diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/initializers/subscribe-user-notifications.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/initializers/subscribe-user-notifications.js
index b8482db4e96..9170ab69a9c 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/initializers/subscribe-user-notifications.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/initializers/subscribe-user-notifications.js
@@ -113,7 +113,8 @@ export default {
       });
 
       bus.subscribe(`/user-status/${user.id}`, (data) => {
-        user.updateStatus(data);
+        user.set("status", data);
+        appEvents.trigger("user-status:changed");
       });
 
       const site = container.lookup("site:main");
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/models/user.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/models/user.js
index c84356eb23d..646ac080051 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/models/user.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/models/user.js
@@ -1002,11 +1002,6 @@ const User = RestModel.extend({
     this.appEvents.trigger("do-not-disturb:changed", this.do_not_disturb_until);
   },
 
-  updateStatus(status) {
-    this.set("status", status);
-    this.appEvents.trigger("user-status:changed");
-  },
-
   isInDoNotDisturb() {
     return (
       this.do_not_disturb_until &&
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/services/user-status.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/services/user-status.js
index a306a5db33c..b152a556984 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/services/user-status.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/services/user-status.js
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ export default class UserStatusService extends Service {
       data: { description: status.description },
     });
 
-    this.currentUser.updateStatus(status);
+    this.currentUser.set("status", status);
   }
 
   async clear() {
@@ -20,6 +20,6 @@ export default class UserStatusService extends Service {
       type: "DELETE",
     });
 
-    this.currentUser.updateStatus(null);
+    this.currentUser.set("status", null);
   }
 }
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/acceptance/user-status-test.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/acceptance/user-status-test.js
index 3ef6a5346b8..67e6815ccb0 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/acceptance/user-status-test.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/acceptance/user-status-test.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import {
   acceptance,
   exists,
+  publishToMessageBus,
   query,
   updateCurrentUser,
 } from "discourse/tests/helpers/qunit-helpers";
@@ -8,16 +9,24 @@ import { click, fillIn, visit } from "@ember/test-helpers";
 import { test } from "qunit";
 
 acceptance("User Status", function (needs) {
-  needs.user();
-  needs.pretender((server, helper) => {
-    server.put("/user-status.json", () => helper.response({ success: true }));
-    server.delete("/user-status.json", () =>
-      helper.response({ success: true })
-    );
-  });
-
   const userStatusFallbackEmoji = "mega";
   const userStatus = "off to dentist";
+  const userId = 1;
+
+  needs.user({ id: userId });
+
+  needs.pretender((server, helper) => {
+    server.put("/user-status.json", () => {
+      publishToMessageBus(`/user-status/${userId}`, {
+        description: userStatus,
+      });
+      return helper.response({ success: true });
+    });
+    server.delete("/user-status.json", () => {
+      publishToMessageBus(`/user-status/${userId}`, null);
+      return helper.response({ success: true });
+    });
+  });
 
   test("doesn't show the user status button on the menu by default", async function (assert) {
     this.siteSettings.enable_user_status = false;