diff --git a/server/config.go b/server/config.go
index c7429ae3882..39b15213638 100644
--- a/server/config.go
+++ b/server/config.go
@@ -97,6 +97,8 @@ type Config struct {
 	// Only test can change them.
 	nextRetryDelay             time.Duration
 	disableStrictReconfigCheck bool
+
+	heartbeatStreamBindInterval typeutil.Duration
 }
 
 // NewConfig creates a new config.
@@ -144,6 +146,8 @@ const (
 	defaultTickInterval = 500 * time.Millisecond
 	// embed etcd has a check that `5 * tick > election`
 	defaultElectionInterval = 3000 * time.Millisecond
+
+	defaultHeartbeatStreamRebindInterval = time.Minute
 )
 
 func adjustString(v *string, defValue string) {
@@ -276,6 +280,8 @@ func (c *Config) adjust() error {
 
 	c.Schedule.adjust()
 	c.Replication.adjust()
+
+	adjustDuration(&c.heartbeatStreamBindInterval, defaultHeartbeatStreamRebindInterval)
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/server/grpc_service.go b/server/grpc_service.go
index ac574d4f55b..42f3a6495a1 100644
--- a/server/grpc_service.go
+++ b/server/grpc_service.go
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ func (s *Server) RegionHeartbeat(stream pdpb.PD_RegionHeartbeatServer) error {
 		return errors.Trace(err)
 	}
 
-	isNew := true
+	var lastBind time.Time
 	for {
 		request, err := server.Recv()
 		if err == io.EOF {
@@ -311,9 +311,10 @@ func (s *Server) RegionHeartbeat(stream pdpb.PD_RegionHeartbeatServer) error {
 
 		hbStreams := cluster.coordinator.hbStreams
 
-		if isNew {
+		if time.Since(lastBind) > s.cfg.heartbeatStreamBindInterval.Duration {
+			regionHeartbeatCounter.WithLabelValues(storeLabel, "report", "bind").Inc()
 			hbStreams.bindStream(storeID, server)
-			isNew = false
+			lastBind = time.Now()
 		}
 
 		region := core.NewRegionInfo(request.GetRegion(), request.GetLeader())
diff --git a/server/heartbeat_stream_test.go b/server/heartbeat_stream_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9071f55f3e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/heartbeat_stream_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+// Copyright 2018 PingCAP, Inc.
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+package server
+
+import (
+	"time"
+
+	. "github.com/pingcap/check"
+	"github.com/pingcap/kvproto/pkg/metapb"
+	"github.com/pingcap/kvproto/pkg/pdpb"
+	"github.com/pingcap/pd/pkg/testutil"
+	"github.com/pingcap/pd/pkg/typeutil"
+)
+
+var _ = Suite(&testHeartbeatStreamSuite{})
+
+type testHeartbeatStreamSuite struct {
+	testClusterBaseSuite
+	region *metapb.Region
+}
+
+func (s *testHeartbeatStreamSuite) SetUpSuite(c *C) {
+	s.svr, s.cleanup = newTestServer(c)
+	s.svr.cfg.heartbeatStreamBindInterval = typeutil.NewDuration(time.Second)
+	err := s.svr.Run()
+	c.Assert(err, IsNil)
+	mustWaitLeader(c, []*Server{s.svr})
+	s.grpcPDClient = mustNewGrpcClient(c, s.svr.GetAddr())
+
+	bootstrapReq := s.newBootstrapRequest(c, s.svr.clusterID, "127.0.0.1:0")
+	_, err = s.svr.bootstrapCluster(bootstrapReq)
+	c.Assert(err, IsNil)
+	s.region = bootstrapReq.Region
+}
+
+func (s *testHeartbeatStreamSuite) TearDownSuite(c *C) {
+	s.cleanup()
+}
+
+func (s *testHeartbeatStreamSuite) TestActivity(c *C) {
+	// Add a new store and an addPeer operator.
+	storeID, err := s.svr.idAlloc.Alloc()
+	c.Assert(err, IsNil)
+	putStore(c, s.grpcPDClient, s.svr.clusterID, &metapb.Store{Id: storeID, Address: "127.0.0.1:1"})
+	newHandler(s.svr).AddAddPeerOperator(s.region.GetId(), storeID)
+
+	stream1, stream2 := newRegionheartbeatClient(c, s.grpcPDClient), newRegionheartbeatClient(c, s.grpcPDClient)
+	checkActiveStream := func() int {
+		select {
+		case <-stream1.respCh:
+			return 1
+		case <-stream2.respCh:
+			return 2
+		case <-time.After(time.Second):
+			return 0
+		}
+	}
+
+	req := &pdpb.RegionHeartbeatRequest{
+		Header: newRequestHeader(s.svr.clusterID),
+		Leader: s.region.Peers[0],
+		Region: s.region,
+	}
+	// Active stream is stream1.
+	stream1.stream.Send(req)
+	c.Assert(checkActiveStream(), Equals, 1)
+	// Rebind to stream2.
+	stream2.stream.Send(req)
+	c.Assert(checkActiveStream(), Equals, 2)
+	// Rebind to stream1 if no more heartbeats sent through stream2.
+	testutil.WaitUntil(c, func(c *C) bool {
+		stream1.stream.Send(req)
+		return checkActiveStream() == 1
+	})
+}