diff --git a/database/database.go b/database/database.go
index be60fd8..b4a6ac8 100644
--- a/database/database.go
+++ b/database/database.go
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ type Network struct {
 	Pass            string
 	ConnectCommands []string
 	SASL            SASL
+	AutoAway        bool
 	Enabled         bool
 }
 
diff --git a/database/postgres.go b/database/postgres.go
index 98030fe..9af5c4a 100644
--- a/database/postgres.go
+++ b/database/postgres.go
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ CREATE TABLE "Network" (
 	sasl_plain_password VARCHAR(255),
 	sasl_external_cert BYTEA,
 	sasl_external_key BYTEA,
+	auto_away BOOLEAN NOT NULL DEFAULT TRUE,
 	enabled BOOLEAN NOT NULL DEFAULT TRUE,
 	UNIQUE("user", addr, nick),
 	UNIQUE("user", name)
@@ -163,6 +164,7 @@ var postgresMigrations = []string{
 		ALTER COLUMN "user"
 		SET NOT NULL;
 	`,
+	`ALTER TABLE "Network" ADD COLUMN auto_away BOOLEAN NOT NULL DEFAULT TRUE`,
 }
 
 type PostgresDB struct {
@@ -379,7 +381,7 @@ func (db *PostgresDB) ListNetworks(ctx context.Context, userID int64) ([]Network
 
 	rows, err := db.db.QueryContext(ctx, `
 		SELECT id, name, addr, nick, username, realname, pass, connect_commands, sasl_mechanism,
-			sasl_plain_username, sasl_plain_password, sasl_external_cert, sasl_external_key, enabled
+			sasl_plain_username, sasl_plain_password, sasl_external_cert, sasl_external_key, auto_away, enabled
 		FROM "Network"
 		WHERE "user" = $1`, userID)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -394,7 +396,7 @@ func (db *PostgresDB) ListNetworks(ctx context.Context, userID int64) ([]Network
 		var saslMechanism, saslPlainUsername, saslPlainPassword sql.NullString
 		err := rows.Scan(&net.ID, &name, &net.Addr, &nick, &username, &realname,
 			&pass, &connectCommands, &saslMechanism, &saslPlainUsername, &saslPlainPassword,
-			&net.SASL.External.CertBlob, &net.SASL.External.PrivKeyBlob, &net.Enabled)
+			&net.SASL.External.CertBlob, &net.SASL.External.PrivKeyBlob, &net.AutoAway, &net.Enabled)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
@@ -450,23 +452,23 @@ func (db *PostgresDB) StoreNetwork(ctx context.Context, userID int64, network *N
 		err = db.db.QueryRowContext(ctx, `
 			INSERT INTO "Network" ("user", name, addr, nick, username, realname, pass, connect_commands,
 				sasl_mechanism, sasl_plain_username, sasl_plain_password, sasl_external_cert,
-				sasl_external_key, enabled)
-			VALUES ($1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $6, $7, $8, $9, $10, $11, $12, $13, $14)
+				sasl_external_key, auto_away, enabled)
+			VALUES ($1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $6, $7, $8, $9, $10, $11, $12, $13, $14, $15)
 			RETURNING id`,
 			userID, netName, network.Addr, nick, netUsername, realname, pass, connectCommands,
 			saslMechanism, saslPlainUsername, saslPlainPassword, network.SASL.External.CertBlob,
-			network.SASL.External.PrivKeyBlob, network.Enabled).Scan(&network.ID)
+			network.SASL.External.PrivKeyBlob, network.AutoAway, network.Enabled).Scan(&network.ID)
 	} else {
 		_, err = db.db.ExecContext(ctx, `
 			UPDATE "Network"
 			SET name = $2, addr = $3, nick = $4, username = $5, realname = $6, pass = $7,
 				connect_commands = $8, sasl_mechanism = $9, sasl_plain_username = $10,
 				sasl_plain_password = $11, sasl_external_cert = $12, sasl_external_key = $13,
-				enabled = $14
+				auto_away = $14, enabled = $15
 			WHERE id = $1`,
 			network.ID, netName, network.Addr, nick, netUsername, realname, pass, connectCommands,
 			saslMechanism, saslPlainUsername, saslPlainPassword, network.SASL.External.CertBlob,
-			network.SASL.External.PrivKeyBlob, network.Enabled)
+			network.SASL.External.PrivKeyBlob, network.AutoAway, network.Enabled)
 	}
 	return err
 }
diff --git a/database/sqlite.go b/database/sqlite.go
index b3e5242..90b05b1 100644
--- a/database/sqlite.go
+++ b/database/sqlite.go
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ CREATE TABLE Network (
 	sasl_plain_password TEXT,
 	sasl_external_cert BLOB,
 	sasl_external_key BLOB,
+	auto_away INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 1,
 	enabled INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 1,
 	FOREIGN KEY(user) REFERENCES User(id),
 	UNIQUE(user, addr, nick),
@@ -248,6 +249,7 @@ var sqliteMigrations = []string{
 		UPDATE WebPushSubscription AS wps SET user = (SELECT n.user FROM Network AS n WHERE n.id = wps.network);
 	`,
 	"ALTER TABLE User ADD COLUMN nick TEXT;",
+	"ALTER TABLE Network ADD COLUMN auto_away INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 1;",
 }
 
