diff --git a/tests/test_commands.py b/tests/test_commands.py
index d74a948e..122f6631 100644
--- a/tests/test_commands.py
+++ b/tests/test_commands.py
@@ -865,9 +865,9 @@ def test_object(self, r):
     def test_ping(self, r):
         assert r.ping()
         assert r.ping(0)
-        assert r.ping("Valkey")
-        assert r.ping("  Valkey ")
-        assert r.ping("Valkey", test="a")
+        assert r.ping("valkey")
+        assert r.ping("  hello ")
+        assert r.ping("abc", test="a")
 
     @pytest.mark.onlynoncluster
     def test_quit(self, r):
diff --git a/valkey/_parsers/helpers.py b/valkey/_parsers/helpers.py
index c8f31f92..d21e036b 100644
--- a/valkey/_parsers/helpers.py
+++ b/valkey/_parsers/helpers.py
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 import datetime
 
-from valkey.utils import str_if_bytes, safe_str
+from valkey.utils import (
+    safe_str,
+    str_if_bytes,
+)
 
 
 def timestamp_to_datetime(response):
@@ -686,7 +689,7 @@ def parse_set_result(response, **options):
 
 def parse_ping(response, **options):
     response = str_if_bytes(response)
-    message = "PONG" if options.get("message") is None else options.get("message")
+    message = options.get("message", "PONG")
     return response == safe_str(message)
 
 
diff --git a/valkey/commands/core.py b/valkey/commands/core.py
index 84eaa2b7..0542a91b 100644
--- a/valkey/commands/core.py
+++ b/valkey/commands/core.py
@@ -1210,7 +1210,9 @@ def ping(self, message=None, **kwargs) -> ResponseT:
         For more information see https://valkey.io/commands/ping
         """
         args = ["PING", message] if message is not None else ["PING"]
-        return self.execute_command(*args, message=message, **kwargs)
+        if message is not None:
+            kwargs["message"] = message
+        return self.execute_command(*args, **kwargs)
 
     def quit(self, **kwargs) -> ResponseT:
         """