diff --git a/pkg/com/cond.go b/pkg/com/cond.go
index 63ef1950..72ba347c 100644
--- a/pkg/com/cond.go
+++ b/pkg/com/cond.go
@@ -2,81 +2,89 @@ package com
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"errors"
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 )
 
-var ErrCondClosed = errors.New("condition closed")
-
-// Cond implements a condition variable, a rendezvous point
-// for goroutines waiting for or announcing the occurrence
-// of an event.
+// Cond implements a channel-based synchronization for goroutines that wait for signals or send them.
+// Internally based on a controller loop that handles the synchronization of new listeners and signal propagation,
+// which is only started when NewCond is called. Thus the zero value cannot be used.
 type Cond struct {
-	ctx       context.Context
-	cancel    context.CancelFunc
 	broadcast chan struct{}
+	done      chan struct{}
+	cancel    context.CancelFunc
 	listeners chan chan struct{}
 }
 
+// NewCond returns a new Cond and starts the controller loop.
 func NewCond(ctx context.Context) *Cond {
-	done, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
 
 	c := &Cond{
 		broadcast: make(chan struct{}),
 		cancel:    cancel,
-		ctx:       done,
+		done:      make(chan struct{}),
 		listeners: make(chan chan struct{}),
 	}
 
-	go c.controller()
+	go c.controller(ctx)
 
 	return c
 }
 
+// Broadcast sends a signal to all current listeners by closing the previously returned channel from Wait.
+// Panics if the controller loop has already ended.
+func (c *Cond) Broadcast() {
+	select {
+	case c.broadcast <- struct{}{}:
+	case <-c.done:
+		panic(errors.New("condition closed"))
+	}
+}
+
+// Close stops the controller loop, waits for it to finish, and returns an error if any.
+// Implements the io.Closer interface.
+func (c *Cond) Close() error {
+	c.cancel()
+	<-c.done
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// Done returns a channel that will be closed when the controller loop has ended.
+func (c *Cond) Done() <-chan struct{} {
+	return c.done
+}
+
+// Wait returns a channel that is closed with the next signal.
+// Panics if the controller loop has already ended.
+func (c *Cond) Wait() <-chan struct{} {
+	select {
+	case l := <-c.listeners:
+		return l
+	case <-c.done:
+		panic(errors.New("condition closed"))
+	}
+}
+
 // controller loop.
-func (c *Cond) controller() {
+func (c *Cond) controller(ctx context.Context) {
+	defer close(c.done)
+
+	// Note that the notify channel does not close when the controller loop ends
+	// in order not to notify pending listeners.
 	notify := make(chan struct{})
 
 	for {
 		select {
 		case <-c.broadcast:
-			// all current receivers get a closed channel
+			// Close channel to notify all current listeners.
 			close(notify)
-			// set up next batch of receivers.
+			// Create a new channel for the next listeners.
 			notify = make(chan struct{})
 		case c.listeners <- notify:
-			// great. A Receiver has our channel
-		case <-c.ctx.Done():
+			// A new listener received the channel.
+		case <-ctx.Done():
 			return
 		}
 	}
 }
-
-// Close implements the io.Closer interface.
-func (c *Cond) Close() error {
-	c.cancel()
-
-	return nil
-}
-
-// Wait returns a channel on which the next (close) signal will be sent.
-func (c *Cond) Wait() <-chan struct{} {
-	select {
-	case l := <-c.listeners:
-		return l
-	case <-c.ctx.Done():
-		panic(ErrCondClosed)
-	}
-}
-
-// Broadcast wakes all current listeners.
-func (c *Cond) Broadcast() {
-	select {
-	case c.broadcast <- struct{}{}:
-	case <-c.ctx.Done():
-		panic(ErrCondClosed)
-	}
-}
-
-func (c *Cond) Done() <-chan struct{} {
-	return c.ctx.Done()
-}
diff --git a/pkg/icingadb/ha.go b/pkg/icingadb/ha.go
index bf87ab6d..2a7d7133 100644
--- a/pkg/icingadb/ha.go
+++ b/pkg/icingadb/ha.go
@@ -114,11 +114,8 @@ func (h *HA) controller() {
 
