diff --git a/res/css/_components.scss b/res/css/_components.scss
index 31f319e76f..66eb98ea9d 100644
--- a/res/css/_components.scss
+++ b/res/css/_components.scss
@@ -189,6 +189,7 @@
 @import "./views/rooms/_RoomSublist2.scss";
 @import "./views/rooms/_RoomTile.scss";
 @import "./views/rooms/_RoomTile2.scss";
+@import "./views/rooms/_RoomTileIcon.scss";
 @import "./views/rooms/_RoomUpgradeWarningBar.scss";
 @import "./views/rooms/_SearchBar.scss";
 @import "./views/rooms/_SendMessageComposer.scss";
diff --git a/res/css/views/rooms/_RoomTile2.scss b/res/css/views/rooms/_RoomTile2.scss
index 2e9fe4a31e..001499fea5 100644
--- a/res/css/views/rooms/_RoomTile2.scss
+++ b/res/css/views/rooms/_RoomTile2.scss
@@ -34,28 +34,10 @@ limitations under the License.
         margin-right: 8px;
         position: relative;
 
-        .mx_RoomTile2_publicRoom {
-            width: 12px;
-            height: 12px;
-            border-radius: 12px;
-            background-color: $roomlist2-bg-color; // to match the room list itself
+        .mx_RoomTileIcon {
             position: absolute;
             bottom: 0;
             right: 0;
-
-            &::before {
-                content: '';
-                width: 8px;
-                height: 8px;
-                top: 2px;
-                left: 2px;
-                position: absolute;
-                mask-position: center;
-                mask-size: contain;
-                mask-repeat: no-repeat;
-                background: $primary-fg-color;
-                mask-image: url('$(res)/img/globe.svg');
-            }
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/res/css/views/rooms/_RoomTileIcon.scss b/res/css/views/rooms/_RoomTileIcon.scss
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..adc8ea2994
--- /dev/null
+++ b/res/css/views/rooms/_RoomTileIcon.scss
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2020 The Matrix.org Foundation C.I.C.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+.mx_RoomTileIcon {
+    width: 12px;
+    height: 12px;
+    border-radius: 12px;
+    background-color: $roomlist2-bg-color; // to match the room list itself
+}
+
+.mx_RoomTileIcon_globe::before {
+    content: '';
+    width: 8px;
+    height: 8px;
+    top: 2px;
+    left: 2px;
+    position: absolute;
+    mask-position: center;
+    mask-size: contain;
+    mask-repeat: no-repeat;
+    background: $primary-fg-color;
+    mask-image: url('$(res)/img/globe.svg');
+}
+
+.mx_RoomTileIcon_offline::before {
+    content: '';
+    width: 8px;
+    height: 8px;
+    top: 2px;
+    left: 2px;
+    position: absolute;
+    border-radius: 8px;
+    background-color: $presence-offline;
+}
+
+.mx_RoomTileIcon_online::before {
+    content: '';
+    width: 8px;
+    height: 8px;
+    top: 2px;
+    left: 2px;
+    position: absolute;
+    border-radius: 8px;
+    background-color: $presence-online;
+}
+
+.mx_RoomTileIcon_away::before {
+    content: '';
+    width: 8px;
+    height: 8px;
+    top: 2px;
+    left: 2px;
+    position: absolute;
+    border-radius: 8px;
+    background-color: $presence-away;
+}
diff --git a/res/themes/light/css/_light.scss b/res/themes/light/css/_light.scss
index 18a25b2663..355cc1301c 100644
--- a/res/themes/light/css/_light.scss
+++ b/res/themes/light/css/_light.scss
@@ -186,6 +186,10 @@ $roomtile2-preview-color: #9e9e9e;
 $roomtile2-default-badge-bg-color: #61708b;
 $roomtile2-selected-bg-color: #FFF;
 
