diff --git a/bridgestate.go b/bridgestate.go
index fb1bd6c..8be71a5 100644
--- a/bridgestate.go
+++ b/bridgestate.go
@@ -29,14 +29,29 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/Rhymen/go-whatsapp"
+	log "maunium.net/go/maulogger/v2"
 
 	"maunium.net/go/mautrix/id"
 )
 
+type BridgeStateEvent string
+
+const (
+	StateStarting            BridgeStateEvent = "STARTING"
+	StateUnconfigured        BridgeStateEvent = "UNCONFIGURED"
+	StateConnecting          BridgeStateEvent = "CONNECTING"
+	StateBackfilling         BridgeStateEvent = "BACKFILLING"
+	StateConnected           BridgeStateEvent = "CONNECTED"
+	StateTransientDisconnect BridgeStateEvent = "TRANSIENT_DISCONNECT"
+	StateBadCredentials      BridgeStateEvent = "BAD_CREDENTIALS"
+	StateUnknownError        BridgeStateEvent = "UNKNOWN_ERROR"
+	StateLoggedOut           BridgeStateEvent = "LOGGED_OUT"
+)
+
 type BridgeErrorCode string
 
 const (
-	WANotLoggedIn   BridgeErrorCode = "logged-out"
+	WANotLoggedIn   BridgeErrorCode = "wa-logged-out"
 	WANotConnected  BridgeErrorCode = "wa-not-connected"
 	WAConnecting    BridgeErrorCode = "wa-connecting"
 	WATimeout       BridgeErrorCode = "wa-timeout"
@@ -56,36 +71,39 @@ var bridgeHumanErrors = map[BridgeErrorCode]string{
 }
 
 type BridgeState struct {
-	OK        bool  `json:"ok"`
-	Timestamp int64 `json:"timestamp"`
-	TTL       int   `json:"ttl"`
+	StateEvent BridgeStateEvent `json:"state_event"`
+	Timestamp  int64            `json:"timestamp"`
+	TTL        int              `json:"ttl"`
 
 	ErrorSource string          `json:"error_source,omitempty"`
 	Error       BridgeErrorCode `json:"error,omitempty"`
 	Message     string          `json:"message,omitempty"`
 
-	UserID     id.UserID `json:"user_id"`
-	RemoteID   string    `json:"remote_id"`
-	RemoteName string    `json:"remote_name"`
+	UserID     id.UserID `json:"user_id,omitempty"`
+	RemoteID   string    `json:"remote_id,omitempty"`
+	RemoteName string    `json:"remote_name,omitempty"`
 }
 
-func (pong *BridgeState) fill(user *User) {
-	pong.UserID = user.MXID
-	pong.RemoteID = strings.TrimSuffix(user.JID, whatsapp.NewUserSuffix)
-	pong.RemoteName = fmt.Sprintf("+%s", pong.RemoteID)
+func (pong BridgeState) fill(user *User) BridgeState {
+	if user != nil {
+		pong.UserID = user.MXID
+		pong.RemoteID = strings.TrimSuffix(user.JID, whatsapp.NewUserSuffix)
+		pong.RemoteName = fmt.Sprintf("+%s", pong.RemoteID)
+	}
 
 	pong.Timestamp = time.Now().Unix()
-	if !pong.OK {
+	if len(pong.Error) > 0 {
 		pong.TTL = 60
 		pong.ErrorSource = "bridge"
 		pong.Message = bridgeHumanErrors[pong.Error]
 	} else {
 		pong.TTL = 240
 	}
+	return pong
 }
 
