diff --git a/packages/iios-messaging-ui/package.json b/packages/iios-messaging-ui/package.json
index 3274af2..0b7dcf3 100644
--- a/packages/iios-messaging-ui/package.json
+++ b/packages/iios-messaging-ui/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@insignia/iios-messaging-ui",
-  "version": "0.1.6",
+  "version": "0.1.7",
   "type": "module",
   "main": "dist/index.js",
   "module": "dist/index.js",
diff --git a/packages/iios-messaging-ui/src/adapter.ts b/packages/iios-messaging-ui/src/adapter.ts
index 3c72ace..0f7ca27 100644
--- a/packages/iios-messaging-ui/src/adapter.ts
+++ b/packages/iios-messaging-ui/src/adapter.ts
@@ -39,6 +39,15 @@ export interface MessagingAdapter {
 
   markRead(threadId: string, messageId: string): Promise<void>;
 
+  /** Report which thread is in the foreground (null when none/blurred) so the backend can suppress
+   *  push notifications for a thread you're actively viewing. Absent => presence isn't tracked. */
+  setFocus?(threadId: string | null): void;
+
+  /** Subscribe to activity across ALL of the caller's threads (not just the open one) — fires for
+   *  every incoming message. Drives live unread + in-app notifications. Absent => no cross-thread
+   *  awareness. Returns an unsubscribe fn. */
+  subscribeActivity?(cb: (e: { threadId: string; message: Message }) => void): Unsubscribe;
+
   /**
    * The current user's actor id, or null if not yet known.
    *
diff --git a/packages/iios-messaging-ui/src/components/messenger.tsx b/packages/iios-messaging-ui/src/components/messenger.tsx
index dd2effc..e9e0501 100644
--- a/packages/iios-messaging-ui/src/components/messenger.tsx
+++ b/packages/iios-messaging-ui/src/components/messenger.tsx
@@ -40,6 +40,29 @@ export function Messenger({ focusThreadId }: { focusThreadId?: string | null } =
     setSelected(focusThreadId);
   }, [focusThreadId]);
 
+  // Presence: tell the backend which thread is foregrounded so it suppresses push for it. Null while
+  // browsing/composing, when the window is blurred, and on unmount (leaving the messenger).
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const active = browsing || composing ? null : selected;
+    adapter.setFocus?.(active);
+    const onBlur = (): void => adapter.setFocus?.(null);
+    const onFocus = (): void => adapter.setFocus?.(active);
+    window.addEventListener('blur', onBlur);
+    window.addEventListener('focus', onFocus);
+    return () => {
+      adapter.setFocus?.(null);
+      window.removeEventListener('blur', onBlur);
+      window.removeEventListener('focus', onFocus);
+    };
+  }, [adapter, selected, browsing, composing]);
+
+  // Live unread + ordering: refresh the conversation list when any of the caller's threads gets a
+  // message (not just the open one).
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!adapter.subscribeActivity) return;
+    return adapter.subscribeActivity(() => refetch());
+  }, [adapter, refetch]);
+
   const channels = useMemo(() => conversations.filter((c) => c.membership === 'channel'), [conversations]);
   const dms = useMemo(() => conversations.filter((c) => c.membership !== 'channel'), [conversations]);
   const selectedConversation = useMemo(() => conversations.find((c) => c.threadId === selected) ?? null, [conversations, selected]);