diff --git a/include/ipc.h b/include/ipc.h
index ff011750..9deafff4 100644
--- a/include/ipc.h
+++ b/include/ipc.h
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ enum ipc_command_type {
 	// sway-specific event types
 	IPC_EVENT_BAR_STATE_UPDATE = ((1<<31) | 20),
 	IPC_EVENT_INPUT = ((1<<31) | 21),
+	IPC_EVENT_IDLE_INHIBITOR = ((1<<31) | 22),
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/include/sway/desktop/idle_inhibit_v1.h b/include/sway/desktop/idle_inhibit_v1.h
index 84cc666d..04776245 100644
--- a/include/sway/desktop/idle_inhibit_v1.h
+++ b/include/sway/desktop/idle_inhibit_v1.h
@@ -39,6 +39,10 @@ struct sway_idle_inhibitor_v1 *sway_idle_inhibit_v1_user_inhibitor_for_view(
 struct sway_idle_inhibitor_v1 *sway_idle_inhibit_v1_application_inhibitor_for_view(
 		struct sway_view *view);
 
+void sway_idle_inhibit_v1_user_inhibitor_update_mode(
+		struct sway_idle_inhibitor_v1 *inhibitor,
+		enum sway_idle_inhibit_mode mode);
+
 void sway_idle_inhibit_v1_user_inhibitor_destroy(
 		struct sway_idle_inhibitor_v1 *inhibitor);
 
diff --git a/include/sway/ipc-json.h b/include/sway/ipc-json.h
index bc9f4985..66520350 100644
--- a/include/sway/ipc-json.h
+++ b/include/sway/ipc-json.h
@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@
 #include <json.h>
 #include "sway/output.h"
 #include "sway/tree/container.h"
+#include "sway/desktop/idle_inhibit_v1.h"
 #include "sway/input/input-manager.h"
+#include "sway/tree/container.h"
 
 json_object *ipc_json_get_version(void);
 
@@ -16,5 +18,7 @@ json_object *ipc_json_describe_node_recursive(struct sway_node *node);
 json_object *ipc_json_describe_input(struct sway_input_device *device);
 json_object *ipc_json_describe_seat(struct sway_seat *seat);
 json_object *ipc_json_describe_bar_config(struct bar_config *bar);
+json_object *ipc_json_describe_idle_inhibitor(
+		struct sway_idle_inhibitor_v1 *sway_inhibitor);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/include/sway/ipc-server.h b/include/sway/ipc-server.h
index d4c00942..8e5336f1 100644
--- a/include/sway/ipc-server.h
+++ b/include/sway/ipc-server.h
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #define _SWAY_IPC_SERVER_H
 #include <sys/socket.h>
 #include "sway/config.h"
+#include "sway/desktop/idle_inhibit_v1.h"
 #include "sway/input/input-manager.h"
 #include "sway/tree/container.h"
 #include "ipc.h"
@@ -22,5 +23,6 @@ void ipc_event_shutdown(const char *reason);
 void ipc_event_binding(struct sway_binding *binding);
 void ipc_event_input(const char *change, struct sway_input_device *device);
 void ipc_event_output(void);
+void ipc_event_idle_inhibitor(struct sway_idle_inhibitor_v1 *inhibitor, const char *change);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/sway/commands/inhibit_idle.c b/sway/commands/inhibit_idle.c
index 6125736a..23cdb7f8 100644
--- a/sway/commands/inhibit_idle.c
+++ b/sway/commands/inhibit_idle.c
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_inhibit_idle(int argc, char **argv) {
 		if (clear) {
 			sway_idle_inhibit_v1_user_inhibitor_destroy(inhibitor);
 		} else {
-			inhibitor->mode = mode;
+			sway_idle_inhibit_v1_user_inhibitor_update_mode(inhibitor, mode);
 			sway_idle_inhibit_v1_check_active();
 		}
 	} else if (!clear) {
diff --git a/sway/desktop/idle_inhibit_v1.c b/sway/desktop/idle_inhibit_v1.c
index f3af7aa1..2f2306fa 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/idle_inhibit_v1.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/idle_inhibit_v1.c
@@ -3,12 +3,14 @@
 #include "log.h"
 #include "sway/desktop/idle_inhibit_v1.h"
 #include "sway/input/seat.h"
+#include "sway/ipc-server.h"
 #include "sway/tree/container.h"
 #include "sway/tree/view.h"
 #include "sway/server.h"
 
 
 static void destroy_inhibitor(struct sway_idle_inhibitor_v1 *inhibitor) {
+	ipc_event_idle_inhibitor(inhibitor, "destroy");
 	wl_list_remove(&inhibitor->link);
 	wl_list_remove(&inhibitor->destroy.link);
 	sway_idle_inhibit_v1_check_active();
@@ -36,6 +38,9 @@ void handle_idle_inhibitor_v1(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 
 	inhibitor->mode = INHIBIT_IDLE_APPLICATION;
 	inhibitor->wlr_inhibitor = wlr_inhibitor;
+
+	ipc_event_idle_inhibitor(inhibitor, "create");
+
 	wl_list_insert(&manager->inhibitors, &inhibitor->link);
 