 func (pong *BridgeState) shouldDeduplicate(newPong *BridgeState) bool {
-	if pong == nil || pong.OK != newPong.OK || pong.Error != newPong.Error {
+	if pong == nil || pong.StateEvent != newPong.StateEvent || pong.Error != newPong.Error {
 		return false
 	}
 	return pong.Timestamp+int64(pong.TTL/5) > time.Now().Unix()
@@ -97,73 +115,92 @@ func (user *User) setupAdminTestHooks() {
 	}
 	user.Conn.AdminTestHook = func(err error) {
 		if errors.Is(err, whatsapp.ErrConnectionTimeout) {
-			user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{Error: WATimeout})
+			user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{StateEvent: StateTransientDisconnect, Error: WATimeout})
 		} else if errors.Is(err, whatsapp.ErrWebsocketKeepaliveFailed) {
-			user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{Error: WAServerTimeout})
+			user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{StateEvent: StateTransientDisconnect, Error: WAServerTimeout})
 		} else if errors.Is(err, whatsapp.ErrPingFalse) {
-			user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{Error: WAPingFalse})
+			user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{StateEvent: StateTransientDisconnect, Error: WAPingFalse})
 		} else if err == nil {
-			user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{OK: true})
+			user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{StateEvent: StateConnected})
 		} else {
-			user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{Error: WAPingError})
+			user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{StateEvent: StateTransientDisconnect, Error: WAPingError})
 		}
 	}
 	user.Conn.CountTimeoutHook = func(wsKeepaliveErrorCount int) {
 		if wsKeepaliveErrorCount > 0 {
-			user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{Error: WAServerTimeout})
+			user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{StateEvent: StateTransientDisconnect, Error: WAServerTimeout})
 		} else {
-			user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{Error: WATimeout})
+			user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{StateEvent: StateTransientDisconnect, Error: WATimeout})
 		}
 	}
 }
 
-func (user *User) createBridgeStateRequest(ctx context.Context, state *BridgeState) (req *http.Request, err error) {
+func (bridge *Bridge) createBridgeStateRequest(ctx context.Context, state *BridgeState) (req *http.Request, err error) {
 	var body bytes.Buffer
 	if err = json.NewEncoder(&body).Encode(&state); err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to encode bridge state JSON: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	req, err = http.NewRequestWithContext(ctx, http.MethodPost, user.bridge.Config.Homeserver.StatusEndpoint, &body)
+	req, err = http.NewRequestWithContext(ctx, http.MethodPost, bridge.Config.Homeserver.StatusEndpoint, &body)
 	if err != nil {
 		return
 	}
 
-	req.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer "+user.bridge.Config.AppService.ASToken)
+	req.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer "+bridge.Config.AppService.ASToken)
 	req.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
 	return
 }
 
+func sendPreparedBridgeStateRequest(logger log.Logger, req *http.Request) bool {
+	resp, err := http.DefaultClient.Do(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		logger.Warnln("Failed to send bridge state update:", err)
+		return false
+	}
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
+	if resp.StatusCode < 200 || resp.StatusCode > 299 {
+		respBody, _ := ioutil.ReadAll(resp.Body)
+		if respBody != nil {
+			respBody = bytes.ReplaceAll(respBody, []byte("\n"), []byte("\\n"))
+		}
+		logger.Warnfln("Unexpected status code %d sending bridge state update: %s", resp.StatusCode, respBody)
+		return false
+	}
+	return true
+}
+
+func (bridge *Bridge) sendGlobalBridgeState(state BridgeState) {
+	if len(bridge.Config.Homeserver.StatusEndpoint) == 0 {
+		return
+	}
+
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 30*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+	if req, err := bridge.createBridgeStateRequest(ctx, &state); err != nil {
+		bridge.Log.Warnln("Failed to prepare global bridge state update request:", err)
+	} else if ok := sendPreparedBridgeStateRequest(bridge.Log, req); ok {
+		bridge.Log.Debugfln("Sent new global bridge state %+v", state)
+	}
+}
+
 func (user *User) sendBridgeState(state BridgeState) {
 	if len(user.bridge.Config.Homeserver.StatusEndpoint) == 0 {
 		return
 	}
 
-	state.fill(user)
+	state = state.fill(user)
 	if user.prevBridgeStatus != nil && user.prevBridgeStatus.shouldDeduplicate(&state) {
 		return
 	}
 
