diff --git a/notebook/_tz.py b/notebook/_tz.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1df39e51d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/notebook/_tz.py
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+# encoding: utf-8
+"""
+Timezone utilities
+
+Just UTC-awareness right now
+"""
+
+# Copyright (c) Jupyter Development Team.
+# Distributed under the terms of the Modified BSD License.
+
+from datetime import tzinfo, timedelta, datetime
+
+# constant for zero offset
+ZERO = timedelta(0)
+
+class tzUTC(tzinfo):
+    """tzinfo object for UTC (zero offset)"""
+
+    def utcoffset(self, d):
+        return ZERO
+
+    def dst(self, d):
+        return ZERO
+
+UTC = tzUTC()
+
+def utc_aware(unaware):
+    """decorator for adding UTC tzinfo to datetime's utcfoo methods"""
+    def utc_method(*args, **kwargs):
+        dt = unaware(*args, **kwargs)
+        return dt.replace(tzinfo=UTC)
+    return utc_method
+
+utcfromtimestamp = utc_aware(datetime.utcfromtimestamp)
+utcnow = utc_aware(datetime.utcnow)
+
+def isoformat(dt):
+    """Return iso-formatted timestamp
+    
+    Like .isoformat(), but uses Z for UTC instead of +00:00
+    """
+    return dt.isoformat().replace('+00:00', 'Z')
diff --git a/notebook/base/handlers.py b/notebook/base/handlers.py
index 5082ac6ee..2c48d5cc1 100755
--- a/notebook/base/handlers.py
+++ b/notebook/base/handlers.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ from ipython_genutils.path import filefind
 from ipython_genutils.py3compat import string_types
 
 import notebook
+from notebook._tz import utcnow
 from notebook.utils import is_hidden, url_path_join, url_is_absolute, url_escape
 from notebook.services.security import csp_report_uri
 
@@ -432,8 +433,18 @@ class APIHandler(IPythonHandler):
                 "default-src 'none'",
             ])
         return csp
-    
+
+    # set _track_activity = False on API handlers that shouldn't track activity
+    _track_activity = True
+
+    def update_api_activity(self):
+        """Update last_activity of API requests"""
+        # record activity of authenticated requests
+        if self._track_activity and self.get_current_user():
+            self.settings['api_last_activity'] = utcnow()
+
     def finish(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        self.update_api_activity()
         self.set_header('Content-Type', 'application/json')
         return super(APIHandler, self).finish(*args, **kwargs)
 
diff --git a/notebook/notebookapp.py b/notebook/notebookapp.py
index ecc36608f..5c754e2a0 100755
--- a/notebook/notebookapp.py
+++ b/notebook/notebookapp.py
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ from ipython_genutils import py3compat
 from jupyter_core.paths import jupyter_runtime_dir, jupyter_path
 from notebook._sysinfo import get_sys_info
 
+from ._tz import utcnow
 from .utils import url_path_join, check_pid, url_escape
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -198,6 +199,8 @@ class NotebookWebApplication(web.Application):
                 working on the notebook's Javascript and LESS""")
             warnings.warn("The `ignore_minified_js` flag is deprecated and will be removed in Notebook 6.0", DeprecationWarning)
 
+        now = utcnow()
+
         settings = dict(
             # basics
             log_function=log_request,
@@ -236,7 +239,8 @@ class NotebookWebApplication(web.Application):
             kernel_spec_manager=kernel_spec_manager,
             config_manager=config_manager,
 
-            # IPython stuff
+            # Jupyter stuff
+            started=now,
             jinja_template_vars=jupyter_app.jinja_template_vars,
             nbextensions_path=jupyter_app.nbextensions_path,
             websocket_url=jupyter_app.websocket_url,
diff --git a/notebook/services/api/api.yaml b/notebook/services/api/api.yaml
index 02429ce09..a0bdbb2dc 100644
--- a/notebook/services/api/api.yaml
+++ b/notebook/services/api/api.yaml
@@ -617,7 +617,36 @@ paths:
 
 
 
