diff --git a/src/pEp/_pEp/basic_api.cc b/src/pEp/_pEp/basic_api.cc
index 4fa55cf..4146f50 100644
--- a/src/pEp/_pEp/basic_api.cc
+++ b/src/pEp/_pEp/basic_api.cc
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #include <pEp/message_api.h>
 #include <pEp/echo_api.h>
 #include <pEp/mixnet.h>
+#include <pEp/echo_api.h>
 #include <pEp/Adapter.hh>
 
 // local
@@ -222,21 +223,6 @@ namespace pEp {
             _throw_status(status);
         }
 
-        void send_ping(Identity &own_identity, Identity &other_identity)
-        {
-            const std::string own_userid = (*own_identity).user_id;
-            if (own_userid == "")
-                throw invalid_argument("user_id needed for own identity");
-            else if (own_userid != PEP_OWN_USERID)
-                throw invalid_argument("suppesedly own identity not own");
-
-            ::pEp_identity *own_identity_c = own_identity;
-            ::pEp_identity *other_identity_c = other_identity;
-
-            PEP_STATUS status = PEP_STATUS_OK;
-            status = ::send_ping(Adapter::session(), own_identity_c, other_identity_c);
-            _throw_status(status);
-
         boost::python::list onion_identities(unsigned trusted_no, unsigned total_no)
         {
             ::identity_list *identities = NULL;
@@ -253,7 +239,22 @@ namespace pEp {
             }
             free_identity_list(identities);
             return result;
+        }
 
+        void send_ping(Identity &own_identity, Identity &other_identity)
+        {
+            const std::string own_userid = (*own_identity).user_id;
+            if (own_userid == "")
+                throw invalid_argument("user_id needed for own identity");
+            else if (own_userid != PEP_OWN_USERID)
+                throw invalid_argument("suppesedly own identity not own");
+
+            ::pEp_identity *own_identity_c = own_identity;
+            ::pEp_identity *other_identity_c = other_identity;
+
+            PEP_STATUS status = PEP_STATUS_OK;
+            status = ::send_ping(Adapter::session(), own_identity_c, other_identity_c);
+            _throw_status(status);
         }
 
     } // namespace PythonAdapter
diff --git a/src/pEp/_pEp/basic_api.hh b/src/pEp/_pEp/basic_api.hh
index ca6cdef..cffe13b 100644
--- a/src/pEp/_pEp/basic_api.hh
+++ b/src/pEp/_pEp/basic_api.hh
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ namespace pEp {
         void send_ping(Identity &own_identity, Identity &other_identity);
 
         boost::python::list onion_identities(unsigned trusted_no, unsigned total_no);
+
+        void send_ping(Identity &own_identity, Identity &other_identity);
+
     } /* namespace PythonAdapter */
 } /* namespace pEp */
 
diff --git a/src/pEp/_pEp/pEpmodule.cc b/src/pEp/_pEp/pEpmodule.cc
index 633b210..516ae44 100644
--- a/src/pEp/_pEp/pEpmodule.cc
+++ b/src/pEp/_pEp/pEpmodule.cc
@@ -769,6 +769,19 @@ namespace pEp {
                 "blob       a blob returned by Message.serialize\n"
                 "\n");
 
+            def("send_ping",
+                &send_ping,
+                "send_ping(own_identity, other_identity)\n"
+                "\n"
+                "send a Distribution.Ping message from the given own identity\n"
+                "to the given identity, usually but not necessarily non-own.\n"
+                "\n"
+                "Both identities must have been updated, the own identity\n"
+                "with pEp.myself() and the second with Identity.update()\n"
+                "\n"
+                "own_identity    the sender identity\n"
+                "other_identity  the recipient identity\n");
+
             // message API
 
             enum_<PEP_rating>("rating")