diff --git a/soulseek-rs/docs/openrpc.json b/soulseek-rs/docs/openrpc.json
index 213bfc7..46e5886 100644
--- a/soulseek-rs/docs/openrpc.json
+++ b/soulseek-rs/docs/openrpc.json
@@ -1216,6 +1216,21 @@
           "shared_folders"
         ],
         "type": "object"
+      },
+      "Watched": {
+        "description": "Everyone this session is watching, sorted by name.",
+        "properties": {
+          "users": {
+            "items": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            "type": "array"
+          }
+        },
+        "required": [
+          "users"
+        ],
+        "type": "object"
       }
     }
   },
@@ -1875,6 +1890,58 @@
       },
       "summary": "What the server has said about a user so far."
     },
+    {
+      "name": "user.watch",
+      "paramStructure": "by-name",
+      "params": [
+        {
+          "name": "username",
+          "required": true,
+          "schema": {
+            "type": "string"
+          }
+        }
+      ],
+      "result": {
+        "name": "result",
+        "schema": {
+          "$ref": "#/components/schemas/Ack"
+        }
+      },
+      "summary": "Watch a user, so the server keeps pushing their status."
+    },
+    {
+      "name": "user.unwatch",
+      "paramStructure": "by-name",
+      "params": [
+        {
+          "name": "username",
+          "required": true,
+          "schema": {
+            "type": "string"
+          }
+        }
+      ],
+      "result": {
+        "name": "result",
+        "schema": {
+          "$ref": "#/components/schemas/Ack"
+        }
+      },
+      "summary": "Stop watching a user."
+    },
+    {
+      "name": "user.watched",
+      "paramStructure": "by-name",
+      "params": [],
+      "result": {
+        "name": "result",
+        "schema": {
+          "$ref": "#/components/schemas/Watched"
+        }
+      },
+      "summary": "Everyone this session is watching."
+    },
     {
       "name": "shares.status",
       "paramStructure": "by-name",
diff --git a/soulseek-rs/src/SKILL.md b/soulseek-rs/src/SKILL.md
index 44594b3..2ec67ae 100644
--- a/soulseek-rs/src/SKILL.md
+++ b/soulseek-rs/src/SKILL.md
@@ -133,6 +133,13 @@ wishlist later rather than repeating the same search.
 be `null` when the server has not answered that half — `null` means unknown,
 not offline.
 
+**`watch add <user>`** / **`watch remove <user>`** — prints nothing; exit 0 is
+the confirmation. **`watch list`** — one object per watched user: `user`,
+`status`. A watch lasts only as long as the session holding it, so these are
+worth using against a running daemon (`--daemon`), where the connection stays
+up and keeps receiving the server's status pushes. A one-shot run's watch ends
+with the run.
+
 **`whoami`** — one object: `user`, `server`, `listening`, `listen_port`,
 `shared_folders`, `shared_files`, `download_dir`, `privilege_seconds`. The
 cheapest way to prove the credentials and connection work.
diff --git a/soulseek-rs/src/api.rs b/soulseek-rs/src/api.rs
index 4006a84..bd39684 100644
--- a/soulseek-rs/src/api.rs
+++ b/soulseek-rs/src/api.rs
@@ -140,6 +140,12 @@ pub trait SessionApi: Send + Sync {
     fn request_user_info(&self, username: &str) -> Result<()>;
     fn user_info(&self, username: &str) -> Option<UserInfo>;
 
+    /// Ask the server to keep pushing `username`'s status until unwatched.
+    fn watch_user(&self, username: &str) -> Result<()>;
+    fn unwatch_user(&self, username: &str) -> Result<()>;
+    /// Everyone this session is watching, sorted by name.
+    fn watched_users(&self) -> Vec<String>;
+
     /// The conversation this session already knows about.
     ///
     /// Empty locally, where the TUI's own snapshot on disk is the record. A
@@ -364,6 +370,18 @@ impl SessionApi for Client {
         Self::user_info(self, username)
     }
 
+    fn watch_user(&self, username: &str) -> Result<()> {
+        Self::watch_user(self, username)
+    }
+
+    fn unwatch_user(&self, username: &str) -> Result<()> {
+        Self::unwatch_user(self, username)
+    }
+
+    fn watched_users(&self) -> Vec<String> {
+        Self::watched_users(self)
+    }
+
     fn shared_counts(&self) -> (u32, u32) {
         Self::shared_counts(self)
     }
diff --git a/soulseek-rs/src/cli.rs b/soulseek-rs/src/cli.rs
index 7b3f90c..e7ae4d6 100644
--- a/soulseek-rs/src/cli.rs
+++ b/soulseek-rs/src/cli.rs
@@ -207,6 +207,10 @@ pub enum Commands {
     /// What the server knows about another user
     User(UserArgs),
 