+  /status:
+    get:
+      summary: Get the current status / activity of the server
+      responses:
+        200:
+          description: The current status of the server
+          $ref: '#/definitions/APIStatus'
 definitions:
+  APIStatus:
+    description: |
+      Notebook server API status.
+      Added in notebook 5.0.
+    properties:
+      started:
+        type: string
+        description: |
+          ISO8601 timestamp indicating when the notebook server started.
+      last_activity:
+        type: string
+        description: |
+          ISO8601 timestamp indicating the last activity on the server,
+          either on the REST API or kernel activity.
+      connections:
+        type: number
+        description: |
+          The total number of currently open connections to kernels.
+      kernels:
+        type: number
+        description: |
+          The total number of running kernels.
   KernelSpec:
     description: Kernel spec (contents of kernel.json)
     properties:
@@ -697,6 +726,23 @@ definitions:
       name:
         type: string
         description: kernel spec name
+      last_activity:
+        type: string
+        description: |
+          ISO 8601 timestamp for the last-seen activity on this kernel.
+          Use this in combination with execution_state == 'idle' to identify
+          which kernels have been idle since a given time.
+          Timestamps will be UTC, indicated 'Z' suffix.
+          Added in notebook server 5.0.
+      connections:
+        type: number
+        description: |
+          The number of active connections to this kernel.
+      execution_state:
+        type: string
+        description: |
+          Current execution state of the kernel (typically 'idle' or 'busy', but may be other values, such as 'starting').
+          Added in notebook server 5.0.
   Session:
     description: A session
     type: object
diff --git a/notebook/services/api/handlers.py b/notebook/services/api/handlers.py
index f09263203..6847348aa 100644
--- a/notebook/services/api/handlers.py
+++ b/notebook/services/api/handlers.py
@@ -3,8 +3,14 @@
 # Copyright (c) Jupyter Development Team.
 # Distributed under the terms of the Modified BSD License.
 
-from tornado import web
-from ...base.handlers import IPythonHandler
+from itertools import chain
+import json
+
+from tornado import gen, web
+
+from ...base.handlers import IPythonHandler, APIHandler, json_errors
+from notebook._tz import utcfromtimestamp, isoformat
+
 import os
 
 class APISpecHandler(web.StaticFileHandler, IPythonHandler):
@@ -18,6 +24,33 @@ class APISpecHandler(web.StaticFileHandler, IPythonHandler):
         self.set_header('Content-Type', 'text/x-yaml')
         return web.StaticFileHandler.get(self, 'api.yaml')
 
+class APIStatusHandler(APIHandler):
+
+    _track_activity = False
+
+    @json_errors
+    @web.authenticated
+    @gen.coroutine
+    def get(self):
+        # if started was missing, use unix epoch
+        started = self.settings.get('started', utcfromtimestamp(0))
+        # if we've never seen API activity, use started date
+        api_last_activity = self.settings.get('api_last_activity', started)
+        started = isoformat(started)
+        api_last_activity = isoformat(api_last_activity)
+
+        kernels = yield gen.maybe_future(self.kernel_manager.list_kernels())
+        total_connections = sum(k['connections'] for k in kernels)
+        last_activity = max(chain([api_last_activity], [k['last_activity'] for k in kernels]))
+        model = {
+            'started': started,
+            'last_activity': last_activity,
+            'kernels': len(kernels),
+            'connections': total_connections,
+        }
+        self.finish(json.dumps(model, sort_keys=True))
+
 default_handlers = [
-    (r"/api/spec.yaml", APISpecHandler)
+    (r"/api/spec.yaml", APISpecHandler),
+    (r"/api/status", APIStatusHandler),
 ]
diff --git a/notebook/services/api/tests/__init__.py b/notebook/services/api/tests/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/notebook/services/api/tests/test_api.py b/notebook/services/api/tests/test_api.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0a48b793e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/notebook/services/api/tests/test_api.py
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+"""Test the basic /api endpoints"""
+
+import requests
+
+from notebook._tz import isoformat
+from notebook.utils import url_path_join
+from notebook.tests.launchnotebook import NotebookTestBase
+
+
+class KernelAPITest(NotebookTestBase):
+    """Test the kernels web service API"""
+    
+    def _req(self, verb, path, **kwargs):
+        r = self.request(verb, url_path_join('api', path))
+        r.raise_for_status()
+        return r
+    
+    def get(self, path, **kwargs):
+        return self._req('GET', path)
+    
+    def test_get_spec(self):
+        r = self.get('spec.yaml')
+        assert r.text
+    
+    def test_get_status(self):
+        r = self.get('status')
+        data = r.json()
+        assert data['connections'] == 0
+        assert data['kernels'] == 0
+        assert data['last_activity'].endswith('Z')
+        assert data['started'].endswith('Z')
+        assert data['started'] == isoformat(self.notebook.web_app.settings['started'])
diff --git a/notebook/services/contents/filecheckpoints.py b/notebook/services/contents/filecheckpoints.py
index 46e32eadc..1cf83cfe0 100644
--- a/notebook/services/contents/filecheckpoints.py
+++ b/notebook/services/contents/filecheckpoints.py
@@ -12,11 +12,12 @@ from .checkpoints import (
 )
 from .fileio import FileManagerMixin
 
