diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 1c7b125..33cce5a 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,13 @@
+devdesk (0.10.1) bookworm; urgency=medium
+
+  * Everything in 0.10.0, which was never published: its CI test for the
+    usage ping depended on attaching a tmux client.
+  * The usage ping counts you as away the same way "Claude needs you" does:
+    no DevDesk tab in view for ~2 minutes. A forgotten background tab no
+    longer silences it.
+
+ -- Jared Vititoe <jjvititoe1@gmail.com>  Mon, 12 Oct 2026 01:45:00 -0400
+
 devdesk (0.10.0) bookworm; urgency=medium
 
   * Matrix "Claude needs you" is quieter and says what is asked (#50):
@@ -13,7 +23,7 @@ devdesk (0.10.0) bookworm; urgency=medium
     worktree if it is clean, and the branch if it is merged.
   * Plan meters show when each window resets. If the pace so far would use
     a window up before then, they warn instead. Matrix gets one message per
-    5-hour window past DEVDESK_USAGE_WARN (90%) when you're away (#45).
+    5-hour window past DEVDESK_USAGE_WARN (90%) when no tab is in view (#45).
   * Repo panel lists the changed files; a click opens the diff (#46).
   * Copy Claude's last reply as Markdown: a session button and a palette
     entry, backed by `--last-reply` (#47).
diff --git a/etc/env b/etc/env
index 767bd17..5280454 100644
--- a/etc/env
+++ b/etc/env
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ DEVDESK_MATRIX_WEBHOOK_FILE=/etc/devdesk/matrix-webhook
 DEVDESK_MATRIX_DELAY=60
 DEVDESK_MATRIX_QUIET=600
 # DEVDESK_USAGE_WARN: post to the same room once per 5-hour window when plan usage
-# passes this percent while no browser tab or SSH client is attached (devdesk#45).
+# passes this percent while no DevDesk tab is in view (devdesk#45).
 DEVDESK_USAGE_WARN=90
 
 # 0 turns off the guard that makes Claude ask before destructive commands
diff --git a/libexec/devdesk-notify-matrix b/libexec/devdesk-notify-matrix
index 600a45d..086a364 100755
--- a/libexec/devdesk-notify-matrix
+++ b/libexec/devdesk-notify-matrix
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ post() {
 
 # devdesk-notify-matrix --usage PCT RESETS_AT (devdesk#45): started by the status
 # line when the 5-hour plan window passes DEVDESK_USAGE_WARN percent. Once per
-# window, and only when no client is attached to any session (you're away; a
-# browser tab shows its own warning).
+# window, and only when no DevDesk tab has been in view for ~2 minutes (presence
+# markers; you're away. A tab in view shows its own warning).
 if [ "${1:-}" = --usage ]; then
     pct=${2:-} resets=${3:-}
     [[ $pct =~ ^[0-9]+$ && $resets =~ ^[0-9]+$ ]] || exit 0
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ if [ "${1:-}" = --usage ]; then
     [ "$(cat "$marker" 2>/dev/null)" != "$resets" ] || exit 0
     printf '%s\n' "$resets" >"$marker"
     [ -r "$DEVDESK_MATRIX_WEBHOOK_FILE" ] || exit 0
-    [ -z "$(dd_tmux list-clients -F x 2>/dev/null)" ] || exit 0
+    [ -z "$(find "$DEVDESK_PRESENCE_DIR" -type f 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)" ] || exit 0
     at=$(date -d "@$resets" '+%H:%M %Z')
     post "$(jq -cMn --arg p "$pct" --arg at "$at" --arg h "$(hostname)" \
         '{kind: "usage", host: $h, text: "Claude plan usage is at \($p)% of the 5-hour window; it resets at \($at)."}')"
diff --git a/tests/attach.bats b/tests/attach.bats
index cf40351..54d7e39 100644
--- a/tests/attach.bats
+++ b/tests/attach.bats
@@ -1173,12 +1173,11 @@ JSONL
     sleep 0.5
     [ "$(posts)" -eq 1 ]
     [[ "$(jq -r .text "$TMP/posts")" == *"91% of the 5-hour window"* ]]
-    # next window, but a client is attached: no post, and that window is done
-    tmux -S "$DEVDESK_SOCKET" new-session -d -s watcher 'sleep 30'
-    script -qc "tmux -S '$DEVDESK_SOCKET' attach -t =alpha" /dev/null </dev/null >/dev/null 2>&1 &
-    for _ in $(seq 1 30); do [ -n "$(tmux -S "$DEVDESK_SOCKET" list-clients -F x)" ] && break; sleep 0.1; done
+    # next window, but a DevDesk tab is in view: no post, and that window is done
+    mkdir -p "$DEVDESK_PRESENCE_DIR" && touch "$DEVDESK_PRESENCE_DIR/1"
     sl 95 2000018000
-    sleep 1
+    for _ in $(seq 1 30); do [ "$(cat "$DEVDESK_STATE_DIR/usage-warned")" = 2000018000 ] && break; sleep 0.1; done
+    sleep 0.5
     [ "$(posts)" -eq 1 ]
     [ "$(cat "$DEVDESK_STATE_DIR/usage-warned")" = 2000018000 ]
 }