diff --git a/zerver/lib/events.py b/zerver/lib/events.py
index 9ffadb5200..e76f453ba7 100644
--- a/zerver/lib/events.py
+++ b/zerver/lib/events.py
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ from zerver.lib.actions import (
     get_available_notification_sounds,
 )
 from zerver.lib.user_groups import user_groups_in_realm_serialized
+from zerver.lib.user_status import get_away_user_ids
 from zerver.tornado.event_queue import request_event_queue, get_user_events
 from zerver.models import Client, Message, Realm, UserPresence, UserProfile, CustomProfileFieldValue, \
     get_user_profile_by_id, \
@@ -301,6 +302,9 @@ def fetch_initial_state_data(user_profile: UserProfile,
             state[notification] = getattr(user_profile, notification)
         state['available_notification_sounds'] = get_available_notification_sounds()
 
+    if want('user_status'):
+        state['away_user_ids'] = sorted(list(get_away_user_ids(realm_id=realm.id)))
+
     if want('zulip_version'):
         state['zulip_version'] = ZULIP_VERSION
 
@@ -670,6 +674,16 @@ def apply_event(state: Dict[str, Any],
         elif event['op'] == 'remove':
             state['realm_user_groups'] = [ug for ug in state['realm_user_groups']
                                           if ug['id'] != event['group_id']]
+    elif event['type'] == 'user_status':
+        away_user_ids = set(state['away_user_ids'])
+        user_id = event['user_id']
+
+        if event['away']:
+            away_user_ids.add(user_id)
+        else:
+            away_user_ids.discard(user_id)
+
+        state['away_user_ids'] = sorted(list(away_user_ids))
     else:
         raise AssertionError("Unexpected event type %s" % (event['type'],))
 
diff --git a/zerver/tests/test_events.py b/zerver/tests/test_events.py
index 32f8b5fdde..b7380d1db2 100644
--- a/zerver/tests/test_events.py
+++ b/zerver/tests/test_events.py
@@ -69,7 +69,9 @@ from zerver.lib.actions import (
     do_remove_realm_filter,
     do_remove_streams_from_default_stream_group,
     do_rename_stream,
+    do_revoke_away_status,
     do_revoke_user_invite,
+    do_set_away_status,
     do_set_realm_authentication_methods,
     do_set_realm_message_editing,
     do_set_realm_property,
@@ -1200,6 +1202,23 @@ class EventsRegisterTest(ZulipTestCase):
         error = alert_words_checker('events[0]', events[0])
         self.assert_on_error(error)
 
+    def test_away_events(self) -> None:
+        checker = self.check_events_dict([
+            ('type', equals('user_status')),
+            ('user_id', check_int),
+            ('away', check_bool),
+        ])
+
+        client = get_client("website")
+        events = self.do_test(lambda: do_set_away_status(user_profile=self.user_profile,
+                                                         client_id=client.id))
+        error = checker('events[0]', events[0])
+        self.assert_on_error(error)
+
+        events = self.do_test(lambda: do_revoke_away_status(user_profile=self.user_profile))
+        error = checker('events[0]', events[0])
+        self.assert_on_error(error)
+
     def test_user_group_events(self) -> None:
         user_group_add_checker = self.check_events_dict([
             ('type', equals('user_group')),
@@ -3106,7 +3125,7 @@ class FetchQueriesTest(ZulipTestCase):
                     client_gravatar=False,
                 )
 
-        self.assert_length(queries, 30)
+        self.assert_length(queries, 31)
 
         expected_counts = dict(
             alert_words=0,
@@ -3132,6 +3151,7 @@ class FetchQueriesTest(ZulipTestCase):
             update_display_settings=0,
             update_global_notifications=0,
             update_message_flags=5,
+            user_status=1,
             zulip_version=0,
         )
 
diff --git a/zerver/tests/test_home.py b/zerver/tests/test_home.py
index d74e9f2b92..14e51d1be0 100644
--- a/zerver/tests/test_home.py
+++ b/zerver/tests/test_home.py
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ class HomeTest(ZulipTestCase):
             "avatar_source",
             "avatar_url",
             "avatar_url_medium",
+            "away_user_ids",
             "bot_types",
             "can_create_streams",
             "can_subscribe_other_users",
@@ -217,7 +218,7 @@ class HomeTest(ZulipTestCase):
             with patch('zerver.lib.cache.cache_set') as cache_mock:
                 result = self._get_home_page(stream='Denmark')
 
-        self.assert_length(queries, 42)
+        self.assert_length(queries, 43)
         self.assert_length(cache_mock.call_args_list, 7)
 
         html = result.content.decode('utf-8')
@@ -283,7 +284,7 @@ class HomeTest(ZulipTestCase):
                 result = self._get_home_page()
                 self.assertEqual(result.status_code, 200)
                 self.assert_length(cache_mock.call_args_list, 6)
-            self.assert_length(queries, 39)
+            self.assert_length(queries, 40)
 
     @slow("Creates and subscribes 10 users in a loop.  Should use bulk queries.")
     def test_num_queries_with_streams(self) -> None:
@@ -315,7 +316,7 @@ class HomeTest(ZulipTestCase):
         with queries_captured() as queries2:
             result = self._get_home_page()
 
-        self.assert_length(queries2, 36)
+        self.assert_length(queries2, 37)
 
         # Do a sanity check that our new streams were in the payload.
         html = result.content.decode('utf-8')