diff --git a/pwvault.js b/pwvault.js
index a654345..a9a198a 100644
--- a/pwvault.js
+++ b/pwvault.js
@@ -93,8 +93,9 @@ async function createSend(uid, b, key) {
 }
 
 async function status(uid) {
-  let st = { status: 'unauthenticated' }; try { st = parse(await bw(uid, ['status'], { timeout: 15e3 })); } catch {}
-  const s = sessions.get(uid);
+  const s = sessions.get(uid); // (bw only reports "unlocked" when it is handed the session key)
+  let st = { status: 'unauthenticated' }; try { st = parse(await bw(uid, ['status'], { session: s && s.key, timeout: 15e3 })); } catch {}
+  if (s && st.status === 'unlocked') s.last = Date.now(); // coming back to the tab counts as using the vault
   return { enabled: true, url: URL_, unlocked: !!s && st.status === 'unlocked', email: st.userEmail || '', loggedIn: st.status !== 'unauthenticated' };
 }