diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index c91f070caa6..a763d7c89dd 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ GEM
     mail (2.6.6)
       mime-types (>= 1.16, < 4)
     memory_profiler (0.9.8)
-    message_bus (2.0.9)
+    message_bus (2.1.1)
       rack (>= 1.1.3)
     metaclass (0.0.4)
     method_source (0.8.2)
diff --git a/plugins/discourse-presence/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/composer-presence-display.js.es6 b/plugins/discourse-presence/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/composer-presence-display.js.es6
index b91c262a27a..be8427c4ddb 100644
--- a/plugins/discourse-presence/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/composer-presence-display.js.es6
+++ b/plugins/discourse-presence/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/composer-presence-display.js.es6
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@ import { observes, on }  from 'ember-addons/ember-computed-decorators';
 import computed from 'ember-addons/ember-computed-decorators';
 import pageVisible from 'discourse/lib/page-visible';
 
+export const keepAliveDuration = 10000;
+const bufferTime = 3000;
+
 export default Ember.Component.extend({
   composer: Ember.inject.controller(),
 
@@ -26,7 +29,17 @@ export default Ember.Component.extend({
 
   @on('willDestroyElement')
   composerClosing(){
-    this.updateStateObject(true);
+    this.updateStateObject({closing: true});
+  },
+
+  @observes('reply', 'title')
+  dataChanged() {
+    if (!this._dataChanged && (new Date() - this._lastPublish) > keepAliveDuration) {
+      this._dataChanged = true;
+      this.keepPresenceAlive();
+    } else {
+      this._dataChanged = true;
+    }
   },
 
   @observes('action', 'post', 'topic')
@@ -34,7 +47,9 @@ export default Ember.Component.extend({
     Ember.run.once(this, 'updateStateObject');
   },
 
-  updateStateObject(isClosing = false){
+  updateStateObject(opts){
+    const isClosing = opts && opts.closing;
+
     var stateObject = null;
 
     if(!isClosing && this.shouldSharePresence(this.get('action'))){
@@ -73,14 +88,10 @@ export default Ember.Component.extend({
     }
 
     this.set('presenceUsers', []);
-
-    ajax('/presence/publish', {
-      type: 'POST',
-      data: {
-        response_needed: true,
-        previous: this.get('oldPresenceState'),
-        current: this.get('presenceState')
-      }
+    this.publish({
+      response_needed: true,
+      previous: this.get('oldPresenceState'),
+      current: this.get('presenceState')
     }).then((data) => {
       const messageBusChannel = data['messagebus_channel'];
       if(messageBusChannel){
@@ -90,20 +101,42 @@ export default Ember.Component.extend({
         this.set('messageBusChannel', messageBusChannel);
         this.messageBus.subscribe(messageBusChannel, message => {
           this.set('presenceUsers', message['users']);
+          this.timeoutPresence();
         }, messageBusId);
       }
     }).catch((error) => {
       // This isn't a critical failure, so don't disturb the user
-      console.error("Error publishing composer status", error);
+      if (window.console && console.error) {
+        console.error("Error publishing composer status", error);
+      }
     });
 
     Ember.run.cancel(this.get('keepAliveTimer'));
     if(this.shouldSharePresence(this.get('presenceState.action'))){
       // Send presence data every 10 seconds
-      this.set('keepAliveTimer', Ember.run.later(this, 'keepPresenceAlive', 10000));
+      this.set('keepAliveTimer', Ember.run.later(this, 'keepPresenceAlive', keepAliveDuration));
     }
   },
 
+  timeoutPresence() {
+    Ember.run.cancel(this._timeoutTimer);
+    this._timeoutTimer = Ember.run.later(
+      this,
+      () => { this.set("presenceUsers", []); },
+      keepAliveDuration + bufferTime
+    );
+  },
+
+  publish(data) {
+    this._lastPublish = new Date();
+    this._dataChanged = false;
+
+    return ajax('/presence/publish', {
+      type: 'POST',
+      data: data
+    });
+  },
+
   keepPresenceAlive(){
     // If we're not replying or editing,
     // don't update anything, and don't schedule this task again
@@ -111,22 +144,26 @@ export default Ember.Component.extend({
       return;
     }
 
-    const browserInFocus = pageVisible();
+    if (this._dataChanged) {
+      this._dataChanged = false;
+      const browserInFocus = pageVisible();
 