+    /// Keep a daemon updated about users you care about
+    #[command(subcommand)]
+    Watch(WatchCommand),
+
     /// Confirm the credentials and connection work
     Whoami,
 
@@ -571,6 +575,26 @@ pub struct WishRunArgs {
     pub sort: SortKey,
 }
 
+/// Watching only lasts as long as the session doing it, so these are aimed at
+/// a running daemon: it stays connected and keeps receiving the status pushes.
+#[derive(Subcommand, Debug)]
+pub enum WatchCommand {
+    /// Start watching a user
+    Add {
+        /// The user to watch
+        user: String,
+    },
+
+    /// Stop watching a user
+    Remove {
+        /// The user to stop watching
+        user: String,
+    },
+
+    /// List the users being watched
+    List,
+}
+
 #[derive(Subcommand, Debug)]
 pub enum RoomCommand {
     /// List public rooms and their user counts
diff --git a/soulseek-rs/src/commands/mod.rs b/soulseek-rs/src/commands/mod.rs
index 28161f7..f678aae 100644
--- a/soulseek-rs/src/commands/mod.rs
+++ b/soulseek-rs/src/commands/mod.rs
@@ -309,6 +309,7 @@ fn dispatch(ctx: &Ctx, command: Commands) -> CliResult {
             social::message_read(ctx, listen_span(duration, follow))
         }
         Commands::User(args) => peer::user(ctx, &args),
+        Commands::Watch(command) => peer::watch(ctx, &command),
         Commands::Whoami => peer::whoami(ctx),
         // main.rs runs these itself: some need no account, the rest need the
         // config store in scope. The arms only keep the match exhaustive.
diff --git a/soulseek-rs/src/commands/peer.rs b/soulseek-rs/src/commands/peer.rs
index 4101175..ba6218c 100644
--- a/soulseek-rs/src/commands/peer.rs
+++ b/soulseek-rs/src/commands/peer.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 //! Being a peer on the network: `serve`, `whoami`, and `user`.
 
 use super::{Ctx, Session};
-use crate::cli::{ServeArgs, UserArgs};
+use crate::cli::{ServeArgs, UserArgs, WatchCommand};
 use crate::output::{
-    CliError, CliResult, UploadRecord, UserRecord, WhoamiRecord,
+    CliError, CliResult, UploadRecord, UserRecord, WatchedUserRecord,
+    WhoamiRecord,
 };
 use soulseek_rs::types::{UploadInfo, UploadStatus, UserInfo};
 use std::collections::HashMap;
@@ -94,6 +95,40 @@ pub fn user(ctx: &Ctx, args: &UserArgs) -> CliResult {
     Ok(())
 }
 
