diff --git a/Assistant/XMPP.hs b/Assistant/XMPP.hs
index ed28ac7d25..3104f844d8 100644
--- a/Assistant/XMPP.hs
+++ b/Assistant/XMPP.hs
@@ -80,9 +80,17 @@ gitAnnexPresence :: Element -> Presence
 gitAnnexPresence = insertGitAnnexTag $ emptyPresence PresenceAvailable
 
 {- A presence with an empty git-annex tag in it, used for letting other
- - clients know we're around and are a git-annex client. -}
+ - clients know we're around and are a git-annex client. 
+ -
+ - Also includes a status tag, which may be visible in XMPP clients.
+ -}
 gitAnnexSignature :: Presence
-gitAnnexSignature = gitAnnexPresence $ Element gitAnnexTagName [] []
+gitAnnexSignature = addStatusTag $ gitAnnexPresence $ Element gitAnnexTagName [] []
+  where
+	addStatusTag p = p
+		{ presencePayloads = status : presencePayloads p }
+	status = Element "status" [] [statusMessage]
+	statusMessage = NodeContent $ ContentText $ T.pack "git-annex"
 
 {- XMPP client to server ping -}
 xmppPing :: JID -> IQ
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 7552e780ab..bbcf6c14df 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+git-annex (4.20130724) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
+
+  * Add status message to XMPP presence tag, to identify to others that
+    the client is a git-annex client. Closes: #717652
+
+ -- Joey Hess <joeyh@debian.org>  Tue, 23 Jul 2013 12:39:48 -0400
+
 git-annex (4.20130723) unstable; urgency=low
 
   * Fix data loss bug when adding an (uncompressed) tarball of a