diff --git a/src/agent/onefuzz-agent/src/tasks/heartbeat.rs b/src/agent/onefuzz-agent/src/tasks/heartbeat.rs
index 72ae8a4fb..10ac41f1c 100644
--- a/src/agent/onefuzz-agent/src/tasks/heartbeat.rs
+++ b/src/agent/onefuzz-agent/src/tasks/heartbeat.rs
@@ -48,9 +48,7 @@ pub async fn init_task_heartbeat(queue_url: Url, task_id: Uuid) -> Result<TaskHe
             let machine_id = context.state.machine_id;
             let machine_name = context.state.machine_name.clone();
 
-            let mut data =
-                HeartbeatClient::<TaskContext, _>::drain_current_messages(context.clone());
-            data.push(HeartbeatData::MachineAlive);
+            let data = HeartbeatClient::<TaskContext, _>::drain_current_messages(context.clone());
             let _ = context
                 .queue_client
                 .enqueue(Heartbeat {
@@ -69,13 +67,19 @@ pub trait HeartbeatSender {
     fn send(&self, data: HeartbeatData) -> Result<()>;
 
     fn alive(&self) {
-        self.send(HeartbeatData::TaskAlive).unwrap()
+        if let Err(error) = self.send(HeartbeatData::TaskAlive) {
+            error!("failed to send heartbeat: {}", error);
+        }
     }
 }
 
 impl HeartbeatSender for TaskHeartbeatClient {
     fn send(&self, data: HeartbeatData) -> Result<()> {
-        let mut messages_lock = self.context.pending_messages.lock().unwrap();
+        let mut messages_lock = self
+            .context
+            .pending_messages
+            .lock()
+            .map_err(|_| anyhow::format_err!("Unable to acquire the lock"))?;
         messages_lock.insert(data);
         Ok(())
     }
diff --git a/src/agent/onefuzz-supervisor/src/agent.rs b/src/agent/onefuzz-supervisor/src/agent.rs
index e0d4422ad..5be1a021f 100644
--- a/src/agent/onefuzz-supervisor/src/agent.rs
+++ b/src/agent/onefuzz-supervisor/src/agent.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use tokio::time;
 
 use crate::coordinator::*;
 use crate::done::set_done_lock;
-use crate::heartbeat::AgentHeartbeatClient;
+use crate::heartbeat::{AgentHeartbeatClient, HeartbeatSender};
 use crate::reboot::*;
 use crate::scheduler::*;
 use crate::setup::*;
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ pub struct Agent {
     setup_runner: Box<dyn ISetupRunner>,
     work_queue: Box<dyn IWorkQueue>,
     worker_runner: Box<dyn IWorkerRunner>,
-    _heartbeat: Option<AgentHeartbeatClient>,
+    heartbeat: Option<AgentHeartbeatClient>,
     previous_state: NodeState,
 }
 
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ impl Agent {
             setup_runner,
             work_queue,
             worker_runner,
-            _heartbeat: heartbeat,
+            heartbeat,
             previous_state,
         }
     }
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ impl Agent {
         }
 
         loop {
+            self.heartbeat.alive();
             if delay.is_elapsed() {
                 self.execute_pending_commands().await?;
                 delay = command_delay();
diff --git a/src/agent/onefuzz-supervisor/src/heartbeat.rs b/src/agent/onefuzz-supervisor/src/heartbeat.rs
index e0eefcb3f..6724c3ceb 100644
--- a/src/agent/onefuzz-supervisor/src/heartbeat.rs
+++ b/src/agent/onefuzz-supervisor/src/heartbeat.rs
@@ -40,8 +40,7 @@ pub async fn init_agent_heartbeat(queue_url: Url) -> Result<AgentHeartbeatClient
         queue_url,
         None,
         |context| async move {
-            let mut data = HeartbeatClient::drain_current_messages(context.clone());
-            data.push(HeartbeatData::MachineAlive);
+            let data = HeartbeatClient::drain_current_messages(context.clone());
             let _ = context
                 .queue_client
                 .enqueue(Heartbeat {
@@ -54,3 +53,34 @@ pub async fn init_agent_heartbeat(queue_url: Url) -> Result<AgentHeartbeatClient
     );
     Ok(hb)
 }
+
+pub trait HeartbeatSender {
+    fn send(&self, data: HeartbeatData) -> Result<()>;
+
+    fn alive(&self) {
+        if let Err(error) = self.send(HeartbeatData::MachineAlive) {
+            error!("failed to send heartbeat: {}", error);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl HeartbeatSender for AgentHeartbeatClient {
+    fn send(&self, data: HeartbeatData) -> Result<()> {
+        let mut messages_lock = self
+            .context
+            .pending_messages
+            .lock()
+            .map_err(|_| anyhow::format_err!("Unable to acquire the lock"))?;
+        messages_lock.insert(data);
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
+
+impl HeartbeatSender for Option<AgentHeartbeatClient> {
+    fn send(&self, data: HeartbeatData) -> Result<()> {
+        match self {
+            Some(client) => client.send(data),
+            None => Ok(()),
+        }
+    }
+}