diff --git a/res/css/_components.scss b/res/css/_components.scss
index 20395550ab..7b8ca77739 100644
--- a/res/css/_components.scss
+++ b/res/css/_components.scss
@@ -173,6 +173,7 @@
 @import "./views/rooms/_SendMessageComposer.scss";
 @import "./views/rooms/_Stickers.scss";
 @import "./views/rooms/_TopUnreadMessagesBar.scss";
+@import "./views/rooms/_UserOnlineDot.scss";
 @import "./views/rooms/_WhoIsTypingTile.scss";
 @import "./views/settings/_AvatarSetting.scss";
 @import "./views/settings/_CrossSigningPanel.scss";
diff --git a/res/css/views/rooms/_RoomTile.scss b/res/css/views/rooms/_RoomTile.scss
index 1814919b61..e5c7948216 100644
--- a/res/css/views/rooms/_RoomTile.scss
+++ b/res/css/views/rooms/_RoomTile.scss
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 /*
 Copyright 2015, 2016 OpenMarket Ltd
+Copyright 2019 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.
diff --git a/res/css/views/rooms/_UserOnlineDot.scss b/res/css/views/rooms/_UserOnlineDot.scss
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..339e5cc48a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/res/css/views/rooms/_UserOnlineDot.scss
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2019 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_UserOnlineDot {
+    border-radius: 50%;
+    background-color: $accent-color;
+    height: 5px;
+    width: 5px;
+    display: inline-block;
+}
diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/RoomTile.js b/src/components/views/rooms/RoomTile.js
index 817ada9706..ecf2de394b 100644
--- a/src/components/views/rooms/RoomTile.js
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/RoomTile.js
@@ -68,11 +68,6 @@ module.exports = createReactClass({
         });
     },
 
-    _isDirectMessageRoom: function(roomId) {
-        const dmRooms = DMRoomMap.shared().getUserIdForRoomId(roomId);
-        return Boolean(dmRooms);
-    },
-
     _shouldShowStatusMessage() {
         if (!SettingsStore.isFeatureEnabled("feature_custom_status")) {
             return false;
@@ -371,8 +366,11 @@ module.exports = createReactClass({
 
         let ariaLabel = name;
 
+        const dmUserId = DMRoomMap.shared().getUserIdForRoomId(this.props.room.roomId);
+
         let dmIndicator;
-        if (this._isDirectMessageRoom(this.props.room.roomId)) {
+        let dmOnline;
+        if (dmUserId) {
             dmIndicator = <img
                 src={require("../../../../res/img/icon_person.svg")}
                 className="mx_RoomTile_dm"
@@ -380,6 +378,12 @@ module.exports = createReactClass({
                 height="13"
                 alt="dm"
             />;
+
+            const { room } = this.props;
+            if (room.getMember(dmUserId).membership === "join" && room.getJoinedMemberCount() === 2) {
+                const UserOnlineDot = sdk.getComponent('rooms.UserOnlineDot');
+                dmOnline = <UserOnlineDot userId={dmUserId} />;
+            }
         }
 
         // The following labels are written in such a fashion to increase screen reader efficiency (speed).
@@ -428,6 +432,7 @@ module.exports = createReactClass({
                         { label }
                         { subtextLabel }
                     </div>
+                    { dmOnline }
                     { contextMenuButton }
                     { badge }
                 </div>
diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/UserOnlineDot.js b/src/components/views/rooms/UserOnlineDot.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..426dd1bf64
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/UserOnlineDot.js
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2019 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, {useContext, useEffect, useMemo, useState, useCallback} from "react";
+import PropTypes from "prop-types";
+
+import {useEventEmitter} from "../../../hooks/useEventEmitter";
+import MatrixClientContext from "../../../contexts/MatrixClientContext";
+
+const UserOnlineDot = ({userId}) => {
+    const cli = useContext(MatrixClientContext);
+    const user = useMemo(() => cli.getUser(userId), [cli, userId]);
+
+    const [isOnline, setIsOnline] = useState(false);
+
+    // Recheck if the user or client changes
+    useEffect(() => {
+        setIsOnline(user && (user.currentlyActive || user.presence === "online"));
+    }, [cli, user]);
+    // Recheck also if we receive a User.currentlyActive event
+    const currentlyActiveHandler = useCallback((ev) => {
+        const content = ev.getContent();
+        setIsOnline(content.currently_active || content.presence === "online");
+    }, []);
+    useEventEmitter(user, "User.currentlyActive", currentlyActiveHandler);
+    useEventEmitter(user, "User.presence", currentlyActiveHandler);
+
+    return isOnline ? <span className="mx_UserOnlineDot" /> : null;
+};
+
+UserOnlineDot.propTypes = {
+    userId: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
+};
+
+export default UserOnlineDot;