 type SqliteDB struct {
@@ -488,7 +490,7 @@ func (db *SqliteDB) ListNetworks(ctx context.Context, userID int64) ([]Network,
 	rows, err := db.db.QueryContext(ctx, `
 		SELECT id, name, addr, nick, username, realname, pass,
 			connect_commands, sasl_mechanism, sasl_plain_username, sasl_plain_password,
-			sasl_external_cert, sasl_external_key, enabled
+			sasl_external_cert, sasl_external_key, auto_away, enabled
 		FROM Network
 		WHERE user = ?`,
 		userID)
@@ -504,7 +506,7 @@ func (db *SqliteDB) ListNetworks(ctx context.Context, userID int64) ([]Network,
 		var saslMechanism, saslPlainUsername, saslPlainPassword sql.NullString
 		err := rows.Scan(&net.ID, &name, &net.Addr, &nick, &username, &realname,
 			&pass, &connectCommands, &saslMechanism, &saslPlainUsername, &saslPlainPassword,
-			&net.SASL.External.CertBlob, &net.SASL.External.PrivKeyBlob, &net.Enabled)
+			&net.SASL.External.CertBlob, &net.SASL.External.PrivKeyBlob, &net.AutoAway, &net.Enabled)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
@@ -561,6 +563,7 @@ func (db *SqliteDB) StoreNetwork(ctx context.Context, userID int64, network *Net
 		sql.Named("sasl_plain_password", saslPlainPassword),
 		sql.Named("sasl_external_cert", network.SASL.External.CertBlob),
 		sql.Named("sasl_external_key", network.SASL.External.PrivKeyBlob),
+		sql.Named("auto_away", network.AutoAway),
 		sql.Named("enabled", network.Enabled),
 
 		sql.Named("id", network.ID), // only for UPDATE
@@ -575,17 +578,17 @@ func (db *SqliteDB) StoreNetwork(ctx context.Context, userID int64, network *Net
 				realname = :realname, pass = :pass, connect_commands = :connect_commands,
 				sasl_mechanism = :sasl_mechanism, sasl_plain_username = :sasl_plain_username, sasl_plain_password = :sasl_plain_password,
 				sasl_external_cert = :sasl_external_cert, sasl_external_key = :sasl_external_key,
-				enabled = :enabled
+				auto_away = :auto_away, enabled = :enabled
 			WHERE id = :id`, args...)
 	} else {
 		var res sql.Result
 		res, err = db.db.ExecContext(ctx, `
 			INSERT INTO Network(user, name, addr, nick, username, realname, pass,
 				connect_commands, sasl_mechanism, sasl_plain_username,
-				sasl_plain_password, sasl_external_cert, sasl_external_key, enabled)
+				sasl_plain_password, sasl_external_cert, sasl_external_key, auto_away, enabled)
 			VALUES (:user, :name, :addr, :nick, :username, :realname, :pass,
 				:connect_commands, :sasl_mechanism, :sasl_plain_username,
-				:sasl_plain_password, :sasl_external_cert, :sasl_external_key, :enabled)`,
+				:sasl_plain_password, :sasl_external_cert, :sasl_external_key, :auto_away, :enabled)`,
 			args...)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
diff --git a/doc/soju.1.scd b/doc/soju.1.scd
index 41cfc10..b5e398e 100644
--- a/doc/soju.1.scd
+++ b/doc/soju.1.scd
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ If a network specified in the username doesn't exist, and the network name is a
 valid hostname, the network will be automatically added.
 
