diff --git a/completions/bash/swaymsg b/completions/bash/swaymsg
index e4b2c1b75..20092bdc4 100644
--- a/completions/bash/swaymsg
+++ b/completions/bash/swaymsg
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ _swaymsg()
     'get_version'
     'get_binding_modes'
     'get_config'
+    'send_tick'
   )
 
   short=(
diff --git a/completions/zsh/_swaymsg b/completions/zsh/_swaymsg
index 28de474dc..a7a1c8e0d 100644
--- a/completions/zsh/_swaymsg
+++ b/completions/zsh/_swaymsg
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ types=(
 'get_version'
 'get_binding_modes'
 'get_config'
+'send_tick'
 )
 
 _arguments -s \
diff --git a/include/ipc.h b/include/ipc.h
index ffc57d1be..2138d3fa4 100644
--- a/include/ipc.h
+++ b/include/ipc.h
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ enum ipc_command_type {
 	IPC_GET_VERSION = 7,
 	IPC_GET_BINDING_MODES = 8,
 	IPC_GET_CONFIG = 9,
+	IPC_SEND_TICK = 10,
 
 	// sway-specific command types
 	IPC_GET_INPUTS = 100,
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ enum ipc_command_type {
 	IPC_EVENT_BARCONFIG_UPDATE = ((1<<31) | 4),
 	IPC_EVENT_BINDING = ((1<<31) | 5),
 	IPC_EVENT_SHUTDOWN = ((1<<31) | 6),
+	IPC_EVENT_TICK = ((1<<31) | 7),
 	IPC_EVENT_MODIFIER = ((1<<31) | 16),
 	IPC_EVENT_INPUT = ((1<<31) | 17),
 };
diff --git a/sway/ipc-server.c b/sway/ipc-server.c
index dc6b353ba..636335670 100644
--- a/sway/ipc-server.c
+++ b/sway/ipc-server.c
@@ -441,6 +441,21 @@ void ipc_event_binding(struct sway_binding *binding) {
 	json_object_put(json);
 }
 
+static void ipc_event_tick(const char *payload) {
+	if (!ipc_has_event_listeners(IPC_EVENT_TICK)) {
+		return;
+	}
+	wlr_log(WLR_DEBUG, "Sending tick event");
+
+	json_object *json = json_object_new_object();
+	json_object_object_add(json, "first", json_object_new_boolean(false));
+	json_object_object_add(json, "payload", json_object_new_string(payload));
+
+	const char *json_string = json_object_to_json_string(json);
+	ipc_send_event(json_string, IPC_EVENT_TICK);
+	json_object_put(json);
+}
+
 int ipc_client_handle_writable(int client_fd, uint32_t mask, void *data) {
 	struct ipc_client *client = data;
 
@@ -582,6 +597,13 @@ void ipc_client_handle_command(struct ipc_client *client) {
 		goto exit_cleanup;
 	}
 
+	case IPC_SEND_TICK:
+	{
+		ipc_event_tick(buf);
+		ipc_send_reply(client, "{\"success\": true}", 17);
+		goto exit_cleanup;
+	}
+
 	case IPC_GET_OUTPUTS:
 	{
 		json_object *outputs = json_object_new_array();
@@ -628,6 +650,7 @@ void ipc_client_handle_command(struct ipc_client *client) {
 			goto exit_cleanup;
 		}
 
+		bool is_tick = false;
 		// parse requested event types
 		for (size_t i = 0; i < json_object_array_length(request); i++) {
 			const char *event_type = json_object_get_string(json_object_array_get_idx(request, i));
@@ -645,6 +668,9 @@ void ipc_client_handle_command(struct ipc_client *client) {
 				client->subscribed_events |= event_mask(IPC_EVENT_MODIFIER);
 			} else if (strcmp(event_type, "binding") == 0) {
 				client->subscribed_events |= event_mask(IPC_EVENT_BINDING);
+			} else if (strcmp(event_type, "tick") == 0) {
+				client->subscribed_events |= event_mask(IPC_EVENT_TICK);
+				is_tick = true;
 			} else {
 				client_valid =
 					ipc_send_reply(client, "{\"success\": false}", 18);
@@ -656,6 +682,10 @@ void ipc_client_handle_command(struct ipc_client *client) {
 
 		json_object_put(request);
 		client_valid = ipc_send_reply(client, "{\"success\": true}", 17);
+		if (is_tick) {
+			client->current_command = IPC_EVENT_TICK;
+			ipc_send_reply(client, "{\"first\": true, \"payload\": \"\"}", 30);
+		}
 		goto exit_cleanup;
 	}
 
diff --git a/swaymsg/main.c b/swaymsg/main.c
index c4141ca57..3767daf32 100644
--- a/swaymsg/main.c
+++ b/swaymsg/main.c
@@ -250,12 +250,16 @@ static void pretty_print(int type, json_object *resp) {
 	if (type != IPC_COMMAND && type != IPC_GET_WORKSPACES &&
 			type != IPC_GET_INPUTS && type != IPC_GET_OUTPUTS &&
 			type != IPC_GET_VERSION && type != IPC_GET_SEATS &&
-			type != IPC_GET_CONFIG) {
+			type != IPC_GET_CONFIG && type != IPC_SEND_TICK) {
 		printf("%s\n", json_object_to_json_string_ext(resp,
 			JSON_C_TO_STRING_PRETTY | JSON_C_TO_STRING_SPACED));
 		return;
 	}
 
+	if (type == IPC_SEND_TICK) {
+		return;
+	}
+
 	if (type == IPC_GET_VERSION) {
 		pretty_print_version(resp);
 		return;
@@ -384,6 +388,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 		type = IPC_GET_BINDING_MODES;
 	} else if (strcasecmp(cmdtype, "get_config") == 0) {
 		type = IPC_GET_CONFIG;
+	} else if (strcasecmp(cmdtype, "send_tick") == 0) {
+		type = IPC_SEND_TICK;
 	} else {
 		sway_abort("Unknown message type %s", cmdtype);
 	}
diff --git a/swaymsg/swaymsg.1.scd b/swaymsg/swaymsg.1.scd
index a6e279da9..8cf1b2228 100644
--- a/swaymsg/swaymsg.1.scd
+++ b/swaymsg/swaymsg.1.scd
@@ -64,3 +64,6 @@ _swaymsg_ [options...] [message]
 
 *get\_config*
 	Gets a JSON-encoded copy of the current configuration.
+
+*send\_tick*
+	Sends a tick event to all subscribed clients.