diff --git a/include/sway/server.h b/include/sway/server.h
index 296fbf224..ac685bf83 100644
--- a/include/sway/server.h
+++ b/include/sway/server.h
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ struct sway_server {
 
 	struct wlr_compositor *compositor;
 	struct wlr_data_device_manager *data_device_manager;
+	struct wlr_idle *idle;
 
 	struct sway_input_manager *input;
 
diff --git a/sway/input/cursor.c b/sway/input/cursor.c
index 15a61cbf8..ac8acc64d 100644
--- a/sway/input/cursor.c
+++ b/sway/input/cursor.c
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #endif
 #include <wlr/types/wlr_cursor.h>
 #include <wlr/types/wlr_xcursor_manager.h>
+#include <wlr/types/wlr_idle.h>
 #include "list.h"
 #include "log.h"
 #include "sway/input/cursor.h"
@@ -151,6 +152,7 @@ void cursor_send_pointer_motion(struct sway_cursor *cursor, uint32_t time) {
 
 static void handle_cursor_motion(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	struct sway_cursor *cursor = wl_container_of(listener, cursor, motion);
+	wlr_idle_notify_activity(cursor->seat->input->server->idle, cursor->seat->wlr_seat);
 	struct wlr_event_pointer_motion *event = data;
 	wlr_cursor_move(cursor->cursor, event->device,
 		event->delta_x, event->delta_y);
@@ -161,6 +163,7 @@ static void handle_cursor_motion_absolute(
 		struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	struct sway_cursor *cursor =
 		wl_container_of(listener, cursor, motion_absolute);
+	wlr_idle_notify_activity(cursor->seat->input->server->idle, cursor->seat->wlr_seat);
 	struct wlr_event_pointer_motion_absolute *event = data;
 	wlr_cursor_warp_absolute(cursor->cursor, event->device, event->x, event->y);
 	cursor_send_pointer_motion(cursor, event->time_msec);
@@ -206,6 +209,7 @@ void dispatch_cursor_button(struct sway_cursor *cursor,
 
 static void handle_cursor_button(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	struct sway_cursor *cursor = wl_container_of(listener, cursor, button);
+	wlr_idle_notify_activity(cursor->seat->input->server->idle, cursor->seat->wlr_seat);
 	struct wlr_event_pointer_button *event = data;
 	dispatch_cursor_button(cursor,
 			event->time_msec, event->button, event->state);
@@ -213,6 +217,7 @@ static void handle_cursor_button(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 
 static void handle_cursor_axis(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	struct sway_cursor *cursor = wl_container_of(listener, cursor, axis);
+	wlr_idle_notify_activity(cursor->seat->input->server->idle, cursor->seat->wlr_seat);
 	struct wlr_event_pointer_axis *event = data;
 	wlr_seat_pointer_notify_axis(cursor->seat->wlr_seat, event->time_msec,
 		event->orientation, event->delta);
@@ -220,12 +225,14 @@ static void handle_cursor_axis(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 
 static void handle_touch_down(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	struct sway_cursor *cursor = wl_container_of(listener, cursor, touch_down);
+	wlr_idle_notify_activity(cursor->seat->input->server->idle, cursor->seat->wlr_seat);
 	struct wlr_event_touch_down *event = data;
 	wlr_log(L_DEBUG, "TODO: handle touch down event: %p", event);
 }
 
 static void handle_touch_up(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	struct sway_cursor *cursor = wl_container_of(listener, cursor, touch_up);
+	wlr_idle_notify_activity(cursor->seat->input->server->idle, cursor->seat->wlr_seat);
 	struct wlr_event_touch_up *event = data;
 	wlr_log(L_DEBUG, "TODO: handle touch up event: %p", event);
 }
@@ -233,12 +240,14 @@ static void handle_touch_up(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 static void handle_touch_motion(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	struct sway_cursor *cursor =
 		wl_container_of(listener, cursor, touch_motion);
+	wlr_idle_notify_activity(cursor->seat->input->server->idle, cursor->seat->wlr_seat);
 	struct wlr_event_touch_motion *event = data;
 	wlr_log(L_DEBUG, "TODO: handle touch motion event: %p", event);
 }
 
 static void handle_tool_axis(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	struct sway_cursor *cursor = wl_container_of(listener, cursor, tool_axis);
+	wlr_idle_notify_activity(cursor->seat->input->server->idle, cursor->seat->wlr_seat);
 	struct wlr_event_tablet_tool_axis *event = data;
 
 	if ((event->updated_axes & WLR_TABLET_TOOL_AXIS_X) &&
@@ -257,6 +266,7 @@ static void handle_tool_axis(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 
 static void handle_tool_tip(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	struct sway_cursor *cursor = wl_container_of(listener, cursor, tool_tip);
+	wlr_idle_notify_activity(cursor->seat->input->server->idle, cursor->seat->wlr_seat);
 	struct wlr_event_tablet_tool_tip *event = data;
 	dispatch_cursor_button(cursor, event->time_msec,
 			BTN_LEFT, event->state == WLR_TABLET_TOOL_TIP_DOWN ?
@@ -265,6 +275,7 @@ static void handle_tool_tip(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 
 static void handle_tool_button(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	struct sway_cursor *cursor = wl_container_of(listener, cursor, tool_button);
+	wlr_idle_notify_activity(cursor->seat->input->server->idle, cursor->seat->wlr_seat);
 	struct wlr_event_tablet_tool_button *event = data;
 	// TODO: the user may want to configure which tool buttons are mapped to
 	// which simulated pointer buttons
diff --git a/sway/input/keyboard.c b/sway/input/keyboard.c
index dbb0c3596..0d73cef0f 100644
--- a/sway/input/keyboard.c
+++ b/sway/input/keyboard.c
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <wlr/backend/multi.h>
 #include <wlr/backend/session.h>
+#include <wlr/types/wlr_idle.h>
 #include "sway/input/seat.h"
 #include "sway/input/keyboard.h"
 #include "sway/input/input-manager.h"
@@ -329,6 +330,7 @@ static void handle_keyboard_key(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	struct wlr_seat *wlr_seat = keyboard->seat_device->sway_seat->wlr_seat;
 	struct wlr_input_device *wlr_device =
 		keyboard->seat_device->input_device->wlr_device;
+	wlr_idle_notify_activity(keyboard->seat_device->sway_seat->input->server->idle, wlr_seat);
 	struct wlr_event_keyboard_key *event = data;
 
 	xkb_keycode_t keycode = event->keycode + 8;
diff --git a/sway/server.c b/sway/server.c
index 11cb95c08..06ba8a17f 100644
--- a/sway/server.c
+++ b/sway/server.c
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #include <wlr/types/wlr_xcursor_manager.h>
 #include <wlr/types/wlr_xdg_output.h>
 #include <wlr/types/wlr_wl_shell.h>
+#include <wlr/types/wlr_idle.h>
 #include <wlr/util/log.h>
 // TODO WLR: make Xwayland optional
 #include <wlr/xwayland.h>
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@ bool server_init(struct sway_server *server) {
 	server->data_device_manager =
 		wlr_data_device_manager_create(server->wl_display);
 
+	server->idle = wlr_idle_create(server->wl_display);
 	wlr_screenshooter_create(server->wl_display);
 	wlr_gamma_control_manager_create(server->wl_display);
 	wlr_primary_selection_device_manager_create(server->wl_display);