 When all clients are disconnected from the bouncer, the user is automatically
-marked as away.
+marked as away by default.
 
 soju will reload the configuration file, the TLS certificate/key and the MOTD
 file when it receives the HUP signal. The configuration options _listen_, _db_
@@ -217,6 +217,11 @@ abbreviated form, for instance *network* can be abbreviated as *net* or just
 		Connect with the specified nickname. By default, the account's username
 		is used.
 
+	*-auto-away* true|false
+		Enable or disable the auto-away feature. If the feature is enabled, the
+		user will be marked as away when all clients are disconnected from the
+		bouncer. By default, auto-away is enabled.
+
 	*-enabled* true|false
 		Enable or disable the network. If the network is disabled, the bouncer
 		won't connect to it. By default, the network is enabled.
diff --git a/service.go b/service.go
index 97de0f3..41e52a8 100644
--- a/service.go
+++ b/service.go
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ func init() {
 		"network": {
 			children: serviceCommandSet{
 				"create": {
-					usage:  "-addr <addr> [-name name] [-username username] [-pass pass] [-realname realname] [-nick nick] [-enabled enabled] [-connect-command command]...",
+					usage:  "-addr <addr> [-name name] [-username username] [-pass pass] [-realname realname] [-nick nick] [-auto-away auto-away] [-enabled enabled] [-connect-command command]...",
 					desc:   "add a new network",
 					handle: handleServiceNetworkCreate,
 				},
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ func init() {
 					handle: handleServiceNetworkStatus,
 				},
 				"update": {
-					usage:  "[name] [-addr addr] [-name name] [-username username] [-pass pass] [-realname realname] [-nick nick] [-enabled enabled] [-connect-command command]...",
+					usage:  "[name] [-addr addr] [-name name] [-username username] [-pass pass] [-realname realname] [-nick nick] [-auto-away auto-away] [-enabled enabled] [-connect-command command]...",
 					desc:   "update a network",
 					handle: handleServiceNetworkUpdate,
 				},
@@ -431,7 +431,7 @@ func getNetworkFromArg(dc *downstreamConn, params []string) (*network, []string,
 type networkFlagSet struct {
 	*flag.FlagSet
 	Addr, Name, Nick, Username, Pass, Realname *string
-	Enabled                                    *bool
+	AutoAway, Enabled                          *bool
 	ConnectCommands                            []string
 }
 
@@ -443,6 +443,7 @@ func newNetworkFlagSet() *networkFlagSet {
 	fs.Var(stringPtrFlag{&fs.Username}, "username", "")
 	fs.Var(stringPtrFlag{&fs.Pass}, "pass", "")
 	fs.Var(stringPtrFlag{&fs.Realname}, "realname", "")
+	fs.Var(boolPtrFlag{&fs.AutoAway}, "auto-away", "")
 	fs.Var(boolPtrFlag{&fs.Enabled}, "enabled", "")
 	fs.Var((*stringSliceFlag)(&fs.ConnectCommands), "connect-command", "")
 	return fs
@@ -478,6 +479,9 @@ func (fs *networkFlagSet) update(network *database.Network) error {
 	if fs.Realname != nil {
 		network.Realname = *fs.Realname
 	}
+	if fs.AutoAway != nil {
+		network.AutoAway = *fs.AutoAway
+	}
 	if fs.Enabled != nil {
 		network.Enabled = *fs.Enabled
 	}
diff --git a/upstream.go b/upstream.go
index ac6cf47..e1030a2 100644
--- a/upstream.go
+++ b/upstream.go
@@ -1958,6 +1958,10 @@ func (uc *upstreamConn) produce(target string, msg *irc.Message, originID uint64
 func (uc *upstreamConn) updateAway() {
 	ctx := context.TODO()
 
+	if !uc.network.AutoAway {
+		return
+	}
+
 	away := true
 	uc.forEachDownstream(func(dc *downstreamConn) {
 		if dc.away == nil {