diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/user_status.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/user_status.js
index 59e12da9ae..d73307431e 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/user_status.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/user_status.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ zrequire('user_status');
 
 function initialize() {
     page_params.user_status = {
-        1: {away: true},
+        1: {away: true, status_text: 'in a meeting'},
         2: {away: true},
         3: {away: true},
     };
@@ -21,23 +21,38 @@ run_test('basics', () => {
     assert(user_status.is_away(4));
     user_status.revoke_away(4);
     assert(!user_status.is_away(4));
+
+    // use value from page_params
+    assert.equal(user_status.get_status_text(1), 'in a meeting');
+
+    user_status.set_status_text({
+        user_id: 2,
+        status_text: 'out to lunch',
+    });
+    assert.equal(user_status.get_status_text(2), 'out to lunch');
+
+    user_status.set_status_text({
+        user_id: 2,
+        status_text: '',
+    });
+    assert.equal(user_status.get_status_text(2), undefined);
 });
 
 run_test('server', () => {
     initialize();
 
-    var away_arg;
+    var sent_data;
 
     channel.post = (opts) => {
-        away_arg = opts.data.away;
+        sent_data = opts.data;
         assert.equal(opts.url, '/json/users/me/status');
     };
 
-    assert.equal(away_arg, undefined);
+    assert.equal(sent_data, undefined);
 
     user_status.server_set_away();
-    assert.equal(away_arg, true);
+    assert.deepEqual(sent_data, {away: true, status_text: undefined});
 
     user_status.server_revoke_away();
-    assert.equal(away_arg, false);
+    assert.deepEqual(sent_data, {away: false, status_text: undefined});
 });
diff --git a/static/js/server_events_dispatch.js b/static/js/server_events_dispatch.js
index bbb6da2a9a..9383344f17 100644
--- a/static/js/server_events_dispatch.js
+++ b/static/js/server_events_dispatch.js
@@ -458,10 +458,19 @@ exports.dispatch_normal_event = function dispatch_normal_event(event) {
         break;
 
     case 'user_status':
-        if (event.away) {
-            activity.on_set_away(event.user_id);
-        } else {
-            activity.on_revoke_away(event.user_id);
+        if (event.away !== undefined) {
+            if (event.away) {
+                activity.on_set_away(event.user_id);
+            } else {
+                activity.on_revoke_away(event.user_id);
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (event.info !== undefined) {
+            user_status.set_status_text({
+                user_id: event.user_id,
+                status_text: event.info,
+            });
         }
         break;
     }
diff --git a/static/js/user_status.js b/static/js/user_status.js
index 7a36a82055..34de4b9ecd 100644
--- a/static/js/user_status.js
+++ b/static/js/user_status.js
@@ -3,21 +3,25 @@ var user_status = (function () {
 var exports = {};
 
 var away_user_ids = new Dict();
+var user_info = new Dict();
 
-exports.server_set_away = function () {
+exports.server_update = function (opts) {
     channel.post({
         url: '/json/users/me/status',
-        data: {away: true},
+        data: {
+            away: opts.away,
+            status_text: opts.status_text,
+        },
         idempotent: true,
     });
 };
 
+exports.server_set_away = function () {
+    exports.server_update({away: true});
+};
+
 exports.server_revoke_away = function () {
-    channel.post({
-        url: '/json/users/me/status',
-        data: {away: false},
-        idempotent: true,
-    });
+    exports.server_update({away: false});
 };
 
 exports.set_away = function (user_id) {
@@ -32,11 +36,28 @@ exports.is_away = function (user_id) {
     return away_user_ids.has(user_id);
 };
 
+exports.get_status_text = function (user_id) {
+    return user_info.get(user_id);
+};
+
+exports.set_status_text = function (opts) {
+    if (!opts.status_text) {
+        user_info.del(opts.user_id);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    user_info.set(opts.user_id, opts.status_text);
+};
+
 exports.initialize = function () {
     _.each(page_params.user_status, function (dct, user_id) {
         if (dct.away) {
             away_user_ids.set(user_id, true);
         }
+
+        if (dct.status_text) {
+            user_info.set(user_id, dct.status_text);
+        }
     });
 
     delete page_params.user_status;