diff --git a/static/js/activity.js b/static/js/activity.js
index 8a0e6a74f0..e3ce75099a 100644
--- a/static/js/activity.js
+++ b/static/js/activity.js
@@ -216,8 +216,8 @@ function filter_and_sort(users) {
 exports._filter_and_sort = filter_and_sort;
 
 exports.update_users = function (user_list) {
-    if (page_params.domain === 'mit.edu') {
-        return;  // MIT realm doesn't have a presence list
+    if (page_params.presence_disabled) {
+        return;
     }
 
     var users = exports.presence_info;
@@ -278,8 +278,8 @@ function actually_update_users_for_search() {
 var update_users_for_search = _.throttle(actually_update_users_for_search, 50);
 
 exports.update_huddles = function () {
-    if (page_params.domain === 'mit.edu') {
-        return;  // MIT realm doesn't have a presence list
+    if (page_params.presence_disabled) {
+        return;
     }
 
     var section = $('#group-pm-list').expectOne();
diff --git a/static/js/ui.js b/static/js/ui.js
index 870719566b..7f38e6099c 100644
--- a/static/js/ui.js
+++ b/static/js/ui.js
@@ -488,8 +488,7 @@ $(function () {
         $("#edit-message-hotkey-help").hide();
     }
 
-    // Some MIT-specific customizations
-    if (page_params.domain === 'mit.edu') {
+    if (page_params.presence_disabled) {
         $("#user-list").hide();
         $("#group-pm-list").hide();
     }
diff --git a/zerver/lib/actions.py b/zerver/lib/actions.py
index f492a6401b..10a841a347 100644
--- a/zerver/lib/actions.py
+++ b/zerver/lib/actions.py
@@ -2653,7 +2653,7 @@ def gather_subscriptions(user_profile):
 def get_status_dict(requesting_user_profile):
     # type: (UserProfile) -> Dict[text_type, Dict[text_type, Dict[str, Any]]]
     # Return no status info for MIT
-    if requesting_user_profile.realm.domain == 'mit.edu':
+    if requesting_user_profile.realm.presence_disabled:
         return defaultdict(dict)
 
     return UserPresence.get_status_dict_by_realm(requesting_user_profile.realm_id)
diff --git a/zerver/models.py b/zerver/models.py
index 4e8bc2b34b..8f84238c6a 100644
--- a/zerver/models.py
+++ b/zerver/models.py
@@ -188,6 +188,11 @@ class Realm(ModelReprMixin, models.Model):
         # TODO: Change return type to QuerySet[UserProfile]
         return UserProfile.objects.filter(realm=self, is_active=True).select_related()
 
+    @property
+    def presence_disabled(self):
+        # type: () -> bool
+        return self.domain == "mit.edu"
+
     class Meta(object):
         permissions = (
             ('administer', "Administer a realm"),
diff --git a/zerver/tests/tests.py b/zerver/tests/tests.py
index 0d3b42d667..4504e8700e 100644
--- a/zerver/tests/tests.py
+++ b/zerver/tests/tests.py
@@ -1525,7 +1525,7 @@ class UserPresenceTests(AuthedTestCase):
 
     def test_no_mit(self):
         # type: () -> None
-        """MIT never gets a list of users"""
+        """Zephyr mirror realms such as MIT never get a list of users"""
         self.login("espuser@mit.edu")
         result = self.client.post("/json/users/me/presence", {'status': 'idle'})
         self.assert_json_success(result)
@@ -1796,6 +1796,7 @@ class HomeTest(AuthedTestCase):
             "password_auth_enabled",
             "people_list",
             "poll_timeout",
+            "presence_disabled",
             "product_name",
             "prompt_for_invites",
             "realm_allow_message_editing",
diff --git a/zerver/views/__init__.py b/zerver/views/__init__.py
index 5d5cad80ff..8a0bad8fb4 100644
--- a/zerver/views/__init__.py
+++ b/zerver/views/__init__.py
@@ -999,6 +999,7 @@ def home(request):
         avatar_url            = avatar_url(user_profile),
         mandatory_topics      = user_profile.realm.mandatory_topics,
         show_digest_email     = user_profile.realm.show_digest_email,
+        presence_disabled     = user_profile.realm.presence_disabled,
     )
     if narrow_stream is not None:
         # In narrow_stream context, initial pointer is just latest message