+/// Start or stop watching a user, or list who is being watched.
+///
+/// A watch lives in the session that made it, so `add` against a one-shot CLI
+/// run ends with that run. Pointed at a daemon it persists for that daemon's
+/// lifetime, which is the point of the command.
+pub fn watch(ctx: &Ctx, command: &WatchCommand) -> CliResult {
+    let session = Session::open(ctx)?;
+    match command {
+        WatchCommand::Add { user } => {
+            session.client.watch_user(user).map_err(|e| {
+                CliError::connection(format!("cannot watch {user}: {e}"))
+            })?;
+            ctx.out.status(&format!("watching {user}"));
+        }
+        WatchCommand::Remove { user } => {
+            session.client.unwatch_user(user).map_err(|e| {
+                CliError::connection(format!("cannot unwatch {user}: {e}"))
+            })?;
+            ctx.out.status(&format!("no longer watching {user}"));
+        }
+        WatchCommand::List => {
+            for user in session.client.watched_users() {
+                let status = session
+                    .client
+                    .user_info(&user)
+                    .and_then(|info| info.presence)
+                    .map(|p| p.status.to_string());
+                ctx.out.emit(&WatchedUserRecord { user, status });
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 /// Stay online sharing files, and — with `--wishlist` — re-run the standing
 /// searches on the interval the server sets while doing so.
 pub fn serve(
diff --git a/soulseek-rs/src/daemon/openrpc.rs b/soulseek-rs/src/daemon/openrpc.rs
index e58b9c4..a489826 100644
--- a/soulseek-rs/src/daemon/openrpc.rs
+++ b/soulseek-rs/src/daemon/openrpc.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ use super::proto::{
     Method, QueryParams, RoomEventDto, RoomRef, SayParams, SearchResults,
     Searches, Seconds, SessionLossEvent, SharesStatus, SlotsParams,
     TransferRef, UploadInfoDto, Uploads, UserMessageDto, UserRef, UserResult,
+    Watched,
 };
 use schemars::{JsonSchema, SchemaGenerator, generate::SchemaSettings};
 use serde_json::{Value, json};
@@ -51,9 +52,11 @@ fn params_schema(method: Method, generator: &mut SchemaGenerator) -> Value {
         }
         Method::RoomSay => schema_of::<SayParams>(generator),
         Method::MessageSend => schema_of::<MessageParams>(generator),
-        Method::BrowseUser | Method::UserRequest | Method::UserInfoOf => {
-            schema_of::<UserRef>(generator)
-        }
+        Method::BrowseUser
+        | Method::UserRequest
+        | Method::UserInfoOf
+        | Method::UserWatch
+        | Method::UserUnwatch => schema_of::<UserRef>(generator),
         Method::SharesSet => schema_of::<DirectoriesParams>(generator),
         // Methods that take no parameters.
         Method::DaemonStatus
@@ -68,7 +71,8 @@ fn params_schema(method: Method, generator: &mut SchemaGenerator) -> Value {
         | Method::MessageHistory
         | Method::SearchList
         | Method::SharesStatusOf
-        | Method::SharesReindex => json!({ "type": "null" }),
+        | Method::SharesReindex
+        | Method::UserWatched => json!({ "type": "null" }),
     }
 }
 
@@ -88,6 +92,7 @@ fn result_schema(method: Method, generator: &mut SchemaGenerator) -> Value {
         Method::UploadList => schema_of::<Uploads>(generator),
         Method::PrivilegesOwn => schema_of::<Seconds>(generator),
         Method::RoomMembers => schema_of::<Members>(generator),
+        Method::UserWatched => schema_of::<Watched>(generator),
         Method::MessageHistory => schema_of::<Messages>(generator),
         Method::UserInfoOf => schema_of::<UserResult>(generator),
         Method::SharesStatusOf | Method::SharesSet | Method::SharesReindex => {
@@ -112,7 +117,9 @@ fn result_schema(method: Method, generator: &mut SchemaGenerator) -> Value {
         | Method::MessageSend
         | Method::BrowseUser
         | Method::SearchForget
-        | Method::UserRequest => schema_of::<Ack>(generator),
+        | Method::UserRequest
+        | Method::UserWatch
+        | Method::UserUnwatch => schema_of::<Ack>(generator),
     }
 }
 
@@ -172,6 +179,11 @@ fn summary(method: Method) -> &'static str {
         Method::RoomLeave => "Leave a chat room.",
         Method::RoomSay => "Post a message to a room.",
         Method::RoomMembers => "Who is currently in a room.",
+        Method::UserWatch => {
+            "Watch a user, so the server keeps pushing their status."
+        }
+        Method::UserUnwatch => "Stop watching a user.",
+        Method::UserWatched => "Everyone this session is watching.",
         Method::MessageSend => "Send a private message.",
         Method::MessageHistory => {
             "Private messages the daemon collected, including while nobody was attached."
diff --git a/soulseek-rs/src/daemon/proto/method.rs b/soulseek-rs/src/daemon/proto/method.rs
index 96a69c2..3b71247 100644
--- a/soulseek-rs/src/daemon/proto/method.rs
+++ b/soulseek-rs/src/daemon/proto/method.rs
@@ -139,6 +139,13 @@ pub struct Members {
     pub users: Vec<String>,
 }
 
