(recv: HeartbeatReceiver, send: HeartbeatSender) -> Heartbeat {
+        // SAFETY:
+        // `AtomicBool` is `Sync` and `Send`, so it can be safely shared between threads.
+        _ = send;
+        let ptr = recv.ptr;
+        let i = recv.i;
+        Heartbeat { ptr, i }
+    }
+
+    pub fn into_recv_send(self) -> (HeartbeatReceiver, HeartbeatSender, u64) {
+        let Self { ptr, i } = self;
+        (
+            HeartbeatReceiver { ptr, i },
+            HeartbeatSender {
+                ptr,
+                last_heartbeat: Instant::now(),
+            },
+            i,
+        )
+    }
+}
+
+impl HeartbeatReceiver {
+    pub fn take(&self) -> bool {
+        unsafe {
+            // SAFETY:
+            // `AtomicBool` is `Sync` and `Send`, so it can be safely shared between threads.
+            self.ptr.as_ref().swap(false, Ordering::Relaxed)
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn id(&self) -> usize {
+        self.ptr.as_ptr() as usize
+    }
+
+    pub fn index(&self) -> u64 {
+        self.i
+    }
+}
+
+impl HeartbeatSender {
+    pub fn set(&mut self) {
+        // SAFETY:
+        // `AtomicBool` is `Sync` and `Send`, so it can be safely shared between threads.
+        unsafe { self.ptr.as_ref().store(true, Ordering::Relaxed) };
+        self.last_heartbeat = Instant::now();
+    }
+}
diff --git a/distaff/src/lib.rs b/distaff/src/lib.rs
index f064e21..cd56bca 100644
--- a/distaff/src/lib.rs
+++ b/distaff/src/lib.rs
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 extern crate alloc;
 
 mod context;
+mod heartbeat;
 mod job;
 mod join;
 mod latch;