diff --git a/backend/Dockerfile b/backend/Dockerfile
index 45e6442..d7f453e 100644
--- a/backend/Dockerfile
+++ b/backend/Dockerfile
@@ -14,4 +14,4 @@ COPY ./app ./app
 RUN mkdir -p /app/data
 EXPOSE $PORT
 
-CMD ["sh", "-c", "gunicorn -w 4 -k uvicorn.workers.UvicornWorker app.main:app --bind 0.0.0.0:$PORT"]
\ No newline at end of file
+CMD ["sh", "-c", "gunicorn -w 1 -k uvicorn.workers.UvicornWorker app.main:app --bind 0.0.0.0:$PORT"]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend/app/routes/websocket.py b/backend/app/routes/websocket.py
index 4d79899..3de09dc 100644
--- a/backend/app/routes/websocket.py
+++ b/backend/app/routes/websocket.py
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 # backend/app/routes/websocket.py
+import asyncio
+
 from fastapi import APIRouter, WebSocket, WebSocketDisconnect
 
 from ..core.websocket_manager import manager
@@ -11,6 +13,11 @@ async def websocket_endpoint(websocket: WebSocket):
     await manager.connect(websocket)
     try:
         while True:
-            await websocket.receive_text()
+            try:
+                await asyncio.wait_for(websocket.receive_text(), timeout=30.0)
+            except asyncio.TimeoutError:
+                await websocket.send_json({"type": "ping"})
     except WebSocketDisconnect:
         manager.disconnect(websocket)
+    except Exception:
+        manager.disconnect(websocket)