diff --git a/IPython/parallel/engine/engine.py b/IPython/parallel/engine/engine.py
index 94e27de..840442e 100644
--- a/IPython/parallel/engine/engine.py
+++ b/IPython/parallel/engine/engine.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ from zmq.eventloop import ioloop, zmqstream
 from IPython.external.ssh import tunnel
 # internal
 from IPython.utils.traitlets import (
-    Instance, Dict, Integer, Type, CFloat, CInt, Unicode, CBytes, Bool
+    Instance, Dict, Integer, Type, Float, Integer, Unicode, CBytes, Bool
 )
 from IPython.utils.py3compat import cast_bytes
 
@@ -50,13 +50,15 @@ class EngineFactory(RegistrationFactory):
         help="""The location (an IP address) of the controller.  This is
         used for disambiguating URLs, to determine whether
         loopback should be used to connect or the public address.""")
-    timeout=CFloat(5, config=True,
+    timeout=Float(5.0, config=True,
         help="""The time (in seconds) to wait for the Controller to respond
         to registration requests before giving up.""")
-    hb_check_period=CFloat(5, config=True,
-        help="""The time (in seconds) to check for a heartbeat ping from the 
-        Controller.""")
-    hb_max_misses=CInt(5, config=True,
+    hb_check_period=Integer(5000, config=True,
+        help="""The time (in ms) to check for a heartbeat ping from the
+        Controller. Ensure that check period is bigger than the heartbeat period 
+        from the controller (set via "HeartMonitor.period" in the Controller config) 
+        so that at least one ping is received during each check period.""")
+    hb_max_misses=Integer(5, config=True,
         help="""The maximum number of times a check for the heartbeat ping of a 
         controller can be missed before shutting down the engine.""")
     sshserver=Unicode(config=True,
@@ -262,12 +264,12 @@ class EngineFactory(RegistrationFactory):
         self._hb_listener.flush()
         if self._hb_last_monitored > self._hb_last_pinged:
             self._hb_missed_beats += 1
-            self.log.warn("No heartbeat in the last %s seconds.", self.hb_check_period)
+            self.log.warn("No heartbeat in the last %s ms (%s time(s) in a row).", self.hb_check_period, self._hb_missed_beats)
         else:
             self._hb_missed_beats = 0
 
         if self._hb_missed_beats >= self.hb_max_misses:
-            self.log.fatal("Maximum number of heartbeats misses reached (%s times %s seconds), shutting down.",
+            self.log.fatal("Maximum number of heartbeats misses reached (%s times %s ms), shutting down.",
                            self.hb_max_misses, self.hb_check_period)
             self.session.send(self.registrar, "unregistration_request", content=dict(id=self.id))
             self.loop.stop()
@@ -281,7 +283,7 @@ class EngineFactory(RegistrationFactory):
         self._abort_dc = ioloop.DelayedCallback(self.abort, self.timeout*1000, self.loop)
         self._abort_dc.start()
         # periodically check the heartbeat pings of the controller
-        self._hb_reporter = ioloop.PeriodicCallback(self._hb_monitor, self.hb_check_period* 1000, self.loop)
+        self._hb_reporter = ioloop.PeriodicCallback(self._hb_monitor, self.hb_check_period, self.loop)
         self._hb_reporter.start()