diff --git a/pkg/output/http/config.go b/pkg/output/http/config.go
index 335442c4..fb6a100e 100644
--- a/pkg/output/http/config.go
+++ b/pkg/output/http/config.go
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	ExportTimeout      time.Duration       `yaml:"exportTimeout" default:"30s"`
 	MaxExportBatchSize int                 `yaml:"maxExportBatchSize" default:"512"`
 	Compression        CompressionStrategy `yaml:"compression" default:"none"`
-	KeepAlive          bool                `yaml:"keepAlive" default:"true"`
+	KeepAlive          *bool               `yaml:"keepAlive" default:"true"`
 }
 
 func (c *Config) Validate() error {
diff --git a/pkg/output/http/exporter.go b/pkg/output/http/exporter.go
index bfd6587f..49cbdd64 100644
--- a/pkg/output/http/exporter.go
+++ b/pkg/output/http/exporter.go
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ type ItemExporter struct {
 
 func NewItemExporter(name string, config *Config, log logrus.FieldLogger) (ItemExporter, error) {
 	t := http.DefaultTransport.(*http.Transport).Clone()
-	if !config.KeepAlive {
+	if config.KeepAlive != nil && !*config.KeepAlive {
 		t.DisableKeepAlives = true
 	}