-    // Only send the keepalive message if the browser has focus
-    if(browserInFocus){
-      ajax('/presence/publish', {
-        type: 'POST',
-        data: { current: this.get('presenceState') }
-      }).catch((error) => {
-        // This isn't a critical failure, so don't disturb the user
-        console.error("Error publishing composer status", error);
-      });
+      // Only send the keepalive message if the browser has focus
+      if(browserInFocus){
+        this.publish({
+          current: this.get('presenceState')
+        }).catch((error) => {
+          // This isn't a critical failure, so don't disturb the user
+          if (window.console && console.error) {
+            console.error("Error publishing composer status", error);
+          }
+        });
+      }
     }
 
     // Schedule again in another 10 seconds
     Ember.run.cancel(this.get('keepAliveTimer'));
-    this.set('keepAliveTimer', Ember.run.later(this, 'keepPresenceAlive', 10000));
+    this.set('keepAliveTimer', Ember.run.later(this, 'keepPresenceAlive', keepAliveDuration));
   },
 
   @computed('presenceUsers', 'currentUser.id')
diff --git a/plugins/discourse-presence/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/topic-presence-display.js.es6 b/plugins/discourse-presence/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/topic-presence-display.js.es6
index 5a0f057fa73..2d9e1c84e0b 100644
--- a/plugins/discourse-presence/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/topic-presence-display.js.es6
+++ b/plugins/discourse-presence/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/topic-presence-display.js.es6
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
-import { ajax } from 'discourse/lib/ajax';
 import { on }  from 'ember-addons/ember-computed-decorators';
 import computed from 'ember-addons/ember-computed-decorators';
+import { keepAliveDuration } from 'discourse/plugins/discourse-presence/discourse/components/composer-presence-display';
+
+const bufferTime = 3000;
 
 export default Ember.Component.extend({
   topicId: null,
@@ -11,22 +13,45 @@ export default Ember.Component.extend({
   @on('didInsertElement')
   _inserted() {
     this.set("presenceUsers", []);
+    const messageBusChannel = `/presence/topic/${this.get('topicId')}`;
+    this.set('messageBusChannel', messageBusChannel);
 
-    ajax(`/presence/ping/${this.get("topicId")}`).then((data) => {
-      this.setProperties({
-        messageBusChannel: data.messagebus_channel,
-        presenceUsers: data.users,
-      });
-      this.messageBus.subscribe(data.messagebus_channel, message => {
-        this.set("presenceUsers", message.users);
-      }, data.messagebus_id);
-    });
+    var firstMessage = true;
+
+    this.messageBus.subscribe(messageBusChannel, message => {
+
+      let users = message.users;
+
+      // account for old messages,
+      // we only do this once to allow for some bad clocks
+      if (firstMessage) {
+        const old = ((new Date()) / 1000) - ((keepAliveDuration / 1000) * 2);
+        if (message.time && (message.time < old)) {
+          users = [];
+        }
+        firstMessage = false;
+      }
+
+      Em.run.cancel(this._expireTimer);
+
+      this.set("presenceUsers", users);
+
+      this._expireTimer = Em.run.later(
+        this,
+        () => {
+          this.set("presenceUsers", []);
+        },
+        keepAliveDuration + bufferTime
+      );
+    }, -2); /* subscribe at position -2 so we get last message */
   },
 
   @on('willDestroyElement')
   _destroyed() {
-    if (this.get("messageBusChannel")) {
-      this.messageBus.unsubscribe(this.get("messageBusChannel"));
+    const channel = this.get("messageBusChannel");
+    if (channel) {
+      Em.run.cancel(this._expireTimer);
+      this.messageBus.unsubscribe(channel);
       this.set("messageBusChannel", null);
     }
   },
diff --git a/plugins/discourse-presence/plugin.rb b/plugins/discourse-presence/plugin.rb
index c0f364d17e9..a7729600fc7 100644
--- a/plugins/discourse-presence/plugin.rb
+++ b/plugins/discourse-presence/plugin.rb
@@ -30,12 +30,17 @@ after_initialize do
 
     def self.add(type, id, user_id)
       # return true if a key was added
-      $redis.hset(get_redis_key(type, id), user_id, Time.zone.now)
+      key = get_redis_key(type, id)
+      result = $redis.hset(key, user_id, Time.zone.now)
+      $redis.expire(key, 60)
+      result
     end
 
