diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/activity.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/activity.js
index 8db3d3db58..ad778da7f5 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/activity.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/activity.js
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ zrequire('people');
 zrequire('buddy_data');
 zrequire('buddy_list');
 zrequire('user_search');
+zrequire('user_status');
 zrequire('list_cursor');
 zrequire('activity');
 
@@ -864,3 +865,11 @@ run_test('initialize', () => {
 
     activity.initialize();
 });
+
+run_test('away_status', () => {
+    assert(!user_status.is_away(alice.user_id));
+    activity.on_set_away(alice.user_id);
+    assert(user_status.is_away(alice.user_id));
+    activity.on_revoke_away(alice.user_id);
+    assert(!user_status.is_away(alice.user_id));
+});
diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/dispatch.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/dispatch.js
index 96fd5792ff..73df31dc6d 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/dispatch.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/dispatch.js
@@ -634,6 +634,16 @@ var event_fixtures = {
             description: 'All Frontend people',
         },
     },
+    user_status__revoke_away: {
+        type: 'user_status',
+        user_id: 63,
+        away: false,
+    },
+    user_status__set_away: {
+        type: 'user_status',
+        user_id: 55,
+        away: true,
+    },
 };
 
 function assert_same(actual, expected) {
@@ -1374,3 +1384,22 @@ with_overrides(function (override) {
         assert_same(args.opts.topic_name, 'topic1');
     });
 });
+
+with_overrides(function (override) {
+    // attachements
+    var event = event_fixtures.user_status__set_away;
+    global.with_stub(function (stub) {
+        override('activity.on_set_away', stub.f);
+        dispatch(event);
+        var args = stub.get_args('user_id');
+        assert_same(args.user_id, 55);
+    });
+
+    event = event_fixtures.user_status__revoke_away;
+    global.with_stub(function (stub) {
+        override('activity.on_revoke_away', stub.f);
+        dispatch(event);
+        var args = stub.get_args('user_id');
+        assert_same(args.user_id, 63);
+    });
+});
diff --git a/static/js/activity.js b/static/js/activity.js
index 95ddd4d004..025aec7b5b 100644
--- a/static/js/activity.js
+++ b/static/js/activity.js
@@ -392,6 +392,16 @@ exports.update_presence_info = function (email, info, server_time) {
     exports.update_huddles();
 };
 
+exports.on_set_away = function (user_id) {
+    user_status.set_away(user_id);
+    exports.insert_user_into_list(user_id);
+};
+
+exports.on_revoke_away = function (user_id) {
+    user_status.revoke_away(user_id);
+    exports.insert_user_into_list(user_id);
+};
+
 exports.redraw = function () {
     exports.build_user_sidebar();
     exports.user_cursor.redraw();
diff --git a/static/js/server_events_dispatch.js b/static/js/server_events_dispatch.js
index de466d3eae..1f179981a9 100644
--- a/static/js/server_events_dispatch.js
+++ b/static/js/server_events_dispatch.js
@@ -455,7 +455,16 @@ exports.dispatch_normal_event = function dispatch_normal_event(event) {
         }
         settings_user_groups.reload();
         break;
+
+    case 'user_status':
+        if (event.away) {
+            activity.on_set_away(event.user_id);
+        } else {
+            activity.on_revoke_away(event.user_id);
+        }
+        break;
     }
+
 };
 
 return exports;