diff --git a/lib/jabber.php b/lib/jabber.php
index 97d02544d6..2a557bfbe5 100644
--- a/lib/jabber.php
+++ b/lib/jabber.php
@@ -44,9 +44,9 @@ function jabber_connect($resource=NULL) {
 					     common_config('xmpp', 'port'),
 					     common_config('xmpp', 'user'),
 					     common_config('xmpp', 'password'),
-				    	 ($resource) ? $resource : 
+				    	 ($resource) ? $resource :
 				        	common_config('xmpp', 'resource'));
-				        
+
 		if (!$conn) {
 			return false;
 		}
@@ -79,29 +79,34 @@ function jabber_send_presence($status=Null, $show='available', $to=Null) {
 
 function jabber_confirm_address($code, $nickname, $address) {
 
-	# FIXME: do we have to request presence first?
-	
-	$body = "Hey, $nickname.";
-	$body .= "\n\n";
-	$body .= 'Someone just entered this IM address on ';
-	$body .= common_config('site', 'name') . '.';
-	$body .= "\n\n";
-	$body .= 'If it was you, and you want to confirm your entry, ';
-	$body .= 'use the URL below:';
-	$body .= "\n\n";
-	$body .= "\t".common_local_url('confirmaddress',
-								   array('code' => $code));
-	$body .= "\n\n";
-	$body .= 'If not, just ignore this message.';
-	$body .= "\n\n";
-	$body .= 'Thanks for your time, ';
-	$body .= "\n";
-	$body .= common_config('site', 'name');
-	$body .= "\n";
+	# FIXME: above arguments are unused, we start the process with a
+	# subscription
+	# XXX: no idea what we do if the update daemon is already subscribed.
+
+	jabber_special_presence('subscribe', $address);
 
-	jabber_send_message($address, $body);
 }
-	
+
+
+function jabber_special_presence($type, $to=NULL, $show=NULL, $status=NULL) {
+	$conn = jabber_connect();
+
+	$to = htmlspecialchars($to);
+	$status = htmlspecialchars($status);
+	$out = "<presence";
+	if($to) $out .= " to='$to'";
+	if($type) $out .= " type='$type'";
+	if($show == 'available' and !$status) {
+		$out .= "/>";
+	} else {
+		$out .= ">";
+		if($show && ($show != 'available')) $out .= "<show>$show</show>";
+		if($status) $out .= "<status>$status</status>";
+		$out .= "</presence>";
+	}
+	$conn->send($out);
+}
+
 function jabber_broadcast_notice($notice) {
 	# First, get users subscribed to this profile
 	# XXX: use a join here rather than looping through results
diff --git a/xmppdaemon.php b/xmppdaemon.php
index b71c93dc81..0906a869aa 100644
--- a/xmppdaemon.php
+++ b/xmppdaemon.php
@@ -155,13 +155,35 @@ class XMPPDaemon {
 
 	function handle_presence(&$pl) {
 		$from = jabber_normalize_jid($pl['from']);
-		$user = User::staticGet('jabber', $from);
-		if (!$user) {
-			$this->log(LOG_WARNING, 'Message from unknown user ' . $from);
-			return;
-		}
-		if ($user->updatefrompresence) {
-			$this->add_notice($user, $pl);
+		switch ($pl['type']) {
+			case 'subscribe':
+			    # We let anyone subscribe
+				$this->subscribed($from);
+				break;
+			case 'subscribed':
+			    # Are we trying to confirm this address?
+                $confirm = Confirm_address::staticGet('address', $from);
+                if ($confirm) {
+					$this->send_confirmation_code($from, $confirm);
+				}
+				# Otherwise, silently ignore
+				break;
+			case 'unsubscribe':
+			case 'unsubscribed':
+				# XXX: do we care?
+				break;
+			default:
+				if (!$pl['type']) {
+					$user = User::staticGet('jabber', $from);
+					if (!$user) {
+						$this->log(LOG_WARNING, 'Message from unknown user ' . $from);
+						return;
+					}
+					if ($user->updatefrompresence) {
+						$this->add_notice($user, $pl);
+					}
+				}
+				break;
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -172,6 +194,39 @@ class XMPPDaemon {
 	function log($level, $msg) {
 		common_log($level, 'XMPPDaemon('.$this->resource.'): '.$msg);
 	}
+
+	function subscribed($to) {
+		$this->special_presence('subscribed', $to);
+	}
+
+	function special_presence($type, $to=NULL, $show=NULL, $status=NULL) {
+		$to = htmlspecialchars($to);
+		$status = htmlspecialchars($status);
+		$out = "<presence";
+		if($to) $out .= " to='$to'";
+		if($type) $out .= " type='$type'";
+		if($show == 'available' and !$status) {
+			$out .= "/>";
+		} else {
+			$out .= ">";
+			if($show && ($show != 'available')) $out .= "<show>$show</show>";
+			if($status) $out .= "<status>$status</status>";
+			$out .= "</presence>";
+		}
+		$this->conn->send($out);
+	}
+
+	function send_confirmation_code($to, &$confirm) {
+		$body = 'Someone has asked to add this Jabber ID to their ' .
+		        'account on ' . common_config('site', 'name') . '. ' .
+		        'If it was you, you can confirm by clicking on this URL: ' .
+		        common_local_url('confirmaddress', array('code' => $confirm->code)) .
+		        ' . (If you cannot click it, copy-and-paste it into the ' .
+		        'address bar of your browser). If it wasn\'t you, ' .
+		        'just ignore this message.';
+
+		$this->conn->message($to, $body);
+	}
 }
 
 $daemon = new XMPPDaemon();