diff --git a/controllers/ping.go b/controllers/ping.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..81b0ab6e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/controllers/ping.go
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+package controllers
+
+import (
+	"net/http"
+
+	"github.com/owncast/owncast/core"
+	"github.com/owncast/owncast/utils"
+)
+
+func Ping(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	id := utils.GenerateClientIDFromRequest(r)
+	core.SetViewerIdActive(id)
+}
diff --git a/controllers/status.go b/controllers/status.go
index 0d802e56d..95c58654f 100644
--- a/controllers/status.go
+++ b/controllers/status.go
@@ -15,31 +15,27 @@ func GetStatus(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 
 	status := core.GetStatus()
 	response := webStatusResponse{
-		Online:             status.Online,
-		ViewerCount:        status.ViewerCount,
-		LastConnectTime:    status.LastConnectTime,
+		Online: status.Online,
+		ViewerCount: status.ViewerCount,
+		LastConnectTime: status.LastConnectTime,
 		LastDisconnectTime: status.LastDisconnectTime,
-		VersionNumber:      status.VersionNumber,
-		StreamTitle:        status.StreamTitle,
+		VersionNumber: status.VersionNumber,
+		StreamTitle: status.StreamTitle,
 	}
 
 	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
 	if err := json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(response); err != nil {
 		InternalErrorHandler(w, err)
 	}
-
-	// Mark the user who requested this status as an active viewer
-	id := utils.GenerateClientIDFromRequest(r)
-	core.SetViewerIdActive(id)
 }
 
 type webStatusResponse struct {
-	Online      bool `json:"online"`
-	ViewerCount int  `json:"viewerCount"`
+	Online                bool `json:"online"`
+	ViewerCount           int  `json:"viewerCount"`
 
 	LastConnectTime    utils.NullTime `json:"lastConnectTime"`
 	LastDisconnectTime utils.NullTime `json:"lastDisconnectTime"`
 
 	VersionNumber string `json:"versionNumber"`
 	StreamTitle   string `json:"streamTitle"`
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/router/router.go b/router/router.go
index 3c0fe6712..e13052245 100644
--- a/router/router.go
+++ b/router/router.go
@@ -62,6 +62,9 @@ func Start() error {
 	// return the list of video variants available
 	http.HandleFunc("/api/video/variants", controllers.GetVideoStreamOutputVariants)
 
+	// tell the backend you're an active viewer
+	http.HandleFunc("/api/ping", controllers.Ping)
+
 	// Authenticated admin requests
 
 	// Current inbound broadcaster