 	for {
 		select {
-		case m, ok := <-h.heartbeat.Beat():
-			if !ok {
-				// Beat channel closed.
-				return
-			}
+		case <-h.heartbeat.Beat():
+			m := h.heartbeat.Message()
 			now := time.Now()
 			t, err := m.Time()
 			if err != nil {
@@ -126,10 +123,10 @@ func (h *HA) controller() {
 			}
 			tt := t.Time()
 			if tt.After(now.Add(1 * time.Second)) {
-				h.logger.Debugw("Received heartbeat from future", "time", t)
+				h.logger.Debugw("Received heartbeat from the future", zap.Time("time", tt))
 			}
 			if tt.Before(now.Add(-1 * timeout)) {
-				h.logger.Errorw("Received heartbeat from the past", "time", t)
+				h.logger.Errorw("Received heartbeat from the past", zap.Time("time", tt))
 				h.signalHandover()
 				continue
 			}
@@ -155,6 +152,10 @@ func (h *HA) controller() {
 		case <-h.heartbeat.Lost():
 			h.logger.Error("Lost heartbeat")
 			h.signalHandover()
+		case <-h.heartbeat.Done():
+			if err := h.heartbeat.Err(); err != nil {
+				h.abort(err)
+			}
 		case <-h.ctx.Done():
 			return
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/icingaredis/heartbeat.go b/pkg/icingaredis/heartbeat.go
index 69d00b26..888ffffb 100644
--- a/pkg/icingaredis/heartbeat.go
+++ b/pkg/icingaredis/heartbeat.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package icingaredis
 import (
 	"context"
 	"github.com/go-redis/redis/v8"
+	"github.com/icinga/icingadb/pkg/com"
 	v1 "github.com/icinga/icingadb/pkg/icingaredis/v1"
 	"github.com/icinga/icingadb/pkg/utils"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
@@ -12,79 +13,98 @@ import (
 	"time"
 )
 
+// timeout defines how long a heartbeat may be absent if a heartbeat has already been received.
+// After this time, a heartbeat loss is propagated.
 var timeout = 60 * time.Second
 
+// Heartbeat periodically reads heartbeats from a Redis stream and signals in Beat channels when they are received.
+// Also signals on if the heartbeat is Lost.
 type Heartbeat struct {
-	ctx    context.Context
-	cancel context.CancelFunc
-	client *Client
-	logger *zap.SugaredLogger
-	active bool
-	beat   chan v1.StatsMessage
-	lost   chan struct{}
-	done   chan struct{}
-	mu     *sync.Mutex
-	err    error
+	active    bool
+	beat      *com.Cond
+	cancel    context.CancelFunc
+	client    *Client
+	done      chan struct{}
+	errMu     sync.Mutex
+	err       error
+	logger    *zap.SugaredLogger
+	lost      *com.Cond
+	message   *v1.StatsMessage
+	messageMu sync.Mutex
 }
 
+// NewHeartbeat returns a new Heartbeat and starts the heartbeat controller loop.
 func NewHeartbeat(ctx context.Context, client *Client, logger *zap.SugaredLogger) *Heartbeat {
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
 
 	heartbeat := &Heartbeat{
-		ctx:    ctx,
+		beat:   com.NewCond(ctx),
 		cancel: cancel,
 		client: client,
-		logger: logger,
-		beat:   make(chan v1.StatsMessage),
-		lost:   make(chan struct{}),
 		done:   make(chan struct{}),
-		mu:     &sync.Mutex{},
+		logger: logger,
+		lost:   com.NewCond(ctx),
 	}
 
-	go heartbeat.controller()
+	go heartbeat.controller(ctx)
 
 	return heartbeat
 }
 
-// Close implements the io.Closer interface.
-func (h Heartbeat) Close() error {
-	// Cancel ctx.
+// Beat returns a channel that will be closed when a new heartbeat is received.
+func (h *Heartbeat) Beat() <-chan struct{} {
+	return h.beat.Wait()
+}
+
+// Close stops the heartbeat controller loop, waits for it to finish, and returns an error if any.
+// Implements the io.Closer interface.
+func (h *Heartbeat) Close() error {
 	h.cancel()
-	// Wait until the controller loop ended.
 	<-h.Done()
-	// And return an error, if any.
+
 	return h.Err()
 }
 