-from . import tz
 from ipython_genutils.path import ensure_dir_exists
 from ipython_genutils.py3compat import getcwd
 from traitlets import Unicode
 
+from notebook import _tz as tz
+
 
 class FileCheckpoints(FileManagerMixin, Checkpoints):
     """
diff --git a/notebook/services/contents/filemanager.py b/notebook/services/contents/filemanager.py
index cd8634313..d978d553f 100644
--- a/notebook/services/contents/filemanager.py
+++ b/notebook/services/contents/filemanager.py
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@ from .manager import ContentsManager
 from ipython_genutils.importstring import import_item
 from traitlets import Any, Unicode, Bool, TraitError, observe, default, validate
 from ipython_genutils.py3compat import getcwd, string_types
-from . import tz
+
+from notebook import _tz as tz
 from notebook.utils import (
     is_hidden, is_file_hidden,
     to_api_path,
diff --git a/notebook/services/contents/tz.py b/notebook/services/contents/tz.py
deleted file mode 100644
index b315d532d..000000000
--- a/notebook/services/contents/tz.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,46 +0,0 @@
-# encoding: utf-8
-"""
-Timezone utilities
-
-Just UTC-awareness right now
-"""
-
-#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-#  Copyright (C) 2013 The IPython Development Team
-#
-#  Distributed under the terms of the BSD License.  The full license is in
-#  the file COPYING, distributed as part of this software.
-#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# Imports
-#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-from datetime import tzinfo, timedelta, datetime
-
-#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# Code
-#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# constant for zero offset
-ZERO = timedelta(0)
-
-class tzUTC(tzinfo):
-    """tzinfo object for UTC (zero offset)"""
-
-    def utcoffset(self, d):
-        return ZERO
-
-    def dst(self, d):
-        return ZERO
-
-UTC = tzUTC()
-
-def utc_aware(unaware):
-    """decorator for adding UTC tzinfo to datetime's utcfoo methods"""
-    def utc_method(*args, **kwargs):
-        dt = unaware(*args, **kwargs)
-        return dt.replace(tzinfo=UTC)
-    return utc_method
-
-utcfromtimestamp = utc_aware(datetime.utcfromtimestamp)
-utcnow = utc_aware(datetime.utcnow)
diff --git a/notebook/services/kernels/handlers.py b/notebook/services/kernels/handlers.py
index 86b1d789a..4b35f5a14 100644
--- a/notebook/services/kernels/handlers.py
+++ b/notebook/services/kernels/handlers.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ class MainKernelHandler(APIHandler):
     def get(self):
         km = self.kernel_manager
         kernels = yield gen.maybe_future(km.list_kernels())
-        self.finish(json.dumps(kernels))
+        self.finish(json.dumps(kernels, default=date_default))
 
     @json_errors
     @web.authenticated
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ class MainKernelHandler(APIHandler):
         location = url_path_join(self.base_url, 'api', 'kernels', url_escape(kernel_id))
         self.set_header('Location', location)
         self.set_status(201)
-        self.finish(json.dumps(model))
+        self.finish(json.dumps(model, default=date_default))
 
 
 class KernelHandler(APIHandler):
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ class KernelHandler(APIHandler):
         km = self.kernel_manager
         km._check_kernel_id(kernel_id)
         model = km.kernel_model(kernel_id)
-        self.finish(json.dumps(model))
+        self.finish(json.dumps(model, default=date_default))
 
