diff --git a/.env.deploy.example b/.env.deploy.example
index d29e0a5..064bbbb 100644
--- a/.env.deploy.example
+++ b/.env.deploy.example
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN=replace-with-your-discord-bot-token
 DISCORD_CHANNEL_ID=1504278732070981683
+DISCORD_GATEWAY_ENABLED=true
 ARCHIVE_STATUS_CONFIG=services.json
 ARCHIVE_STATUS_STATE=state/status-message.json
 CHECK_INTERVAL_SECONDS=60
diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index c351831..025ab7d 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN=replace-with-your-discord-bot-token
 DISCORD_CHANNEL_ID=1504278732070981683
+DISCORD_GATEWAY_ENABLED=true
 ARCHIVE_STATUS_CONFIG=services.json
 ARCHIVE_STATUS_STATE=state/status-message.json
 CHECK_INTERVAL_SECONDS=60
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index a53a2d4..8777d1c 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -2,10 +2,12 @@ FROM python:3.12-alpine
 
 WORKDIR /app
 
+COPY requirements.txt /app/requirements.txt
 COPY --chown=1001:1001 status_bot.py /app/status_bot.py
 COPY --chown=1001:1001 dashboard.html /app/dashboard.html
 COPY --chown=1001:1001 services.example.json /app/services.json
 
+RUN pip install --no-cache-dir -r /app/requirements.txt
 RUN adduser -D -u 1001 -g "" -h /app archive-status
 
 CMD ["python", "/app/status_bot.py"]
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 068a1c9..44a1d41 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ cp services.example.json services.json
 Edit `.env` and set:
 
 - `DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN`
+- `DISCORD_GATEWAY_ENABLED=true`
 - `DASHBOARD_USERNAME`
 - `DASHBOARD_PASSWORD_HASH`
 
@@ -59,6 +60,8 @@ Dashboard auth includes:
 - CSRF token required for write actions
 - basic failed-login throttling
 
+The bot keeps a Gateway connection open so Discord shows it as online even when no status refresh is happening.
+
 Edit `services.json` with the URLs you want displayed. Keep private/internal URLs out of Git if they should not be shared.
 
 Preview the Discord embed payload:
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b3c356c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+discord.py>=2.4,<3
diff --git a/status_bot.py b/status_bot.py
index 638502d..331cbd8 100644
--- a/status_bot.py
+++ b/status_bot.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import base64
+import asyncio
 import hashlib
 import hmac
 import json
@@ -160,6 +161,75 @@ class BotRuntime:
         self.last_checked_at: datetime | None = None
 
 
+class DiscordGatewayManager:
+    def __init__(self, token: str) -> None:
+        self.token = token
+        self.thread: threading.Thread | None = None
+        self.loop: asyncio.AbstractEventLoop | None = None
+        self.client: Any = None
+        self.ready = threading.Event()
+        self._disconnecting = threading.Event()
+
+    def start(self) -> None:
+        if self.thread is not None:
+            return
+        self.thread = threading.Thread(target=self._run, name="discord-gateway", daemon=True)
+        self.thread.start()
+
+    def stop(self) -> None:
+        self._disconnecting.set()
+        if self.loop is not None and self.client is not None:
+            asyncio.run_coroutine_threadsafe(self.client.close(), self.loop)
+        if self.thread is not None:
+            self.thread.join(timeout=15)
+
+    def _run(self) -> None:
+        try:
+            import discord
+        except ImportError:
+            print("discord.py is not installed. Install requirements.txt to keep the bot online.", file=sys.stderr, flush=True)
+            self.ready.set()
+            return
+
+        class GatewayClient(discord.Client):
+            def __init__(self, manager: DiscordGatewayManager) -> None:
+                intents = discord.Intents.default()
+                intents.guilds = True
+                super().__init__(intents=intents)
+                self.manager = manager
+
+            async def on_ready(self) -> None:
+                await self.change_presence(status=discord.Status.online)
+                user = self.user
+                name = user.name if user is not None else "unknown"
+                bot_id = user.id if user is not None else "unknown"
+                print(f"Discord gateway connected as {name} ({bot_id})", flush=True)
+                self.manager.ready.set()
+
+            async def on_disconnect(self) -> None:
+                self.manager.ready.clear()
+
+        self.loop = asyncio.new_event_loop()
+        asyncio.set_event_loop(self.loop)
+        self.client = GatewayClient(self)
+
+        try:
+            self.loop.run_until_complete(self.client.start(self.token))
+        except Exception as exc:
+            if not self._disconnecting.is_set():
+                print(f"Discord gateway stopped: {exc}", file=sys.stderr, flush=True)
+        finally:
+            self.ready.set()
+            try:
+                pending = asyncio.all_tasks(self.loop)
+                for task in pending:
+                    task.cancel()
+                if pending:
+                    self.loop.run_until_complete(asyncio.gather(*pending, return_exceptions=True))
+            finally:
+                self.loop.close()
+
+
 def env(name: str, default: str | None = None) -> str:
     value = os.getenv(name, default)
     if value is None or not value.strip():
@@ -894,6 +964,10 @@ def main() -> int:
     state_path = Path(env("ARCHIVE_STATUS_STATE", "state/status-message.json"))
     interval = int(env("CHECK_INTERVAL_SECONDS", str(DEFAULT_INTERVAL_SECONDS)))
     runtime = BotRuntime(token, channel_id, config_path, state_path, dry_run=bool_env("DISCORD_DRY_RUN", False))
+    gateway = None
+    if bool_env("DISCORD_GATEWAY_ENABLED", True) and not runtime.dry_run:
+        gateway = DiscordGatewayManager(token)
+        gateway.start()
     dashboard = maybe_start_dashboard(runtime)
 
     if runtime.dry_run:
@@ -933,6 +1007,8 @@ def main() -> int:
 
     if dashboard is not None:
         dashboard.shutdown()
+    if gateway is not None:
+        gateway.stop()
 
     return 0