diff --git a/service/vector_store_client.cc b/service/vector_store_client.cc
index 1ad577d2df..14e5a5e35e 100644
--- a/service/vector_store_client.cc
+++ b/service/vector_store_client.cc
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@
 
 namespace {
 
+using namespace std::chrono_literals;
+
 using ann_error = service::vector_store_client::ann_error;
 using configuration_exception = exceptions::configuration_exception;
 using duration = lowres_clock::duration;
@@ -46,6 +48,7 @@ using port_number = service::vector_store_client::port_number;
 using primary_key = service::vector_store_client::primary_key;
 using primary_keys = service::vector_store_client::primary_keys;
 using service_reply_format_error = service::vector_store_client::service_reply_format_error;
+using tcp_keepalive_params = net::tcp_keepalive_params;
 using time_point = lowres_clock::time_point;
 
 // Wait time before retrying after an exception occurred
@@ -211,6 +214,27 @@ auto read_ann_json(rjson::value const& json, schema_ptr const& schema) -> std::e
     return std::move(keys);
 }
 
+class client_connection_factory : public http::experimental::connection_factory {
+    socket_address _addr;
+
+public:
+    explicit client_connection_factory(socket_address addr)
+        : _addr(addr) {
+    }
+
+    future<connected_socket> make([[maybe_unused]] abort_source* as) override {
+        auto socket = co_await seastar::connect(_addr, {}, transport::TCP);
+        socket.set_nodelay(true);
+        socket.set_keepalive_parameters(tcp_keepalive_params{
+                .idle = 60s,
+                .interval = 60s,
+                .count = 10,
+        });
+        socket.set_keepalive(true);
+        co_return socket;
+    }
+};
+
 class http_client {
 
     host_port _host_port;
@@ -222,7 +246,7 @@ public:
     http_client(host_port host_port_, inet_address addr)
         : _host_port(std::move(host_port_))
         , _addr(std::move(addr))
-        , impl(socket_address(addr, _host_port.port)) {
+        , impl(std::make_unique<client_connection_factory>(socket_address(addr, _host_port.port))) {
     }
 
     bool connects_to(inet_address const& a, port_number p) const {