     @json_errors
     @web.authenticated
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ class KernelActionHandler(APIHandler):
                 self.set_status(500)
             else:
                 model = km.kernel_model(kernel_id)
-                self.write(json.dumps(model))
+                self.write(json.dumps(model, default=date_default))
         self.finish()
 
 
@@ -260,6 +260,7 @@ class ZMQChannelsHandler(AuthenticatedZMQStreamHandler):
     
     def open(self, kernel_id):
         super(ZMQChannelsHandler, self).open()
+        self.kernel_manager.notify_connect(kernel_id)
         try:
             self.create_stream()
         except web.HTTPError as e:
@@ -401,6 +402,7 @@ class ZMQChannelsHandler(AuthenticatedZMQStreamHandler):
             self._open_sessions.pop(self.session_key)
         km = self.kernel_manager
         if self.kernel_id in km:
+            km.notify_disconnect(self.kernel_id)
             km.remove_restart_callback(
                 self.kernel_id, self.on_kernel_restarted,
             )
diff --git a/notebook/services/kernels/kernelmanager.py b/notebook/services/kernels/kernelmanager.py
index 2577737f4..b5c4c9f5d 100644
--- a/notebook/services/kernels/kernelmanager.py
+++ b/notebook/services/kernels/kernelmanager.py
@@ -14,9 +14,10 @@ from tornado.concurrent import Future
 from tornado.ioloop import IOLoop
 
 from jupyter_client.multikernelmanager import MultiKernelManager
-from traitlets import List, Unicode, TraitError, default, validate
+from traitlets import Dict, List, Unicode, TraitError, default, validate
 
 from notebook.utils import to_os_path
+from notebook._tz import utcnow, isoformat
 from ipython_genutils.py3compat import getcwd
 
 
@@ -30,6 +31,8 @@ class MappingKernelManager(MultiKernelManager):
     kernel_argv = List(Unicode())
 
     root_dir = Unicode(config=True)
+    
+    _kernel_connections = Dict()
 
     @default('root_dir')
     def _default_root_dir(self):
@@ -90,6 +93,8 @@ class MappingKernelManager(MultiKernelManager):
             kernel_id = yield gen.maybe_future(
                 super(MappingKernelManager, self).start_kernel(**kwargs)
             )
+            self._kernel_connections[kernel_id] = 0
+            self.start_watching_activity(kernel_id)
             self.log.info("Kernel started: %s" % kernel_id)
             self.log.debug("Kernel args: %r" % kwargs)
             # register callback for failed auto-restart
@@ -102,10 +107,12 @@ class MappingKernelManager(MultiKernelManager):
             self.log.info("Using existing kernel: %s" % kernel_id)
         # py2-compat
         raise gen.Return(kernel_id)
-
+    
     def shutdown_kernel(self, kernel_id, now=False):
         """Shutdown a kernel by kernel_id"""
         self._check_kernel_id(kernel_id)
+        self._kernels[kernel_id]._activity_stream.close()
+        self._kernel_connections.pop(kernel_id, None)
         return super(MappingKernelManager, self).shutdown_kernel(kernel_id, now=now)
 
     def restart_kernel(self, kernel_id):
@@ -149,12 +156,31 @@ class MappingKernelManager(MultiKernelManager):
         timeout = loop.add_timeout(loop.time() + 30, on_timeout)
         return future
 
+    def notify_connect(self, kernel_id):
+        """Notice a new connection to a kernel"""
+        if kernel_id in self._kernel_connections:
+            self._kernel_connections[kernel_id] += 1
+
+    def notify_disconnect(self, kernel_id):
+        """Notice a disconnection from a kernel"""
+        if kernel_id in self._kernel_connections:
+            self._kernel_connections[kernel_id] -= 1
+
     def kernel_model(self, kernel_id):
-        """Return a dictionary of kernel information described in the
-        JSON standard model."""
+        """Return a JSON-safe dict representing a kernel
+
+        For use in representing kernels in the JSON APIs.
+        """
         self._check_kernel_id(kernel_id)
-        model = {"id":kernel_id,
-                 "name": self._kernels[kernel_id].kernel_name}
+        kernel = self._kernels[kernel_id]
+
+        model = {
+            "id":kernel_id,
+            "name": kernel.kernel_name,
+            "last_activity": isoformat(kernel.last_activity),
+            "execution_state": kernel.execution_state,
+            "connections": self._kernel_connections[kernel_id],
+        }
         return model
 
