diff --git a/hc/front/urls.py b/hc/front/urls.py
index 819fc821..a0c52263 100644
--- a/hc/front/urls.py
+++ b/hc/front/urls.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ check_urls = [
     path('pause/', views.pause, name="hc-pause"),
     path('remove/', views.remove_check, name="hc-remove-check"),
     path('log/', views.log, name="hc-log"),
+    path('status/', views.status_single),
     path('last_ping/', views.ping_details, name="hc-last-ping"),
     path('channels/<uuid:channel_code>/enabled', views.switch_channel, name="hc-switch-channel"),
     path('pings/<int:n>/', views.ping_details, name="hc-ping-details"),
diff --git a/hc/front/views.py b/hc/front/views.py
index 656e7ea3..b51b64db 100644
--- a/hc/front/views.py
+++ b/hc/front/views.py
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ import requests
 
 
 VALID_SORT_VALUES = ("name", "-name", "last_ping", "-last_ping", "created")
+STATUS_TEXT_TMPL = get_template("front/log_status_text.html")
+LAST_PING_TMPL = get_template("front/last_ping_cell.html")
 
 
 def _tags_statuses(checks):
@@ -92,13 +94,12 @@ def status(request):
     checks = list(Check.objects.filter(user_id=request.team.user_id))
 
     details = []
-    tmpl = get_template("front/last_ping_cell.html")
     for check in checks:
         ctx = {"check": check}
         details.append({
             "code": str(check.code),
             "status": check.get_status(),
-            "last_ping": tmpl.render(ctx)
+            "last_ping": LAST_PING_TMPL.render(ctx)
         })
 
     tags_statuses, num_down = _tags_statuses(checks)
@@ -366,6 +367,19 @@ def log(request, code):
     return render(request, "front/log.html", ctx)
 
 
+@login_required
+def status_single(request, code):
+    check = get_object_or_404(Check, code=code)
+    if check.user_id != request.team.user.id:
+        return HttpResponseForbidden()
+
+    status = check.get_status()
+    return JsonResponse({
+        "status": status,
+        "status_text": STATUS_TEXT_TMPL.render({"check": check})
+    })
+
+
 @login_required
 def channels(request):
     if request.method == "POST":
diff --git a/static/js/adaptive-setinterval.js b/static/js/adaptive-setinterval.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..91eb8d12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/static/js/adaptive-setinterval.js
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+function adaptiveSetInterval(fn) {
+    // unconditionally run every minute
+    setInterval(fn, 60000);
+
+    // scheduleRun() keeps calling fn and decreasing quota
+    // every 3 seconds, until quota runs out.
+    var quota = 0;
+    var scheduledId = null;
+    function scheduleRun() {
+        if (quota > 0) {
+            quota -= 1;
+            clearTimeout(scheduledId);
+            scheduledId = setTimeout(scheduleRun, 3000);
+            fn();
+        }
+    }
+
+    document.addEventListener("visibilitychange", function() {
+        if (document.visibilityState == "visible") {
+            // tab becomes visible: reset quota
+            if (quota == 0) {
+                quota = 20;
+                scheduleRun();
+            } else {
+                quota = 20;
+            }
+        } else {
+            // lost visibility, clear quota
+            quota = 0;
+        }
+    });
+
+    // user moves mouse: reset quota
+    document.addEventListener("mousemove", function() {
+        if (quota == 0) {
+            quota = 20;
+            scheduleRun();
+        } else {
+            quota = 20;
+        }
+    });
+}
diff --git a/static/js/checks.js b/static/js/checks.js
index 1d489d7c..cbb0e077 100644
--- a/static/js/checks.js
+++ b/static/js/checks.js
@@ -135,10 +135,11 @@ $(function () {
         }
     });
 
-    // Auto-refresh
+    // Schedule refresh to run every 3s when tab is visible and user
+    // is active, every 60s otherwise
     var lastStatus = {};
     var lastPing = {};
-    function refresh() {
+    adaptiveSetInterval(function() {
         $.ajax({
             url: "/checks/status/",
             dataType: "json",
@@ -171,48 +172,6 @@ $(function () {
                 }
             }
         });
-    }
-
-    // unconditionally refresh every minute
-    setInterval(refresh, 60000);
-
-    // scheduleRefresh() keeps calling refresh() and decreasing quota
-    // every 3 seconds, until quota runs out.
-    var quota = 0;
-    var scheduledId = null;
-    function scheduleRefresh() {
-        if (quota > 0) {
-            quota -= 1;
-            clearTimeout(scheduledId);
-            scheduledId = setTimeout(scheduleRefresh, 3000);
-            refresh();
-        }
-    }
-
-    document.addEventListener("visibilitychange", function() {
-        if (document.visibilityState == "visible") {
-            // tab becomes visible: reset quota
-            if (quota == 0) {
-                quota = 20;
-                scheduleRefresh();
-            } else {
-                quota = 20;
-            }
-        } else {
-            // lost visibility, clear quota
-            quota = 0;
-        }
-    });
-
-    // user moves mouse: reset quota
-    document.addEventListener("mousemove", function() {
-        if (quota == 0) {
-            quota = 20;
-            scheduleRefresh();
-        } else {
-            quota = 20;
-
-        }
     });
 
