diff --git a/reddit_place/activity.py b/reddit_place/activity.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dc9b854
--- /dev/null
+++ b/reddit_place/activity.py
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+from r2.lib import amqp, baseplate_integration, websockets
+
+from reddit_place.controllers import PLACE_SUBREDDIT
+
+
+@baseplate_integration.with_root_span("job.place_activity")
+def broadcast_activity():
+    activity = PLACE_SUBREDDIT.count_activity()
+    if activity and activity.logged_in:
+        websockets.send_broadcast(
+            namespace="/place",
+            type="activity",
+            payload={
+                "count": activity.logged_in.count,
+            },
+        )
+
+    # ensure the message we put on the amqp worker queue is flushed before we
+    # exit.
+    amqp.worker.join()
diff --git a/reddit_place/controllers.py b/reddit_place/controllers.py
index 4e4551d..1332e27 100644
--- a/reddit_place/controllers.py
+++ b/reddit_place/controllers.py
@@ -164,6 +164,10 @@ def GET_canvasse(self, is_embed, is_webview):
             "place_fullscreen": is_embed or is_webview,
         }
 
+        activity = PLACE_SUBREDDIT.count_activity()
+        if activity and activity.logged_in:
+            js_config["place_active_visitors"] = activity.logged_in.count
+
         if is_embed:
             # ensure we're off the cookie domain before allowing embedding
             if request.host != g.media_domain:
@@ -394,6 +398,10 @@ def add_place_config(config):
         config["place_canvas_height"] = CANVAS_HEIGHT
         config["place_cooldown"] = cooldown
 
+        activity = c.site.count_activity()
+        if activity and activity.logged_in:
+            config["place_active_visitors"] = activity.logged_in.count
+
 
 @controller_hooks.on("extra_stylesheets")
 def add_place_stylesheet(extra_stylesheets):
diff --git a/upstart/reddit-job-place_activity.conf b/upstart/reddit-job-place_activity.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..91f8fc5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/upstart/reddit-job-place_activity.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+description "periodically broadcast active visitors on the place canvas"
+
+task
+manual
+stop on reddit-stop or runlevel [016]
+
+script
+    . /etc/default/reddit
+    wrap-job paster run $REDDIT_INI -c 'from reddit_place import activity; activity.broadcast_activity()'
+end script