+/// Everyone this session is watching, sorted by name.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Deserialize, Serialize)]
+#[cfg_attr(test, derive(schemars::JsonSchema))]
+pub struct Watched {
+    pub users: Vec<String>,
+}
+
 /// One line of chat history. Unlike a live [`UserMessageDto`] this carries a
 /// direction, because a conversation the daemon collected includes what this
 /// account sent as well as what it received.
diff --git a/soulseek-rs/src/daemon/proto/mod.rs b/soulseek-rs/src/daemon/proto/mod.rs
index f91b83c..7bd337a 100644
--- a/soulseek-rs/src/daemon/proto/mod.rs
+++ b/soulseek-rs/src/daemon/proto/mod.rs
@@ -106,6 +106,9 @@ wire_vocabulary! {
         BrowseUser => "browse.user",
         UserRequest => "user.request",
         UserInfoOf => "user.info",
+        UserWatch => "user.watch",
+        UserUnwatch => "user.unwatch",
+        UserWatched => "user.watched",
         SharesStatusOf => "shares.status",
         SharesSet => "shares.set",
         SharesReindex => "shares.reindex",
diff --git a/soulseek-rs/src/daemon/server/mod.rs b/soulseek-rs/src/daemon/server/mod.rs
index 718a23a..0bd8470 100644
--- a/soulseek-rs/src/daemon/server/mod.rs
+++ b/soulseek-rs/src/daemon/server/mod.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ use super::proto::{
     MessageParams, Messages, Method, OPENRPC, PROTOCOL_VERSION, QueryParams,
     RoomRef, RpcError, SayParams, SearchResultDto, SearchResults,
     SearchSummary, Searches, Seconds, SharesStatus, SlotsParams, TransferRef,
-    UploadInfoDto, Uploads, UserInfoDto, UserRef, UserResult,
+    UploadInfoDto, Uploads, UserInfoDto, UserRef, UserResult, Watched,
 };
 use crate::api::SessionApi;
 use crate::output::Exit;
@@ -306,6 +306,24 @@ impl Daemon {
                 })
             }
 
+            Method::UserWatch => {
+                let user: UserRef = parse(params)?;
+                self.session.watch_user(&user.username).map_err(|e| {
+                    RpcError::application(Exit::Connection, e.to_string())
+                })?;
+                ok(Ack::OK)
+            }
+            Method::UserUnwatch => {
+                let user: UserRef = parse(params)?;
+                self.session.unwatch_user(&user.username).map_err(|e| {
+                    RpcError::application(Exit::Connection, e.to_string())
+                })?;
+                ok(Ack::OK)
+            }
+            Method::UserWatched => ok(Watched {
+                users: self.session.watched_users(),
+            }),
+
             Method::SharesStatusOf => ok(self.shares()),
             Method::SharesSet => {
                 let directories: DirectoriesParams = parse(params)?;
@@ -593,6 +611,49 @@ mod tests {
         );
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn a_watch_is_readable_back_and_survives_until_unwatched() {
+        // The three methods are only useful together: what `user.watch`
+        // records, `user.watched` must report, and `user.unwatch` must undo.
+        let daemon = daemon_with_token("t");
+        let user = |name: &str| json!({ "username": name });
+
+        daemon
+            .call(Method::UserWatch, user("alice"))
+            .expect("watch");
+        daemon.call(Method::UserWatch, user("bob")).expect("watch");
+        let watched = daemon
+            .call(Method::UserWatched, Value::Null)
+            .expect("watched");
+        assert_eq!(watched["users"], json!(["alice", "bob"]));
+
+        daemon
+            .call(Method::UserUnwatch, user("alice"))
+            .expect("unwatch");
+        let watched = daemon
+            .call(Method::UserWatched, Value::Null)
+            .expect("watched");
+        assert_eq!(
+            watched["users"],
+            json!(["bob"]),
+            "unwatching one must not clear the rest"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn watching_the_same_user_twice_lists_them_once() {
+        let daemon = daemon_with_token("t");
+        let alice = json!({ "username": "alice" });
+        daemon
+            .call(Method::UserWatch, alice.clone())
+            .expect("watch");
+        daemon.call(Method::UserWatch, alice).expect("watch");
+        let watched = daemon
+            .call(Method::UserWatched, Value::Null)
+            .expect("watched");
+        assert_eq!(watched["users"], json!(["alice"]));
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn stop_is_recorded_so_the_daemon_can_wind_down() {
         let daemon = daemon_with_token("t");
@@ -605,11 +666,17 @@ mod tests {
 
