Techniques are described to reduce false alarms in network devices utilizing keepalive messaging schemes. In order to potentially avoid false alarms, a transmitting network device adjusts quality of service QOS/TOS settings in keep-alive probe packets that are sent later in a current detection interval such that the keep-alive probe packets have escalating priorities. In addition, for keep-alive probe packets that are sent later in the current detection interval, the network device may also insert host-level preferential indicator within each of the packets to request preferential treatment at both itself and the peer network device.