 	inhibitor->destroy.notify = handle_destroy;
@@ -56,6 +61,9 @@ void sway_idle_inhibit_v1_user_inhibitor_register(struct sway_view *view,
 
 	inhibitor->mode = mode;
 	inhibitor->view = view;
+
+	ipc_event_idle_inhibitor(inhibitor, "create");
+
 	wl_list_insert(&manager->inhibitors, &inhibitor->link);
 
 	inhibitor->destroy.notify = handle_destroy;
@@ -90,6 +98,13 @@ struct sway_idle_inhibitor_v1 *sway_idle_inhibit_v1_application_inhibitor_for_vi
 	return NULL;
 }
 
+void sway_idle_inhibit_v1_user_inhibitor_update_mode(
+		struct sway_idle_inhibitor_v1 *inhibitor,
+		enum sway_idle_inhibit_mode mode) {
+	inhibitor->mode = mode;
+	ipc_event_idle_inhibitor(inhibitor, "mode");
+}
+
 void sway_idle_inhibit_v1_user_inhibitor_destroy(
 		struct sway_idle_inhibitor_v1 *inhibitor) {
 	if (!inhibitor) {
diff --git a/sway/ipc-json.c b/sway/ipc-json.c
index 666468e7..6f6a3dc6 100644
--- a/sway/ipc-json.c
+++ b/sway/ipc-json.c
@@ -1434,3 +1434,37 @@ json_object *ipc_json_get_binding_mode(void) {
 			json_object_new_string(config->current_mode->name));
 	return current_mode;
 }
+
+json_object *ipc_json_describe_idle_inhibitor(
+		struct sway_idle_inhibitor_v1 *sway_inhibitor) {
+	json_object *object = json_object_new_object();
+
+	json_object_object_add(object, "active",
+		json_object_new_boolean(
+			sway_idle_inhibit_v1_is_active(sway_inhibitor)));
+
+	const char *type = NULL;
+	struct sway_view *view = NULL;
+	if (sway_inhibitor->mode == INHIBIT_IDLE_APPLICATION) {
+		type = "application";
+		view = view_from_wlr_surface(sway_inhibitor->wlr_inhibitor->surface);
+	} else {
+		type = "user";
+		view = sway_inhibitor->view;
+		json_object_object_add(object, "mode",
+			json_object_new_string(
+				ipc_json_user_idle_inhibitor_description(
+					sway_inhibitor->mode)));
+	}
+
+	if (type) {
+		json_object_object_add(object, "type", json_object_new_string(type));
+	}
+
+	if (view && view->container) {
+		json_object_object_add(object, "container",
+			ipc_json_describe_node(&view->container->node));
+	}
+
+	return object;
+}
diff --git a/sway/ipc-server.c b/sway/ipc-server.c
index 9692a77f..8a452567 100644
--- a/sway/ipc-server.c
+++ b/sway/ipc-server.c
@@ -522,6 +522,21 @@ void ipc_event_output(void) {
 	json_object_put(json);
 }
 
+void ipc_event_idle_inhibitor(struct sway_idle_inhibitor_v1 *inhibitor, const char *change) {
+	if (!ipc_has_event_listeners(IPC_EVENT_IDLE_INHIBITOR)) {
+		return;
+	}
+	sway_log(SWAY_DEBUG, "Sending idle inhibitor::%s event", change);
+	json_object *obj = json_object_new_object();
+	json_object_object_add(obj, "change", json_object_new_string(change));
+	json_object_object_add(obj, "idle_inhibitor",
+			ipc_json_describe_idle_inhibitor(inhibitor));
+
+	const char *json_string = json_object_to_json_string(obj);
+	ipc_send_event(json_string, IPC_EVENT_IDLE_INHIBITOR);
+	json_object_put(obj);
+}
+
 int ipc_client_handle_writable(int client_fd, uint32_t mask, void *data) {
 	struct ipc_client *client = data;
 
@@ -758,6 +773,8 @@ void ipc_client_handle_command(struct ipc_client *client, uint32_t payload_lengt
 				is_tick = true;
 			} else if (strcmp(event_type, "input") == 0) {
 				client->subscribed_events |= event_mask(IPC_EVENT_INPUT);
+			} else if (strcmp(event_type, "idle_inhibitor") == 0) {
+				client->subscribed_events |= event_mask(IPC_EVENT_IDLE_INHIBITOR);
 			} else {
 				const char msg[] = "{\"success\": false}";
 				ipc_send_reply(client, payload_type, msg, strlen(msg));