+$presence-online: $accent-color;
+$presence-away: orange; // TODO: Get color
+$presence-offline: #E3E8F0;
+
 // ********************
 
 $roomtile-name-color: #61708b;
diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/RoomTile2.tsx b/src/components/views/rooms/RoomTile2.tsx
index f0d99eed99..8343851f66 100644
--- a/src/components/views/rooms/RoomTile2.tsx
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/RoomTile2.tsx
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ import React, { createRef } from "react";
 import { Room } from "matrix-js-sdk/src/models/room";
 import classNames from "classnames";
 import { RovingTabIndexWrapper } from "../../../accessibility/RovingTabIndex";
-import AccessibleButton, {ButtonEvent} from "../../views/elements/AccessibleButton";
+import AccessibleButton, { ButtonEvent } from "../../views/elements/AccessibleButton";
 import RoomAvatar from "../../views/avatars/RoomAvatar";
 import dis from '../../../dispatcher/dispatcher';
 import { Key } from "../../../Keyboard";
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import { _t } from "../../../languageHandler";
 import { ContextMenu, ContextMenuButton } from "../../structures/ContextMenu";
 import { DefaultTagID, TagID } from "../../../stores/room-list/models";
 import { MessagePreviewStore } from "../../../stores/MessagePreviewStore";
+import RoomTileIcon from "./RoomTileIcon";
 
 /*******************************************************************
  *   CAUTION                                                       *
@@ -86,12 +87,6 @@ export default class RoomTile2 extends React.Component<IProps, IState> {
         ActiveRoomObserver.addListener(this.props.room.roomId, this.onActiveRoomUpdate);
     }
 
-    private get isPublicRoom(): boolean {
-        const joinRules = this.props.room.currentState.getStateEvents("m.room.join_rules", "");
-        const joinRule = joinRules && joinRules.getContent().join_rule;
-        return joinRule === 'public';
-    }
-
     public componentWillUnmount() {
         if (this.props.room) {
             ActiveRoomObserver.removeListener(this.props.room.roomId, this.onActiveRoomUpdate);
@@ -187,25 +182,25 @@ export default class RoomTile2 extends React.Component<IProps, IState> {
                             <ul>
                                 <li>
                                     <AccessibleButton onClick={(e) => this.onTagRoom(e, DefaultTagID.Favourite)}>
-                                        <span className="mx_IconizedContextMenu_icon mx_RoomTile2_iconStar" />
+                                        <span className="mx_IconizedContextMenu_icon mx_RoomTile2_iconStar"/>
                                         <span>{_t("Favourite")}</span>
                                     </AccessibleButton>
                                 </li>
                                 <li>
                                     <AccessibleButton onClick={(e) => this.onTagRoom(e, DefaultTagID.LowPriority)}>
-                                        <span className="mx_IconizedContextMenu_icon mx_RoomTile2_iconArrowDown" />
+                                        <span className="mx_IconizedContextMenu_icon mx_RoomTile2_iconArrowDown"/>
                                         <span>{_t("Low Priority")}</span>
                                     </AccessibleButton>
                                 </li>
                                 <li>
                                     <AccessibleButton onClick={(e) => this.onTagRoom(e, DefaultTagID.DM)}>
-                                        <span className="mx_IconizedContextMenu_icon mx_RoomTile2_iconUser" />
+                                        <span className="mx_IconizedContextMenu_icon mx_RoomTile2_iconUser"/>
                                         <span>{_t("Direct Chat")}</span>
                                     </AccessibleButton>
                                 </li>
                                 <li>
                                     <AccessibleButton onClick={this.onOpenRoomSettings}>
-                                        <span className="mx_IconizedContextMenu_icon mx_RoomTile2_iconSettings" />
+                                        <span className="mx_IconizedContextMenu_icon mx_RoomTile2_iconSettings"/>
                                         <span>{_t("Settings")}</span>
                                     </AccessibleButton>
                                 </li>
@@ -215,7 +210,7 @@ export default class RoomTile2 extends React.Component<IProps, IState> {
                             <ul>
                                 <li className="mx_RoomTile2_contextMenu_redRow">
                                     <AccessibleButton onClick={this.onLeaveRoomClick}>
-                                        <span className="mx_IconizedContextMenu_icon mx_RoomTile2_iconSignOut" />
+                                        <span className="mx_IconizedContextMenu_icon mx_RoomTile2_iconSignOut"/>
                                         <span>{_t("Leave Room")}</span>
                                     </AccessibleButton>
                                 </li>
@@ -253,7 +248,7 @@ export default class RoomTile2 extends React.Component<IProps, IState> {
             'mx_RoomTile2_minimized': this.props.isMinimized,
         });
 