     // Copy to clipboard
diff --git a/static/js/log.js b/static/js/log.js
index 27bfd5c8..e2069047 100644
--- a/static/js/log.js
+++ b/static/js/log.js
@@ -24,6 +24,24 @@ $(function () {
         }, 300);
     });
 
+    var code = document.getElementById("edit-timeout").dataset.code;
+    var statusUrl = "/checks/" + code + "/status/";
+    var lastStatusText = "";
+    adaptiveSetInterval(function() {
+        $.ajax({
+            url: statusUrl,
+            dataType: "json",
+            timeout: 2000,
+            success: function(data) {
+                if (data.status_text == lastStatusText) {
+                    return;
+                }
+                lastStatusText = data.status_text;
+                $("#log-status-icon").attr("class", "status icon-" + data.status);
+                $("#log-status-text").text(data.status_text);
+            }
+        });
+    });
 
     // Copy to clipboard
     var clipboard = new Clipboard('button.copy-btn');
diff --git a/templates/front/log.html b/templates/front/log.html
index 58a1da1e..2de8a34e 100644
--- a/templates/front/log.html
+++ b/templates/front/log.html
@@ -46,26 +46,14 @@
         <div class="details-block">
             <h2>Current Status</h2>
             <table>
-                {% with check.get_status as status %}
                 <tr>
                     <td>
-                        <span class="status icon-{{ status }}"></span>
+                        <span id="log-status-icon" class="status icon-{{ check.get_status }}"></span>
                     </td>
-                    <td>
-                        {% if status == "down" %}
-                            This check is down. Last ping was {{ check.last_ping|naturaltime }}.
-                        {% elif status == "up" %}
-                            This check is up. Last ping was {{ check.last_ping|naturaltime }}.
-                        {% elif status == "grace" %}
-                            This check is late. Last ping was {{ check.last_ping|naturaltime }}.
-                        {% elif status == "paused" %}
-                            This check is paused.
-                        {% elif status == "new" %}
-                            This check has never received a ping.
-                        {% endif %}
+                    <td id="log-status-text">
+                        {% include "front/log_status_text.html" %}
                     </td>
                 </tr>
-                {% endwith %}
             </table>
             <div class="text-right">
                 <form action="{% url 'hc-pause' check.code %}" method="post">
@@ -299,8 +287,10 @@
 <script src="{% static 'js/clipboard.min.js' %}"></script>
 <script src="{% static 'js/selectize.min.js' %}"></script>
 <script src="{% static 'js/nouislider.min.js' %}"></script>
+<script src="{% static 'js/snippet-copy.js' %}"></script>
 <script src="{% static 'js/moment.min.js' %}"></script>
 <script src="{% static 'js/update-timeout-modal.js' %}"></script>
+<script src="{% static 'js/adaptive-setinterval.js' %}"></script>
 <script src="{% static 'js/log.js' %}"></script>
 {% endcompress %}
 {% endblock %}
diff --git a/templates/front/log_status_text.html b/templates/front/log_status_text.html
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7ecc1385
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/front/log_status_text.html
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+{% load humanize %}
+{% with check.get_status as status %}
+    {% if status == "down" %}
+        This check is down. Last ping was {{ check.last_ping|naturaltime }}.
+    {% elif status == "up" %}
+        This check is up. Last ping was {{ check.last_ping|naturaltime }}.
+    {% elif status == "grace" %}
+        This check is late. Last ping was {{ check.last_ping|naturaltime }}.
+    {% elif status == "paused" %}
+        This check is paused.
+    {% elif status == "new" %}
+        This check has never received a ping.
+    {% endif %}
+{% endwith %}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/templates/front/my_checks.html b/templates/front/my_checks.html
index 75cc8e4a..40dc26b5 100644
--- a/templates/front/my_checks.html
+++ b/templates/front/my_checks.html
@@ -79,8 +79,8 @@
 <script src="{% static 'js/selectize.min.js' %}"></script>
 <script src="{% static 'js/nouislider.min.js' %}"></script>
 <script src="{% static 'js/clipboard.min.js' %}"></script>
-<script src="{% static 'js/snippet-copy.js' %}"></script>
 <script src="{% static 'js/update-timeout-modal.js' %}"></script>
+<script src="{% static 'js/adaptive-setinterval.js' %}"></script>
 <script src="{% static 'js/checks.js' %}"></script>
 {% endcompress %}
 {% endblock %}