diff --git a/server/src/wled_controller/core/processing/wled_target_processor.py b/server/src/wled_controller/core/processing/wled_target_processor.py
index 09f0dc0..5d7e8f7 100644
--- a/server/src/wled_controller/core/processing/wled_target_processor.py
+++ b/server/src/wled_controller/core/processing/wled_target_processor.py
@@ -707,8 +707,24 @@ class WledTargetProcessor(TargetProcessor):
                                 cur_brightness = 0
 
                         # Zero-brightness suppression: if output is black and
-                        # the last sent frame was also black, skip sending.
+                        # the last sent frame was also black, skip sending
+                        # (but still send periodic keepalive to hold DDP live mode).
                         if cur_brightness <= 1 and _prev_brightness <= 1 and has_any_frame:
+                            if self._needs_keepalive and (loop_start - last_send_time) >= keepalive_interval:
+                                if not self._is_running or self._led_client is None:
+                                    break
+                                send_colors = _cached_brightness(
+                                    self._fit_to_device(prev_frame_ref, _total_leds),
+                                    cur_brightness,
+                                )
+                                if self._led_client.supports_fast_send:
+                                    self._led_client.send_pixels_fast(send_colors)
+                                else:
+                                    await self._led_client.send_pixels(send_colors)
+                                now = time.perf_counter()
+                                last_send_time = now
+                                send_timestamps.append(now)
+                                self._metrics.frames_keepalive += 1
                             self._metrics.frames_skipped += 1
                             while send_timestamps and send_timestamps[0] < loop_start - 1.0:
                                 send_timestamps.popleft()