diff --git a/src/MIDI.h b/src/MIDI.h
index 72c8b1b..e430703 100644
--- a/src/MIDI.h
+++ b/src/MIDI.h
@@ -235,6 +235,8 @@ public:
     inline void turnThruOff();
     inline void setThruFilterMode(Thru::Mode inThruFilterMode);
 
+    inline void UpdateLastSentTime();
+
 private:
     void thruFilter(byte inChannel);
 
@@ -273,13 +275,6 @@ private:
 private:
     inline StatusByte getStatus(MidiType inType,
                                 Channel inChannel) const;
-
-    inline void UpdateLastSentTime()
-    {
-        if (mSenderActiveSensingPeriodicity)
-            mLastMessageSentTime = Platform::now();
-    };
-
 };
 
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/MIDI.hpp b/src/MIDI.hpp
index 3ab35ec..9f4fd6c 100644
--- a/src/MIDI.hpp
+++ b/src/MIDI.hpp
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ inline MidiInterface<Transport, Settings, Platform>::MidiInterface(Transport& in
     , mThruFilterMode(Thru::Full)
     , mLastError(0)
 {
+        mSenderActiveSensingPeriodicity = Settings::SenderActiveSensingPeriodicity;
 }
 
 /*! \brief Destructor for MidiInterface.
@@ -82,7 +83,6 @@ void MidiInterface<Transport, Settings, Platform>::begin(Channel inChannel)
     mCurrentRpnNumber  = 0xffff;
     mCurrentNrpnNumber = 0xffff;
 
-    mSenderActiveSensingPeriodicity = Settings::SenderActiveSensingPeriodicity;
     mLastMessageSentTime = Platform::now();
 
     mMessage.valid   = false;
@@ -718,13 +718,13 @@ inline bool MidiInterface<Transport, Settings, Platform>::read(Channel inChannel
     // assume that the connection has been terminated. At
     // termination, the receiver will turn off all voices and return to
     // normal (non- active sensing) operation.
-    if ((mSenderActiveSensingPeriodicity > 0) && (Platform::now() - mLastMessageSentTime) > mSenderActiveSensingPeriodicity)
+    if (Settings::UseSenderActiveSensing && (mSenderActiveSensingPeriodicity > 0) && (Platform::now() - mLastMessageSentTime) > mSenderActiveSensingPeriodicity)
     {
-      sendActiveSensing();
-      mLastMessageSentTime = Platform::now();
+        sendActiveSensing();
+        mLastMessageSentTime = Platform::now();
     }
     
-    if (mReceiverActiveSensingActivated && (mLastMessageReceivedTime + ActiveSensingTimeout < Platform::now()))
+    if (Settings::UseReceiverActiveSensing && mReceiverActiveSensingActivated && (mLastMessageReceivedTime + ActiveSensingTimeout < Platform::now()))
     {
         mReceiverActiveSensingActivated = false;
 
@@ -741,7 +741,8 @@ inline bool MidiInterface<Transport, Settings, Platform>::read(Channel inChannel
         return false;
   
     #ifndef RegionActiveSending
-    if (mMessage.type == ActiveSensing)
+
+    if (Settings::UseReceiverActiveSensing && mMessage.type == ActiveSensing)
     {
         // When an ActiveSensing message is received, the time keeping is activated.
         // When a timeout occurs, an error message is send and time keeping ends.
@@ -756,9 +757,9 @@ inline bool MidiInterface<Transport, Settings, Platform>::read(Channel inChannel
     }
 
     // Keep the time of the last received message, so we can check for the timeout
-    if (mReceiverActiveSensingActivated)
+    if (Settings::UseReceiverActiveSensing && mReceiverActiveSensingActivated)
         mLastMessageReceivedTime = Platform::now();
-        
+
     #endif
 
     handleNullVelocityNoteOnAsNoteOff();
@@ -1384,6 +1385,13 @@ inline void MidiInterface<Transport, Settings, Platform>::turnThruOff()
     mThruFilterMode = Thru::Off;
 }
 
+template<class Transport, class Settings, class Platform>
+inline void MidiInterface<Transport, Settings, Platform>::UpdateLastSentTime()
+{
+    if (Settings::UseSenderActiveSensing && mSenderActiveSensingPeriodicity)
+        mLastMessageSentTime = Platform::now();
+}
+
 /*! @} */ // End of doc group MIDI Thru
 
 // This method is called upon reception of a message
diff --git a/src/midi_Settings.h b/src/midi_Settings.h
index bb2d013..21d5c5a 100644
--- a/src/midi_Settings.h
+++ b/src/midi_Settings.h
@@ -61,6 +61,18 @@ struct DefaultSettings
     */
     static const bool HandleNullVelocityNoteOnAsNoteOff = true;
 
+    /*! Global switch to turn on/off sender ActiveSensing
+    Set to true to send ActiveSensing
+    Set to false will not send ActiveSensing message (will also save memory)
+    */
+    static const bool UseSenderActiveSensing = false;
+
+    /*! Global switch to turn on/off receiver ActiveSensing
+    Set to true to check for message timeouts (via ErrorCallback)
+    Set to false will not check if chained device are still alive (if they use ActiveSensing) (will also save memory)
+    */
+    static const bool UseReceiverActiveSensing = false;
+
     /*! Active Sensing is intended to be sent
     repeatedly by the sender to tell the receiver that a connection is alive. Use
     of this message is optional. When initially received, the