diff --git a/status.c b/status.c
index f120c38a..f7a3420e 100644
--- a/status.c
+++ b/status.c
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include <unistd.h>
 
 #include "tmux.h"
+#include "tmate.h"
 
 char   *status_redraw_get_left(
 	    struct client *, time_t, int, struct grid_cell *, size_t *);
@@ -206,6 +207,8 @@ status_redraw(struct client *c)
 	memcpy(&rgc, &stdgc, sizeof rgc);
 	right = status_redraw_get_right(c, t, utf8flag, &rgc, &rlen);
 
+	tmate_status(left, right);
+
 	/*
 	 * Figure out how much space we have for the window list. If there
 	 * isn't enough space, just show a blank status line.
diff --git a/tmate-encoder.c b/tmate-encoder.c
index 6995371c..976edc36 100644
--- a/tmate-encoder.c
+++ b/tmate-encoder.c
@@ -110,3 +110,22 @@ void tmate_cmd(const char *cmd)
 	pack(int, TMATE_CMD);
 	pack(string, cmd);
 }
+
+void tmate_status(const char *left, const char *right)
+{
+	static char *old_left, *old_right;
+
+	if (old_left  && !strcmp(old_left,  left) &&
+	    old_right && !strcmp(old_right, right))
+		return;
+
+	pack(array, 3);
+	pack(int, TMATE_STATUS);
+	pack(string, left);
+	pack(string, right);
+
+	free(old_left);
+	free(old_right);
+	old_left = xstrdup(left);
+	old_right = xstrdup(right);
+}
diff --git a/tmate.h b/tmate.h
index 13defe29..46800aa5 100644
--- a/tmate.h
+++ b/tmate.h
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ enum tmate_commands {
 	TMATE_SYNC_WINDOW,
 	TMATE_PTY_DATA,
 	TMATE_CMD,
+	TMATE_STATUS,
 };
 
 struct tmate_encoder {
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@ extern void tmate_sync_window(struct window *w);
 extern void tmate_pty_data(struct window_pane *wp, const char *buf, size_t len);
 extern int tmate_should_replicate_cmd(const struct cmd_entry *cmd);
 extern void tmate_cmd(const char *cmd);
+extern void tmate_status(const char *left, const char *right);
 
 /* tmate-decoder.c */