     def self.remove(type, id, user_id)
+      key = get_redis_key(type, id)
+      $redis.expire(key, 60)
       # return true if a key was deleted
-      $redis.hdel(get_redis_key(type, id), user_id) > 0
+      $redis.hdel(key, user_id) > 0
     end
 
     def self.get_users(type, id)
@@ -47,16 +52,16 @@ after_initialize do
     def self.publish(type, id)
       users = get_users(type, id)
       serialized_users = users.map { |u| BasicUserSerializer.new(u, root: false) }
-      message = { users: serialized_users }
+      message = { users: serialized_users, time: Time.now.to_i }
       messagebus_channel = get_messagebus_channel(type, id)
 
       topic = type == 'post' ? Post.find_by(id: id).topic : Topic.find_by(id: id)
 
       if topic.archetype == Archetype.private_message
         user_ids = User.where('admin OR moderator').pluck(:id) + topic.allowed_users.pluck(:id)
-        MessageBus.publish(messagebus_channel, message.as_json, user_ids: user_ids)
+        MessageBus.publish(messagebus_channel, message.as_json, user_ids: user_ids, max_backlog_age: 60)
       else
-        MessageBus.publish(messagebus_channel, message.as_json, group_ids: topic.secure_group_ids)
+        MessageBus.publish(messagebus_channel, message.as_json, group_ids: topic.secure_group_ids, max_backlog_age: 60)
       end
 
       users
@@ -104,9 +109,9 @@ after_initialize do
         if topic
           guardian.ensure_can_see!(topic)
 
-          removed = Presence::PresenceManager.remove(type, id, current_user.id)
-          cleaned = Presence::PresenceManager.cleanup(type, id)
-          users   = Presence::PresenceManager.publish(type, id) if removed || cleaned
+          _removed = Presence::PresenceManager.remove(type, id, current_user.id)
+          cleaned  = Presence::PresenceManager.cleanup(type, id)
+          users    = Presence::PresenceManager.publish(type, id)
         end
       end
 
@@ -119,9 +124,9 @@ after_initialize do
         if topic
           guardian.ensure_can_see!(topic)
 
-          added   = Presence::PresenceManager.add(type, id, current_user.id)
+          _added  = Presence::PresenceManager.add(type, id, current_user.id)
           cleaned = Presence::PresenceManager.cleanup(type, id)
-          users   = Presence::PresenceManager.publish(type, id) if added || cleaned
+          users   = Presence::PresenceManager.publish(type, id)
 
           if data[:response_needed]
             messagebus_channel = Presence::PresenceManager.get_messagebus_channel(type, id)
@@ -134,17 +139,6 @@ after_initialize do
       render json: payload
     end
 
-    def ping
-      topic_id = params.require(:topic_id)
-
-      Presence::PresenceManager.cleanup("topic", topic_id)
-
-      messagebus_channel = Presence::PresenceManager.get_messagebus_channel("topic", topic_id)
-      users = Presence::PresenceManager.get_users("topic", topic_id)
-
-      render json: json_payload(messagebus_channel, users)
-    end
-
     def json_payload(channel, users)
       {
         messagebus_channel: channel,
@@ -157,7 +151,6 @@ after_initialize do
 
   Presence::Engine.routes.draw do
     post '/publish' => 'presences#publish'
-    get  '/ping/:topic_id' => 'presences#ping'
   end
 
   Discourse::Application.routes.append do
diff --git a/plugins/discourse-presence/spec/requests/presence_controller_spec.rb b/plugins/discourse-presence/spec/requests/presence_controller_spec.rb
index 0d431567aa7..0184718bc6b 100644
--- a/plugins/discourse-presence/spec/requests/presence_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/plugins/discourse-presence/spec/requests/presence_controller_spec.rb
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ describe ::Presence::PresencesController do
       expect(data).to eq({})
     end
 
-    it "doesn't send duplicate messagebus messages" do
+    it "does send duplicate messagebus messages" do
       messages = MessageBus.track_publish do
         post '/presence/publish.json', params: {
           current: { compose_state: 'open', action: 'edit', post_id: post1.id }
@@ -100,7 +100,8 @@ describe ::Presence::PresencesController do
         }
       end
 
-      expect(messages.count).to eq(0)
+      # we do this cause we also publish time
+      expect(messages.count).to eq(1)
     end
 
     it "clears 'previous' state when supplied" do