     // A session that answers nothing: enough to exercise dispatch, parameter
     // validation, and the auth gate without a Soulseek server.
-    struct SilentSession;
+    /// A session that answers nothing, except that it remembers watches:
+    /// the watch methods are only meaningful if what one call records the
+    /// next call can read back.
+    #[derive(Default)]
+    struct SilentSession {
+        watched: Mutex<Vec<String>>,
+    }
 
     fn daemon_with_token(token: &str) -> Daemon {
         Daemon {
-            session: Arc::new(SilentSession),
+            session: Arc::new(SilentSession::default()),
             hub: Arc::new(Hub::new()),
             browses: Arc::new(PendingBrowses::default()),
             downloads: Arc::new(Mutex::new(Vec::new())),
@@ -792,6 +859,24 @@ mod tests {
         ) -> soulseek_rs::Result<()> {
             Ok(())
         }
+        fn watch_user(&self, username: &str) -> soulseek_rs::Result<()> {
+            let mut watched = self.watched.lock().expect("watch list");
+            if !watched.iter().any(|u| u == username) {
+                watched.push(username.to_string());
+                watched.sort();
+            }
+            Ok(())
+        }
+        fn unwatch_user(&self, username: &str) -> soulseek_rs::Result<()> {
+            self.watched
+                .lock()
+                .expect("watch list")
+                .retain(|u| u != username);
+            Ok(())
+        }
+        fn watched_users(&self) -> Vec<String> {
+            self.watched.lock().expect("watch list").clone()
+        }
         fn user_info(&self, _username: &str) -> Option<soulseek_rs::UserInfo> {
             None
         }
diff --git a/soulseek-rs/src/output.rs b/soulseek-rs/src/output.rs
index d50a853..d8fe980 100644
--- a/soulseek-rs/src/output.rs
+++ b/soulseek-rs/src/output.rs
@@ -383,6 +383,25 @@ impl Record for RoomMemberRecord {
     }
 }
 
+/// One user this session is watching, with whatever the server has already
+/// said about them. The status is `None` until the watch reply lands.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize)]
+pub struct WatchedUserRecord {
+    pub user: String,
+    /// `online`, `away`, or `offline`.
+    pub status: Option<String>,
+}
+
+impl Record for WatchedUserRecord {
+    fn text(&self) -> String {
+        format!(
+            "{}\t{}",
+            sanitize(&self.user),
+            self.status.clone().unwrap_or_else(|| "-".to_string())
+        )
+    }
+}
+
 /// One configured share folder.
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize)]
 pub struct ShareRecord {
diff --git a/soulseek-rs/src/remote/mod.rs b/soulseek-rs/src/remote/mod.rs
index e236d05..24277f8 100644
--- a/soulseek-rs/src/remote/mod.rs
+++ b/soulseek-rs/src/remote/mod.rs
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ use crate::daemon::proto::{
     Members, MessageParams, Messages, Method, PROTOCOL_VERSION, QueryParams,
     Request, Response, RoomRef, RpcError, SayParams, SearchResults, Searches,
     Seconds, SharesStatus, SlotsParams, TransferRef, Uploads, UserRef,
-    UserResult,
+    UserResult, Watched,
 };
 use mirror::Mirror;
 use serde::de::DeserializeOwned;
@@ -757,6 +757,30 @@ impl SessionApi for RemoteSession {
         )
     }
 
+    fn watch_user(&self, username: &str) -> Result<()> {
+        self.tell(
+            Method::UserWatch,
+            UserRef {
+                username: username.to_string(),
+            },
+        )
+    }
+
+    fn unwatch_user(&self, username: &str) -> Result<()> {
+        self.tell(
+            Method::UserUnwatch,
+            UserRef {
+                username: username.to_string(),
+            },
+        )
+    }
+
+    fn watched_users(&self) -> Vec<String> {
+        self.request::<_, Watched>(Method::UserWatched, ())
+            .map(|watched| watched.users)
+            .unwrap_or_default()
+    }
+
     fn user_info(&self, username: &str) -> Option<UserInfo> {
         self.request::<_, UserResult>(
             Method::UserInfoOf,
diff --git a/soulseek-rs/src/ui/main_tui/mod.rs b/soulseek-rs/src/ui/main_tui/mod.rs
index 0b80188..1fe8624 100644
--- a/soulseek-rs/src/ui/main_tui/mod.rs
+++ b/soulseek-rs/src/ui/main_tui/mod.rs
@@ -489,6 +489,15 @@ mod tests {
         ) -> soulseek_rs::Result<()> {
             Ok(())
         }
+        fn watch_user(&self, _username: &str) -> soulseek_rs::Result<()> {
+            Ok(())
+        }
+        fn unwatch_user(&self, _username: &str) -> soulseek_rs::Result<()> {
+            Ok(())
+        }
+        fn watched_users(&self) -> Vec<String> {
+            Vec::new()
+        }
         fn user_info(&self, _username: &str) -> Option<soulseek_rs::UserInfo> {
             None
         }