-        const badge = <NotificationBadge notification={this.state.notificationState} allowNoCount={true} />;
+        const badge = <NotificationBadge notification={this.state.notificationState} allowNoCount={true}/>;
 
         // TODO: the original RoomTile uses state for the room name. Do we need to?
         let name = this.props.room.name;
@@ -294,11 +289,6 @@ export default class RoomTile2 extends React.Component<IProps, IState> {
         );
         if (this.props.isMinimized) nameContainer = null;
 
-        let globe = null;
-        if (this.isPublicRoom && this.props.tag !== DefaultTagID.DM) {
-            globe = <span className='mx_RoomTile2_publicRoom' />; // sizing and such set by CSS
-        }
-
         const avatarSize = 32;
         return (
             <React.Fragment>
@@ -316,7 +306,7 @@ export default class RoomTile2 extends React.Component<IProps, IState> {
                         >
                             <div className="mx_RoomTile2_avatarContainer">
                                 <RoomAvatar room={this.props.room} width={avatarSize} height={avatarSize}/>
-                                {globe}
+                                <RoomTileIcon room={this.props.room} tag={this.props.tag}/>
                             </div>
                             {nameContainer}
                             <div className="mx_RoomTile2_badgeContainer">
diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/RoomTileIcon.tsx b/src/components/views/rooms/RoomTileIcon.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fb967bb811
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/RoomTileIcon.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,148 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2015, 2016 OpenMarket Ltd
+Copyright 2017 New Vector Ltd
+Copyright 2018 Michael Telatynski <7t3chguy@gmail.com>
+Copyright 2019, 2020 The Matrix.org Foundation C.I.C.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+import React from "react";
+import { Room } from "matrix-js-sdk/src/models/room";
+import { RovingTabIndexWrapper } from "../../../accessibility/RovingTabIndex";
+import AccessibleButton from "../../views/elements/AccessibleButton";
+import RoomAvatar from "../../views/avatars/RoomAvatar";
+import ActiveRoomObserver from "../../../ActiveRoomObserver";
+import { DefaultTagID, TagID } from "../../../stores/room-list/models";
+import { User } from "matrix-js-sdk/src/models/user";
+import {MatrixEvent} from "matrix-js-sdk/src/models/event";
+import DMRoomMap from "../../../utils/DMRoomMap";
+import { MatrixClientPeg } from "../../../MatrixClientPeg";
+import SdkConfig from "../../../SdkConfig";
+import { isPresenceEnabled } from "../../../utils/presence";
+
+enum Icon {
+    // Note: the names here are used in CSS class names
+    None = "NONE", // ... except this one
+    Globe = "GLOBE",
+    PresenceOnline = "ONLINE",
+    PresenceAway = "AWAY",
+    PresenceOffline = "OFFLINE",
+}
+
+interface IProps {
+    room: Room;
+    tag: TagID;
+}
+
+interface IState {
+    icon: Icon;
+}
+
+export default class RoomTileIcon extends React.Component<IProps, IState> {
+    private isUnmounted = false;
+    private dmUser: User;
+    private isWatchingTimeline = false;
+
+    constructor(props: IProps) {
+        super(props);
+
+        this.state = {
+            icon: this.getIcon(),
+        };
+    }
+
+    private get isPublicRoom(): boolean {
+        const joinRules = this.props.room.currentState.getStateEvents("m.room.join_rules", "");
+        const joinRule = joinRules && joinRules.getContent().join_rule;