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 30*time.Second)
 	defer cancel()
-
-	var resp *http.Response
-	if req, err := user.createBridgeStateRequest(ctx, &state); err != nil {
+	if req, err := user.bridge.createBridgeStateRequest(ctx, &state); err != nil {
 		user.log.Warnln("Failed to prepare bridge state update request:", err)
-	} else if resp, err = http.DefaultClient.Do(req); err != nil {
-		user.log.Warnln("Failed to send bridge state update:", err)
-	} else if resp.StatusCode < 200 || resp.StatusCode > 299 {
-		respBody, _ := ioutil.ReadAll(resp.Body)
-		if respBody != nil {
-			respBody = bytes.ReplaceAll(respBody, []byte("\n"), []byte("\\n"))
-		}
-		user.log.Warnfln("Unexpected status code %d sending bridge state update: %s", resp.StatusCode, respBody)
-	} else {
+	} else if ok := sendPreparedBridgeStateRequest(user.log, req); ok {
 		user.prevBridgeStatus = &state
 		user.log.Debugfln("Sent new bridge state %+v", state)
 	}
-	if resp != nil && resp.Body != nil {
-		_ = resp.Body.Close()
-	}
 }
 
 var bridgeStatePingID uint32 = 0
@@ -176,6 +213,7 @@ func (prov *ProvisioningAPI) BridgeStatePing(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Requ
 	user := prov.bridge.GetUserByMXID(id.UserID(userID))
 	var resp BridgeState
 	if user.Conn == nil {
+		resp.StateEvent = StateBadCredentials
 		if user.Session == nil {
 			resp.Error = WANotLoggedIn
 		} else {
@@ -192,28 +230,32 @@ func (prov *ProvisioningAPI) BridgeStatePing(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Requ
 				return
 			}
 			user.log.Debugfln("Ping %d response: %v", pingID, err)
+			resp.StateEvent = StateTransientDisconnect
 			if err == whatsapp.ErrPingFalse {
 				user.log.Debugln("Forwarding ping false error from provisioning API to HandleError")
 				go user.HandleError(err)
 				resp.Error = WAPingFalse
 			} else if errors.Is(err, whatsapp.ErrConnectionTimeout) {
 				resp.Error = WATimeout
-			}else if errors.Is(err, whatsapp.ErrWebsocketKeepaliveFailed) {
+			} else if errors.Is(err, whatsapp.ErrWebsocketKeepaliveFailed) {
 				resp.Error = WAServerTimeout
 			} else if err != nil {
 				resp.Error = WAPingError
 			} else {
-				resp.OK = true
+				resp.StateEvent = StateConnected
 			}
 		} else if user.Conn.IsLoginInProgress() {
+			resp.StateEvent = StateConnecting
 			resp.Error = WAConnecting
 		} else if user.Conn.IsConnected() {
+			resp.StateEvent = StateBadCredentials
 			resp.Error = WANotLoggedIn
 		} else {
+			resp.StateEvent = StateBadCredentials
 			resp.Error = WANotConnected
 		}
 	}
-	resp.fill(user)
+	resp = resp.fill(user)
 	user.log.Debugfln("Responding bridge state in bridge status endpoint: %+v", resp)
 	jsonResponse(w, http.StatusOK, &resp)
 	user.prevBridgeStatus = &resp
diff --git a/commands.go b/commands.go
index 051fce9..ca96cfc 100644
--- a/commands.go
+++ b/commands.go
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ func (handler *CommandHandler) CommandLogout(ce *CommandEvent) {
 		ce.Reply("Unknown error while logging out: %v", err)
 		return
 	}
-	ce.User.removeFromJIDMap()
+	ce.User.removeFromJIDMap(StateLoggedOut)
 	// TODO this causes a foreign key violation, which should be fixed
 	//ce.User.JID = ""
 	ce.User.SetSession(nil)
@@ -473,7 +473,7 @@ func (handler *CommandHandler) CommandDeleteSession(ce *CommandEvent) {
 		return
 	}
 	//ce.User.JID = ""
-	ce.User.removeFromJIDMap()
+	ce.User.removeFromJIDMap(StateLoggedOut)
 	ce.User.SetSession(nil)
 	ce.User.DeleteConnection()
 	ce.Reply("Session information purged")
@@ -569,7 +569,7 @@ func (handler *CommandHandler) CommandDisconnect(ce *CommandEvent) {
 		return
 	}
 	ce.User.bridge.Metrics.TrackConnectionState(ce.User.JID, false)
-	ce.User.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{Error: WANotConnected})
+	ce.User.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{StateEvent: StateBadCredentials, Error: WANotConnected})
 	ce.Reply("Successfully disconnected. Use the `reconnect` command to reconnect.")
 }
 
