diff --git a/scripts/system/pal.js b/scripts/system/pal.js
index d9e99272ba..1be5b44786 100644
--- a/scripts/system/pal.js
+++ b/scripts/system/pal.js
@@ -823,8 +823,49 @@ function notificationDataProcessPage(data) {
 }
 
 var shouldShowDot = false;
-function notificationPollCallback(onlineUsersArray) {
-    shouldShowDot = onlineUsersArray.length > 0;
+var storedOnlineUsersArray = [];
+function notificationPollCallback(connectionsArray) {
+    //
+    // START logic for handling online/offline user changes
+    //
+    var i, j;
+    var newlyOnlineConnectionsArray = [];
+    for (i = 0; i < connectionsArray.length; i++) {
+        var currentUser = connectionsArray[i];
+
+        if (connectionsArray[i].online) {
+            var indexOfStoredOnlineUser = -1;
+            for (j = 0; j < storedOnlineUsersArray.length; j++) {
+                if (currentUser.username === storedOnlineUsersArray[j].username) {
+                    indexOfStoredOnlineUser = j;
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
+            // If the user record isn't already presesnt inside `storedOnlineUsersArray`...
+            if (indexOfStoredOnlineUser < 0) {
+                storedOnlineUsersArray.push(currentUser);
+                newlyOnlineConnectionsArray.push(currentUser);
+            }
+        } else {
+            var indexOfOfflineUser = -1;
+            for (j = 0; j < storedOnlineUsersArray.length; j++) {
+                if (currentUser.username === storedOnlineUsersArray[j].username) {
+                    indexOfOfflineUser = j;
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
+            if (indexOfOfflineUser >= 0) {
+                storedOnlineUsersArray.splice(indexOfOfflineUser);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    // If there's new data, the light should turn on.
+    // If the light is already on and you have connections online, the light should stay on.
+    // In all other cases, the light should turn off or stay off.
+    shouldShowDot = newlyOnlineConnectionsArray.length > 0 || (storedOnlineUsersArray.length > 0 && shouldShowDot);
+    //
+    // END logic for handling online/offline user changes
+    //
 
     if (!ui.isOpen) {
         ui.messagesWaiting(shouldShowDot);
@@ -835,13 +876,13 @@ function notificationPollCallback(onlineUsersArray) {
 
         var message;
         if (!ui.notificationInitialCallbackMade) {
-            message = onlineUsersArray.length + " of your connections " +
-                (onlineUsersArray.length === 1 ? "is" : "are") + " online. Open PEOPLE to join them!";
+            message = newlyOnlineConnectionsArray.length + " of your connections " +
+                (newlyOnlineConnectionsArray.length === 1 ? "is" : "are") + " online. Open PEOPLE to join them!";
             ui.notificationDisplayBanner(message);
         } else {
-            for (var i = 0; i < onlineUsersArray.length; i++) {
-                message = onlineUsersArray[i].username + " is available in " +
-                    onlineUsersArray[i].location.root.name + ". Open PEOPLE to join them!";
+            for (i = 0; i < newlyOnlineConnectionsArray.length; i++) {
+                message = newlyOnlineConnectionsArray[i].username + " is available in " +
+                    newlyOnlineConnectionsArray[i].location.root.name + ". Open PEOPLE to join them!";
                 ui.notificationDisplayBanner(message);
             }
         }
@@ -861,12 +902,12 @@ function startup() {
         onOpened: palOpened,
         onClosed: off,
         onMessage: fromQml,
-        notificationPollEndpoint: "/api/v1/users?filter=connections&status=online&per_page=10",
+        notificationPollEndpoint: "/api/v1/users?filter=connections&per_page=10",
         notificationPollTimeoutMs: 60000,
         notificationDataProcessPage: notificationDataProcessPage,
         notificationPollCallback: notificationPollCallback,
         notificationPollStopPaginatingConditionMet: isReturnedDataEmpty,
-        notificationPollCaresAboutSince: true
+        notificationPollCaresAboutSince: false
     });
     Window.domainChanged.connect(clearLocalQMLDataAndClosePAL);
     Window.domainConnectionRefused.connect(clearLocalQMLDataAndClosePAL);