diff --git a/core/src/protocols_handler/mod.rs b/core/src/protocols_handler/mod.rs
index 37c8de94..ff4e922e 100644
--- a/core/src/protocols_handler/mod.rs
+++ b/core/src/protocols_handler/mod.rs
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ use crate::upgrade::{
     UpgradeError,
 };
 use futures::prelude::*;
-use std::{error, fmt, time::Duration, time::Instant};
+use std::{cmp::Ordering, error, fmt, time::Duration, time::Instant};
 use tokio_io::{AsyncRead, AsyncWrite};
 
 pub use self::dummy::DummyProtocolsHandler;
@@ -152,8 +152,8 @@ pub trait ProtocolsHandler {
     /// On the other hand, the return value is only an indication and doesn't mean that the user
     /// will not call `shutdown()`.
     ///
-    /// When multiple `ProtocolsHandler` are combined together, they should use return the largest
-    /// value of the two, or `Forever` if either returns `Forever`.
+    /// When multiple `ProtocolsHandler` are combined together, the largest `KeepAlive` should be
+    /// used.
     ///
     /// The result of this method should be checked every time `poll()` is invoked.
     ///
@@ -434,3 +434,22 @@ impl KeepAlive {
         }
     }
 }
+
+impl PartialOrd for KeepAlive {
+    fn partial_cmp(&self, other: &KeepAlive) -> Option<Ordering> {
+        Some(self.cmp(other))
+    }
+}
+
+impl Ord for KeepAlive {
+    fn cmp(&self, other: &KeepAlive) -> Ordering {
+        use self::KeepAlive::*;
+
+        match (self, other) {
+            (Now, Now) | (Forever, Forever) => Ordering::Equal,
+            (Now, _) | (_, Forever) => Ordering::Less,
+            (_, Now) | (Forever, _) => Ordering::Greater,
+            (Until(expiration), Until(other_expiration)) => expiration.cmp(other_expiration),
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/core/src/protocols_handler/select.rs b/core/src/protocols_handler/select.rs
index 392e143f..cf0c7cce 100644
--- a/core/src/protocols_handler/select.rs
+++ b/core/src/protocols_handler/select.rs
@@ -210,11 +210,7 @@ where
 
     #[inline]
     fn connection_keep_alive(&self) -> KeepAlive {
-        match (self.proto1.connection_keep_alive(), self.proto2.connection_keep_alive()) {
-            (KeepAlive::Forever, _) | (_, KeepAlive::Forever) => KeepAlive::Forever,
-            (a, KeepAlive::Now) | (KeepAlive::Now, a) => a,
-            (KeepAlive::Until(a), KeepAlive::Until(b)) => KeepAlive::Until(cmp::max(a, b)),
-        }
+        cmp::max(self.proto1.connection_keep_alive(), self.proto2.connection_keep_alive())
     }
 
     #[inline]