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index bc17c6f..8ef95a7 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -283,12 +283,13 @@ func (bridge *Bridge) Start() {
 	bridge.Log.Debugln("Checking connection to homeserver")
 	bridge.ensureConnection()
 	if bridge.Crypto != nil {
-		err := bridge.Crypto.Init()
+		err = bridge.Crypto.Init()
 		if err != nil {
 			bridge.Log.Fatalln("Error initializing end-to-bridge encryption:", err)
 			os.Exit(19)
 		}
 	}
+	bridge.sendGlobalBridgeState(BridgeState{StateEvent: StateStarting}.fill(nil))
 	if bridge.Provisioning != nil {
 		bridge.Log.Debugln("Initializing provisioning API")
 		bridge.Provisioning.Init()
@@ -370,9 +371,16 @@ func (bridge *Bridge) UpdateBotProfile() {
 
 func (bridge *Bridge) StartUsers() {
 	bridge.Log.Debugln("Starting users")
+	foundAnySessions := false
 	for _, user := range bridge.GetAllUsers() {
+		if user.Session != nil {
+			foundAnySessions = true
+		}
 		go user.Connect(false)
 	}
+	if !foundAnySessions {
+		bridge.sendGlobalBridgeState(BridgeState{StateEvent: StateUnconfigured}.fill(nil))
+	}
 	bridge.Log.Debugln("Starting custom puppets")
 	for _, loopuppet := range bridge.GetAllPuppetsWithCustomMXID() {
 		go func(puppet *Puppet) {
diff --git a/provisioning.go b/provisioning.go
index 25a8d35..30b6b31 100644
--- a/provisioning.go
+++ b/provisioning.go
@@ -337,7 +337,7 @@ func (prov *ProvisioningAPI) Logout(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	}
 
 	user.bridge.Metrics.TrackConnectionState(user.JID, false)
-	user.removeFromJIDMap()
+	user.removeFromJIDMap(StateLoggedOut)
 
 	// TODO this causes a foreign key violation, which should be fixed
 	//ce.User.JID = ""
diff --git a/user.go b/user.go
index 84f08be..e13cbb7 100644
--- a/user.go
+++ b/user.go
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ func (user *User) addToJIDMap() {
 	user.bridge.usersLock.Unlock()
 }
 
-func (user *User) removeFromJIDMap() {
+func (user *User) removeFromJIDMap(state BridgeStateEvent) {
 	user.bridge.usersLock.Lock()
 	jidUser, ok := user.bridge.usersByJID[user.JID]
 	if ok && user == jidUser {
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ func (user *User) removeFromJIDMap() {
 	}
 	user.bridge.usersLock.Unlock()
 	user.bridge.Metrics.TrackLoginState(user.JID, false)
-	user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{Error: WANotLoggedIn})
+	user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{StateEvent: state, Error: WANotLoggedIn})
 }
 
 func (bridge *Bridge) GetAllUsers() []*User {
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ func (user *User) Connect(evenIfNoSession bool) bool {
 	}
 	user.log.Debugln("Connecting to WhatsApp")
 	if user.Session != nil {
-		user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{Error: WAConnecting})
+		user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{StateEvent: StateConnecting, Error: WAConnecting})
 	}
 	timeout := time.Duration(user.bridge.Config.Bridge.ConnectionTimeout)
 	if timeout == 0 {
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ func (user *User) DeleteConnection() {
 	user.Conn.RemoveHandlers()
 	user.Conn = nil
 	user.bridge.Metrics.TrackConnectionState(user.JID, false)
-	user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{Error: WANotConnected})
+	user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{StateEvent: StateBadCredentials, Error: WANotConnected})
 	user.connLock.Unlock()
 }
 
@@ -306,13 +306,13 @@ func (user *User) RestoreSession() bool {
 			if errors.Is(err, whatsapp.ErrUnpaired) {
 				user.sendMarkdownBridgeAlert("\u26a0 Failed to connect to WhatsApp: unpaired from phone. " +
 					"To re-pair your phone, log in again.")
-				user.removeFromJIDMap()
+				user.removeFromJIDMap(StateBadCredentials)
 				//user.JID = ""
 				user.SetSession(nil)
 				user.DeleteConnection()
 				return false
 			} else {
-				user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{Error: WANotConnected})
+				user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{StateEvent: StateBadCredentials, Error: WANotConnected})
 				user.sendMarkdownBridgeAlert("\u26a0 Failed to connect to WhatsApp. Make sure WhatsApp " +
 					"on your phone is reachable and use `reconnect` to try connecting again.")
 			}
@@ -462,7 +462,7 @@ func (cl ChatList) Swap(i, j int) {
 }
 
