diff --git a/src/chat_session.c b/src/chat_session.c
index 2031dcd4..a0649b76 100644
--- a/src/chat_session.c
+++ b/src/chat_session.c
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include "chat_session.h"
 #include "log.h"
 
+#define PAUSED_TIMOUT 10.0
 #define INACTIVE_TIMOUT 120.0
 #define GONE_TIMOUT 600.0
 
@@ -38,6 +39,8 @@ static void _chat_session_free(ChatSession session);
 typedef enum {
     CHAT_STATE_STARTED,
     CHAT_STATE_ACTIVE,
+    CHAT_STATE_PAUSED,
+    CHAT_STATE_COMPOSING,
     CHAT_STATE_INACTIVE,
     CHAT_STATE_GONE
 } chat_state_t;
@@ -85,14 +88,17 @@ chat_session_start(const char * const recipient, gboolean recipient_supports)
 }
 
 void
-chat_session_set_active(const char * const recipient)
+chat_session_set_composing(const char * const recipient)
 {
     ChatSession session = g_hash_table_lookup(sessions, recipient);
 
     if (session == NULL) {
         log_error("No chat session found for %s.", recipient);
     } else {
-        session->state = CHAT_STATE_ACTIVE;
+        if (session->state != CHAT_STATE_COMPOSING) {
+            session->sent = FALSE;
+        }
+        session->state = CHAT_STATE_COMPOSING;
         g_timer_start(session->active_timer);
     }
 }
@@ -118,6 +124,11 @@ chat_session_no_activity(const char * const recipient)
                     session->sent = FALSE;
                 }
                 session->state = CHAT_STATE_INACTIVE;
+            } else if (elapsed > PAUSED_TIMOUT) {
+                if (session->state != CHAT_STATE_PAUSED) {
+                    session->sent = FALSE;
+                }
+                session->state = CHAT_STATE_PAUSED;
             }
         }
     }
@@ -167,6 +178,32 @@ chat_session_inactive(const char * const recipient)
     }
 }
 
+void
+chat_session_set_active(const char * const recipient)
+{
+    ChatSession session = g_hash_table_lookup(sessions, recipient);
+
+    if (session == NULL) {
+        log_error("No chat session found for %s.", recipient);
+    } else {
+        session->state = CHAT_STATE_ACTIVE;
+        session->sent = FALSE;
+    }
+}
+
+gboolean
+chat_session_paused(const char * const recipient)
+{
+    ChatSession session = g_hash_table_lookup(sessions, recipient);
+
+    if (session == NULL) {
+        log_error("No chat session found for %s.", recipient);
+        return FALSE;
+    } else {
+        return (session->state == CHAT_STATE_PAUSED);
+    }
+}
+
 gboolean
 chat_session_gone(const char * const recipient)
 {
diff --git a/src/chat_session.h b/src/chat_session.h
index 01a85e2f..34c1681b 100644
--- a/src/chat_session.h
+++ b/src/chat_session.h
@@ -37,9 +37,11 @@ gboolean chat_session_get_recipient_supports(const char * const recipient);
 void chat_session_set_recipient_supports(const char * const recipient,
     gboolean recipient_supports);
 
-void chat_session_set_active(const char * const recipient);
+void chat_session_set_composing(const char * const recipient);
 void chat_session_no_activity(const char * const recipient);
 gboolean chat_session_inactive(const char * const recipient);
+void chat_session_set_active(const char * const recipient);
+gboolean chat_session_paused(const char * const recipient);
 gboolean chat_session_gone(const char * const recipient);
 void chat_session_set_sent(const char * const recipient);
 gboolean chat_session_get_sent(const char * const recipient);
diff --git a/src/input_win.c b/src/input_win.c
index 050156f0..7defee6a 100644
--- a/src/input_win.c
+++ b/src/input_win.c
@@ -152,6 +152,9 @@ inp_get_char(int *ch, char *input, int *size)
                 } else if (chat_session_inactive(recipient) &&
                         !chat_session_get_sent(recipient)) {
                     jabber_send_inactive(recipient);
+                } else if (chat_session_paused(recipient) &&
+                        !chat_session_get_sent(recipient)) {
+                    jabber_send_paused(recipient);
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -160,7 +163,11 @@ inp_get_char(int *ch, char *input, int *size)
         if (*ch != ERR) {
             if (win_in_chat()) {
                 char *recipient = win_get_recipient();
-                chat_session_set_active(recipient);
+                chat_session_set_composing(recipient);
+                if (!chat_session_get_sent(recipient) ||
+                        chat_session_paused(recipient)) {
+                    jabber_send_composing(recipient);
+                }
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/jabber.c b/src/jabber.c
index 1a24be47..150f7c6f 100644
--- a/src/jabber.c
+++ b/src/jabber.c
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@ jabber_send(const char * const msg, const char * const recipient)
 
         // always send <active/> with messages when recipient supports chat states
         if (chat_session_get_recipient_supports(recipient)) {
+            chat_session_set_active(recipient);
             active = xmpp_stanza_new(jabber_conn.ctx);
             xmpp_stanza_set_name(active, "active");
             xmpp_stanza_set_ns(active, "http://jabber.org/protocol/chatstates");
@@ -202,6 +203,48 @@ jabber_send_inactive(const char * const recipient)
     chat_session_set_sent(recipient);
 }
 
+void
+jabber_send_composing(const char * const recipient)
+{
+    xmpp_stanza_t *message, *composing;
+
+    message = xmpp_stanza_new(jabber_conn.ctx);
+    xmpp_stanza_set_name(message, "message");
+    xmpp_stanza_set_type(message, "chat");
+    xmpp_stanza_set_attribute(message, "to", recipient);
+
+    composing = xmpp_stanza_new(jabber_conn.ctx);
+    xmpp_stanza_set_name(composing, "composing");
+    xmpp_stanza_set_ns(composing, "http://jabber.org/protocol/chatstates");
+    xmpp_stanza_add_child(message, composing);
+
+    xmpp_send(jabber_conn.conn, message);
+    xmpp_stanza_release(message);
+
+    chat_session_set_sent(recipient);
+}
+
+void
+jabber_send_paused(const char * const recipient)
+{
+    xmpp_stanza_t *message, *paused;
+
+    message = xmpp_stanza_new(jabber_conn.ctx);
+    xmpp_stanza_set_name(message, "message");
+    xmpp_stanza_set_type(message, "chat");
+    xmpp_stanza_set_attribute(message, "to", recipient);
+
+    paused = xmpp_stanza_new(jabber_conn.ctx);
+    xmpp_stanza_set_name(paused, "paused");
+    xmpp_stanza_set_ns(paused, "http://jabber.org/protocol/chatstates");
+    xmpp_stanza_add_child(message, paused);
+
+    xmpp_send(jabber_conn.conn, message);
+    xmpp_stanza_release(message);
+
+    chat_session_set_sent(recipient);
+}
+
 void
 jabber_send_gone(const char * const recipient)
 {
diff --git a/src/jabber.h b/src/jabber.h
index 773b3c68..3ae84610 100644
--- a/src/jabber.h
+++ b/src/jabber.h
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@ void jabber_process_events(void);
 void jabber_subscribe(const char * const recipient);
 void jabber_send(const char * const msg, const char * const recipient);
 void jabber_send_inactive(const char * const recipient);
+void jabber_send_composing(const char * const recipient);
+void jabber_send_paused(const char * const recipient);
 void jabber_send_gone(const char * const recipient);
 void jabber_update_presence(jabber_presence_t status, const char * const msg);
 const char * jabber_get_jid(void);