diff --git a/monkey/monkey_island/cc/models/__init__.py b/monkey/monkey_island/cc/models/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c02d7f0c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/monkey/monkey_island/cc/models/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+from monkey import Monkey
diff --git a/monkey/monkey_island/cc/models/monkey.py b/monkey/monkey_island/cc/models/monkey.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d54fe1b43
--- /dev/null
+++ b/monkey/monkey_island/cc/models/monkey.py
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+"""
+Define a Document Schema for the Monkey document.
+"""
+import mongoengine
+from mongoengine import Document, StringField, ListField, BooleanField, EmbeddedDocumentField, DateField, \
+    EmbeddedDocument, connect, ReferenceField, DateTimeField
+
+from monkey_island.cc.environment.environment import env
+
+connect(db=env.mongo_db_name, host=env.mongo_db_host, port=env.mongo_db_port)
+
+
+class Config(EmbeddedDocument):
+    """
+    No need to define this schema here. It will change often and is already is defined in
+    monkey_island.cc.services.config_schema.
+    See https://mongoengine-odm.readthedocs.io/apireference.html#mongoengine.FieldDoesNotExist
+    """
+    meta = {'strict': False}
+    pass
+
+
+class Creds(EmbeddedDocument):
+    """
+    TODO get an example of this data
+    """
+    meta = {'strict': False}
+    pass
+
+
+class PbaResults(EmbeddedDocument):
+    ip = StringField()
+    hostname = StringField()
+    command = StringField()
+    name = StringField()
+    result = ListField()
+
+
+class Ttl(Document):
+    meta = {
+        'indexes': [
+            {
+                'name': 'TTL_index',
+                'fields': ['expire_at'],
+                'expireAfterSeconds': 0
+            }
+        ]
+    }
+
+    expire_at = DateTimeField()
+
+
+class Monkey(Document):
+    """
+    This class has 2 main section:
+        *   The schema section defines the DB fields in the document. This is the data of the object.
+        *   The logic section defines complex questions we can ask about a single document which are asked multiple
+            times, somewhat like an API.
+    """
+    guid = StringField(required=True)
+    config = EmbeddedDocumentField('Config')
+    creds = ListField(EmbeddedDocumentField('Creds'))
+    dead = BooleanField()
+    description = StringField()
+    hostname = StringField()
+    internet_access = BooleanField()
+    ip_addresses = ListField(StringField())
+    keepalive = DateField()
+    modifytime = DateField()
+    # TODO change this to an embedded document as well - RN it's an unnamed tuple which is confusing.
+    parent = ListField(ListField(StringField()))
+    config_error = BooleanField()
+    critical_services = ListField(StringField())
+    pba_results = ListField()
+    ttl_ref = ReferenceField(Ttl)
+
+    def is_dead(self):
+        monkey_is_dead = False
+        if self.dead:
+            monkey_is_dead = True
+        else:
+            try:
+                if Ttl.objects(id=self.ttl_ref.id).count() == 0:
+                    # No TTLs - monkey has timed out. The monkey is MIA
+                    monkey_is_dead = True
+            except mongoengine.DoesNotExist:
+                # Trying to dereference unknown document
+                monkey_is_dead = True
+        return monkey_is_dead
diff --git a/monkey/monkey_island/cc/resources/monkey.py b/monkey/monkey_island/cc/resources/monkey.py
index 057ebf149..c6e7af908 100644
--- a/monkey/monkey_island/cc/resources/monkey.py
+++ b/monkey/monkey_island/cc/resources/monkey.py
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 import json
-from datetime import datetime
+from datetime import datetime, timedelta
 
 import dateutil.parser
 import flask_restful
 from flask import request
 
+from monkey_island.cc import models
 from monkey_island.cc.database import mongo
 from monkey_island.cc.services.config import ConfigService
-from monkey_island.cc.services.monkey_timeout import start_timer_decorator
 from monkey_island.cc.services.node import NodeService
 
 __author__ = 'Barak'
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ __author__ = 'Barak'
 class Monkey(flask_restful.Resource):
 
     # Used by monkey. can't secure.
-    @start_timer_decorator
     def get(self, guid=None, **kw):
         NodeService.update_dead_monkeys()  # refresh monkeys status
         if not guid:
@@ -49,6 +48,11 @@ class Monkey(flask_restful.Resource):
             tunnel_host_ip = monkey_json['tunnel'].split(":")[-2].replace("//", "")
             NodeService.set_monkey_tunnel(monkey["_id"], tunnel_host_ip)
 
+        current_ttl = models.monkey.Ttl(expire_at=datetime.now() + timedelta(seconds=30))
+        current_ttl.save()
+
+        update['$set']['ttl_ref'] = current_ttl.id
+
         return mongo.db.monkey.update({"_id": monkey["_id"]}, update, upsert=False)
 
     # Used by monkey. can't secure.
diff --git a/monkey/monkey_island/cc/services/node.py b/monkey/monkey_island/cc/services/node.py
index fa500aab5..83474a2c3 100644
--- a/monkey/monkey_island/cc/services/node.py
+++ b/monkey/monkey_island/cc/services/node.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ from monkey_island.cc.database import mongo
 from monkey_island.cc.services.edge import EdgeService
 from monkey_island.cc.utils import local_ip_addresses
 import socket
+from monkey_island.cc import models
 
 __author__ = "itay.mizeretz"
 
@@ -141,7 +142,7 @@ class NodeService:
                 "label": label,
                 "group": NodeService.get_monkey_group(monkey),
                 "os": NodeService.get_monkey_os(monkey),
-                "dead": monkey["dead"],
+                "dead": models.Monkey.objects(id=monkey["_id"])[0].is_dead(),
                 "domain_name": "",
                 "pba_results": monkey["pba_results"] if "pba_results" in monkey else []
             }
@@ -293,7 +294,7 @@ class NodeService:
 
     @staticmethod
     def is_any_monkey_alive():
-        return mongo.db.monkey.find_one({'dead': False}) is not None
+        return models.Monkey.objects(dead=False).count() > 0
 
     @staticmethod
     def is_any_monkey_exists():
diff --git a/monkey/monkey_island/requirements.txt b/monkey/monkey_island/requirements.txt
index 5e0faea19..953cad2cb 100644
--- a/monkey/monkey_island/requirements.txt
+++ b/monkey/monkey_island/requirements.txt
@@ -22,3 +22,4 @@ bson
 cffi
 virtualenv
 wheel
+mongoengine