diff --git a/src/helper/log.c b/src/helper/log.c
index 4ba0dd6a7..549d71279 100644
--- a/src/helper/log.c
+++ b/src/helper/log.c
@@ -385,7 +385,19 @@ void keep_alive()
 	current_time=timeval_ms();
 	if (current_time-last_time>1000)
 	{
-		LOG_WARNING("keep_alive() was not invoked in the 1000ms timelimit. GDB alive packet not sent! (%lld). Workaround: increase \"set remotetimeout\" in GDB", current_time-last_time);
+		extern int gdb_actual_connections;
+
+		if (gdb_actual_connections)
+			LOG_WARNING("keep_alive() was not invoked in the "
+				"1000ms timelimit. GDB alive packet not "
+				"sent! (%lld). Workaround: increase "
+				"\"set remotetimeout\" in GDB",
+				current_time-last_time);
+		else
+			LOG_DEBUG("keep_alive() was not invoked in the "
+				"1000ms timelimit (%lld). This may cause "
+				"trouble with GDB connections.",
+				current_time-last_time);
 	}
 	if (current_time-last_time>500)
 	{
diff --git a/src/server/gdb_server.c b/src/server/gdb_server.c
index f4e9c3269..c01273880 100644
--- a/src/server/gdb_server.c
+++ b/src/server/gdb_server.c
@@ -61,6 +61,10 @@ enum gdb_detach_mode
 /* target behaviour on gdb detach */
 enum gdb_detach_mode detach_mode = GDB_DETACH_RESUME;
 
+/* number of gdb connections, mainly to supress gdb related debugging spam
+ * in helper/log.c when no gdb connections are actually active */
+int gdb_actual_connections;
+
 /* set if we are sending a memory map to gdb
  * via qXfer:memory-map:read packet */
 /* enabled by default*/
@@ -797,6 +801,9 @@ int gdb_new_connection(connection_t *connection)
 	if (initial_ack != '+')
 		gdb_putback_char(connection, initial_ack);
 	target_call_event_callbacks(gdb_service->target, TARGET_EVENT_GDB_ATTACH );
+
+	gdb_actual_connections++;
+
 	return ERROR_OK;
 }
 
@@ -805,6 +812,8 @@ int gdb_connection_closed(connection_t *connection)
 	gdb_service_t *gdb_service = connection->service->priv;
 	gdb_connection_t *gdb_connection = connection->priv;
 
+	gdb_actual_connections--;
+
 	/* see if an image built with vFlash commands is left */
 	if (gdb_connection->vflash_image)
 	{