+        return joinRule === 'public';
+    }
+
+    public componentWillUnmount() {
+        this.isUnmounted = true;
+        if (this.isWatchingTimeline) this.props.room.off('Room.timeline', this.onRoomTimeline);
+        this.unsubscribePresence();
+    }
+
+    private unsubscribePresence() {
+        if (this.dmUser) {
+            this.dmUser.off('User.currentlyActive', this.onPresenceUpdate);
+            this.dmUser.off('User.presence', this.onPresenceUpdate);
+        }
+    }
+
+    private onRoomTimeline = (ev: MatrixEvent, room: Room) => {
+        if (this.isUnmounted) return;
+
+        // apparently these can happen?
+        if (!room) return;
+        if (this.props.room.roomId !== room.roomId) return;
+
+        if (ev.getType() === 'm.room.join_rules' || ev.getType() === 'm.room.member') {
+            this.setState({icon: this.getIcon()});
+        }
+    };
+
+    private onPresenceUpdate = () => {
+        if (this.isUnmounted) return;
+
+        let newIcon = this.getPresenceIcon();
+        if (newIcon !== this.state.icon) this.setState({icon: newIcon});
+    };
+
+    private getPresenceIcon(): Icon {
+        let newIcon = Icon.None;
+
+        const isOnline = this.dmUser.currentlyActive || this.dmUser.presence === 'online';
+        if (isOnline) {
+            newIcon = Icon.PresenceOnline;
+        } else if (this.dmUser.presence === 'offline') {
+            newIcon = Icon.PresenceOffline;
+        } else if (this.dmUser.presence === 'unavailable') {
+            newIcon = Icon.PresenceAway;
+        }
+
+        return newIcon;
+    }
+
+    private getIcon(): Icon {
+        let defaultIcon = Icon.None;
+        this.unsubscribePresence();
+        if (this.props.tag === DefaultTagID.DM && this.props.room.getJoinedMemberCount() === 2) {
+            // Track presence, if available
+            if (isPresenceEnabled()) {
+                const otherUserId = DMRoomMap.shared().getUserIdForRoomId(this.props.room.roomId);
+                if (otherUserId) {
+                    this.dmUser = MatrixClientPeg.get().getUser(otherUserId);
+                    if (this.dmUser) {
+                        this.dmUser.on('User.currentlyActive', this.onPresenceUpdate);
+                        this.dmUser.on('User.presence', this.onPresenceUpdate);
+                        defaultIcon = this.getPresenceIcon();
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        } else {
+            // Track publicity
+            defaultIcon = this.isPublicRoom ? Icon.Globe : Icon.None;
+            this.props.room.on('Room.timeline', this.onRoomTimeline);
+            this.isWatchingTimeline = true;
+        }
+        return defaultIcon;
+    }
+
+    public render(): React.ReactElement {
+        if (this.state.icon === Icon.None) return null;
+
+        return <span className={`mx_RoomTileIcon mx_RoomTileIcon_${this.state.icon.toLowerCase()}`} />;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/utils/presence.ts b/src/utils/presence.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f2c208265e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils/presence.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2020 The Matrix.org Foundation C.I.C.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+import { MatrixClientPeg } from "../MatrixClientPeg";
+import SdkConfig from "../SdkConfig";
+
+export function isPresenceEnabled() {
+    const hsUrl = MatrixClientPeg.get().baseUrl;
+    const urls = SdkConfig.get()['enable_presence_by_hs_url'];
+    if (!urls) return true;
+    if (urls[hsUrl] || urls[hsUrl] === undefined) return true;
+    return false;
+}