-func (h Heartbeat) Done() <-chan struct{} {
+// Done returns a channel that will be closed when the heartbeat controller loop has ended.
+func (h *Heartbeat) Done() <-chan struct{} {
 	return h.done
 }
 
-func (h Heartbeat) Err() error {
-	h.mu.Lock()
-	defer h.mu.Unlock()
+// Err returns an error if Done has been closed and there is an error. Otherwise returns nil.
+func (h *Heartbeat) Err() error {
+	h.errMu.Lock()
+	defer h.errMu.Unlock()
 
 	return h.err
 }
 
-func (h Heartbeat) Beat() <-chan v1.StatsMessage {
-	return h.beat
+// Lost returns a channel that will be closed if the heartbeat is lost.
+func (h *Heartbeat) Lost() <-chan struct{} {
+	return h.lost.Wait()
 }
 
-func (h Heartbeat) Lost() <-chan struct{} {
-	return h.lost
+// Message returns the last heartbeat message.
+func (h *Heartbeat) Message() *v1.StatsMessage {
+	h.messageMu.Lock()
+	defer h.messageMu.Unlock()
+
+	return h.message
 }
 
 // controller loop.
-func (h Heartbeat) controller() {
+func (h *Heartbeat) controller(ctx context.Context) {
+	defer close(h.done)
+
+	h.logger.Info("Waiting for Icinga 2 heartbeat")
+
 	messages := make(chan v1.StatsMessage)
 	defer close(messages)
 
-	g, ctx := errgroup.WithContext(h.ctx)
+	g, ctx := errgroup.WithContext(ctx)
 
-	// Message producer loop
+	// Message producer loop.
 	g.Go(func() error {
-		// We expect heartbeats every second but only read them every 3 seconds
+		// We expect heartbeats every second but only read them every 3 seconds.
 		throttle := time.NewTicker(time.Second * 3)
 		defer throttle.Stop()
 
@@ -109,7 +129,7 @@ func (h Heartbeat) controller() {
 		}
 	})
 
-	// State loop
+	// State loop.
 	g.Go(func() error {
 		for {
 			select {
@@ -122,11 +142,12 @@ func (h Heartbeat) controller() {
 					h.logger.Infow("Received first Icinga 2 heartbeat", zap.String("environment", s.Environment))
 					h.active = true
 				}
-				h.beat <- m
+				h.setMessage(&m)
+				h.beat.Broadcast()
 			case <-time.After(timeout):
 				if h.active {
 					h.logger.Warn("Lost Icinga 2 heartbeat", zap.Duration("timeout", timeout))
-					h.lost <- struct{}{}
+					h.lost.Broadcast()
 					h.active = false
 				} else {
 					h.logger.Warn("Waiting for Icinga 2 heartbeat")
@@ -140,14 +161,23 @@ func (h Heartbeat) controller() {
 	// Since the goroutines of the group actually run endlessly,
 	// we wait here forever, unless an error occurs.
 	if err := g.Wait(); err != nil && !utils.IsContextCanceled(err) {
-		// Do not propagate context-aborted errors here,
-		// as this is to be expected when Close was called.
+		// Do not propagate any context-canceled errors here,
+		// as this is to be expected when calling Close or
+		// when the parent context is canceled.
 		h.setError(err)
 	}
 }
 
 func (h *Heartbeat) setError(err error) {
-	h.mu.Lock()
+	h.errMu.Lock()
+	defer h.errMu.Unlock()
+
 	h.err = errors.Wrap(err, "heartbeat failed")
-	h.mu.Unlock()
+}
+
+func (h *Heartbeat) setMessage(m *v1.StatsMessage) {
+	h.messageMu.Lock()
+	defer h.messageMu.Unlock()
+
+	h.message = m
 }