 func (user *User) PostLogin() {
-	user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{OK: true})
+	user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{StateEvent: StateBackfilling})
 	user.bridge.Metrics.TrackConnectionState(user.JID, true)
 	user.bridge.Metrics.TrackLoginState(user.JID, true)
 	user.bridge.Metrics.TrackBufferLength(user.MXID, len(user.messageOutput))
@@ -539,7 +539,7 @@ func (user *User) postConnPing() bool {
 	if disconnectErr != nil {
 		user.log.Warnln("Error while disconnecting after failed post-connection ping:", disconnectErr)
 	}
-	user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{Error: WANotConnected})
+	user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{StateEvent: StateBadCredentials, Error: WANotConnected})
 	user.bridge.Metrics.TrackDisconnection(user.MXID)
 	go func() {
 		time.Sleep(1 * time.Second)
@@ -578,6 +578,7 @@ func (user *User) intPostLogin() {
 	case <-time.After(time.Duration(user.bridge.Config.Bridge.PortalSyncWait) * time.Second):
 		user.log.Warnln("Timed out waiting for portal sync to complete! Unlocking processing of incoming messages.")
 	}
+	user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{StateEvent: StateConnected})
 }
 
 type NormalMessage interface {
@@ -979,7 +980,7 @@ func (user *User) HandleError(err error) {
 		if closed.Code == 1000 && user.cleanDisconnection {
 			user.cleanDisconnection = false
 			if !user.bridge.Config.Bridge.AggressiveReconnect {
-				user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{Error: WANotConnected})
+				user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{StateEvent: StateBadCredentials, Error: WANotConnected})
 				user.bridge.Metrics.TrackConnectionState(user.JID, false)
 				user.log.Infoln("Clean disconnection by server")
 				return
@@ -1012,7 +1013,7 @@ func (user *User) tryReconnect(msg string) {
 	user.bridge.Metrics.TrackConnectionState(user.JID, false)
 	if user.ConnectionErrors > user.bridge.Config.Bridge.MaxConnectionAttempts {
 		user.sendMarkdownBridgeAlert("%s. Use the `reconnect` command to reconnect.", msg)
-		user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{Error: WANotConnected})
+		user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{StateEvent: StateBadCredentials, Error: WANotConnected})
 		return
 	}
 	if user.bridge.Config.Bridge.ReportConnectionRetry {
@@ -1038,7 +1039,7 @@ func (user *User) tryReconnect(msg string) {
 			return
 		default:
 		}
-		user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{Error: WAConnecting})
+		user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{StateEvent: StateConnecting, Error: WAConnecting})
 		err := user.Conn.Restore(true, ctx)
 		if err == nil {
 			user.ConnectionErrors = 0
@@ -1055,13 +1056,12 @@ func (user *User) tryReconnect(msg string) {
 			}
 		} else if errors.Is(err, whatsapp.ErrUnpaired) {
 			user.log.Errorln("Got init 401 (unpaired) error when trying to reconnect, not retrying")
-			user.removeFromJIDMap()
+			user.removeFromJIDMap(StateBadCredentials)
 			//user.JID = ""
 			user.SetSession(nil)
 			user.DeleteConnection()
 			user.sendMarkdownBridgeAlert("\u26a0 Failed to reconnect to WhatsApp: unpaired from phone. " +
 				"To re-pair your phone, log in again.")
-			user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{Error: WANotLoggedIn})
 			return
 		} else if errors.Is(err, whatsapp.ErrAlreadyLoggedIn) {
 			user.log.Warnln("Reconnection said we're already logged in, not trying anymore")
@@ -1082,7 +1082,7 @@ func (user *User) tryReconnect(msg string) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{Error: WANotConnected})
+	user.sendBridgeState(BridgeState{StateEvent: StateBadCredentials, Error: WANotConnected})
 	if user.bridge.Config.Bridge.ReportConnectionRetry {
 		user.sendMarkdownBridgeAlert("%d reconnection attempts failed. Use the `reconnect` command to try to reconnect manually.", tries)
 	} else {