diff --git a/CHANGES/7315.bugfix b/CHANGES/7315.bugfix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2c76b9c985
--- /dev/null
+++ b/CHANGES/7315.bugfix
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fixed bug where API process would miss heartbeats during long uploads.
diff --git a/pulpcore/app/entrypoint.py b/pulpcore/app/entrypoint.py
index 9f7f1d43a2..2b3ca86fc8 100644
--- a/pulpcore/app/entrypoint.py
+++ b/pulpcore/app/entrypoint.py
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 from logging import getLogger
 import os
 import sys
+import threading
+import time
 
 import click
 import django
@@ -22,9 +24,40 @@
 
 
 class PulpApiWorker(SyncWorker):
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+        self.heartbeat_thread = None
+
+    def _heartbeat_loop(self):
+        """Run heartbeat in a loop. Exit process if heartbeat fails."""
+        try:
+            while self.alive:
+                try:
+                    self.heartbeat()
+                except Exception as e:
+                    # Any unhandled exception in heartbeat should restart the worker
+                    logger.error(
+                        f"Heartbeat thread encountered fatal error for worker {self.name}: {e}"
+                    )
+                    # Exit with error code to trigger worker restart
+                    os._exit(Arbiter.WORKER_BOOT_ERROR)
+
+                time.sleep(self.heartbeat_interval)
+        except Exception as e:
+            # Safety net: if even the loop itself fails, restart
+            logger.error(f"Heartbeat thread loop failed for worker {self.name}: {e}")
+            os._exit(Arbiter.WORKER_BOOT_ERROR)
+
     def notify(self):
         super().notify()
-        self.heartbeat()
+
+        # Check if heartbeat thread is still alive
+        if not self.heartbeat_thread.is_alive():
+            logger.error(
+                f"Heartbeat thread died unexpectedly for worker {self.name}. "
+                "Exiting to trigger restart."
+            )
+            os._exit(Arbiter.WORKER_BOOT_ERROR)
 
     def heartbeat(self):
         try:
@@ -37,7 +70,8 @@ def heartbeat(self):
                 logger.debug(self.beat_msg)
             except (InterfaceError, DatabaseError) as e:
                 logger.error(f"{self.fail_beat_msg} Exception: {str(e)}")
-                exit(Arbiter.WORKER_BOOT_ERROR)
+                # This will be caught by _heartbeat_loop and trigger os._exit
+                raise
 
     def init_process(self):
         os.environ.setdefault("DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE", "pulpcore.app.settings")
@@ -76,6 +110,15 @@ def init_process(self):
             logger.error(f"An API app with name {self.name} already exists in the database.")
             exit(Arbiter.WORKER_BOOT_ERROR)
 
+        # Store heartbeat interval for the heartbeat thread
+        self.heartbeat_interval = settings.API_APP_TTL // 3
+
+        # Start heartbeat thread before entering the main loop
+        self.heartbeat_thread = threading.Thread(
+            target=self._heartbeat_loop, daemon=True, name=f"heartbeat-{self.name}"
+        )
+        self.heartbeat_thread.start()
+
         super().init_process()
 
     def run(self):