diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/presence.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/presence.js
index 1de029fda9..f3871b55c4 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/presence.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/presence.js
@@ -49,6 +49,10 @@ people.add_in_realm(zoe);
 people.add_in_realm(bot);
 people.initialize_current_user(me.user_id);
 
+run_test('my user', () => {
+    assert.equal(presence.get_status(me.user_id), 'active');
+});
+
 run_test('on_mobile_property', () => {
     // TODO: move this test to a new test module directly testing presence.js
     var status_from_timestamp = presence._status_from_timestamp;
diff --git a/static/js/presence.js b/static/js/presence.js
index bfc4557c86..8391e7a34c 100644
--- a/static/js/presence.js
+++ b/static/js/presence.js
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ exports.is_active = function (user_id) {
 };
 
 exports.get_status = function (user_id) {
-    if (user_id === page_params.user_id) {
+    if (people.is_my_user_id(user_id)) {
         return "active";
     }
     if (user_id in exports.presence_info) {