     def list_kernels(self):
@@ -171,3 +197,31 @@ class MappingKernelManager(MultiKernelManager):
         """Check a that a kernel_id exists and raise 404 if not."""
         if kernel_id not in self:
             raise web.HTTPError(404, u'Kernel does not exist: %s' % kernel_id)
+
+    # monitoring activity:
+
+    def start_watching_activity(self, kernel_id):
+        """Start watching IOPub messages on a kernel for activity.
+        
+        - update last_activity on every message
+        - record execution_state from status messages
+        """
+        kernel = self._kernels[kernel_id]
+        # add busy/activity markers:
+        kernel.execution_state = 'starting'
+        kernel.last_activity = utcnow()
+        kernel._activity_stream = kernel.connect_iopub()
+
+        def record_activity(msg_list):
+            """Record an IOPub message arriving from a kernel"""
+            kernel.last_activity = utcnow()
+
+            idents, fed_msg_list = kernel.session.feed_identities(msg_list)
+            msg = kernel.session.deserialize(fed_msg_list)
+            msg_type = msg['header']['msg_type']
+            self.log.debug("activity on %s: %s", kernel_id, msg_type)
+            if msg_type == 'status':
+                kernel.execution_state = msg['content']['execution_state']
+
+        kernel._activity_stream.on_recv(record_activity)
+
diff --git a/notebook/services/kernels/tests/test_kernels_api.py b/notebook/services/kernels/tests/test_kernels_api.py
index ee35b9731..5358a2094 100644
--- a/notebook/services/kernels/tests/test_kernels_api.py
+++ b/notebook/services/kernels/tests/test_kernels_api.py
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 """Test the kernels service API."""
 
 import json
-import requests
+import time
+
+from tornado.httpclient import HTTPRequest
+from tornado.ioloop import IOLoop
+from tornado.websocket import websocket_connect
 
 from jupyter_client.kernelspec import NATIVE_KERNEL_NAME
 
@@ -10,8 +14,10 @@ from notebook.tests.launchnotebook import NotebookTestBase, assert_http_error
 
 class KernelAPI(object):
     """Wrapper for kernel REST API requests"""
-    def __init__(self, request):
+    def __init__(self, request, base_url, headers):
         self.request = request
+        self.base_url = base_url
+        self.headers = headers
 
     def _req(self, verb, path, body=None):
         response = self.request(verb,
@@ -45,10 +51,23 @@ class KernelAPI(object):
     def restart(self, id):
         return self._req('POST', url_path_join(id, 'restart'))
 
+    def websocket(self, id):
+        loop = IOLoop()
+        req = HTTPRequest(
+            url_path_join(self.base_url.replace('http', 'ws', 1), 'api/kernels', id, 'channels'),
+            headers=self.headers,
+        )
+        f = websocket_connect(req, io_loop=loop)
+        return loop.run_sync(lambda : f)
+
+
 class KernelAPITest(NotebookTestBase):
     """Test the kernels web service API"""
     def setUp(self):
-        self.kern_api = KernelAPI(self.request)
+        self.kern_api = KernelAPI(self.request,
+                                  base_url=self.base_url(),
+                                  headers=self.auth_headers(),
+                                  )
 
     def tearDown(self):
         for k in self.kern_api.list().json():
@@ -144,3 +163,22 @@ class KernelAPITest(NotebookTestBase):
         bad_id = '111-111-111-111-111'
         with assert_http_error(404, 'Kernel does not exist: ' + bad_id):
             self.kern_api.shutdown(bad_id)
+
+    def test_connections(self):
+        kid = self.kern_api.start().json()['id']
+        model = self.kern_api.get(kid).json()
+        self.assertEqual(model['connections'], 0)
+
+        ws = self.kern_api.websocket(kid)
+        model = self.kern_api.get(kid).json()
+        self.assertEqual(model['connections'], 1)
+        ws.close()
+        # give it some time to close on the other side:
+        for i in range(10):
+            model = self.kern_api.get(kid).json()
+            if model['connections'] > 0:
+                time.sleep(0.1)
+            else:
+                break
+        model = self.kern_api.get(kid).json()
+        self.assertEqual(model['connections'], 0)
diff --git a/notebook/services/security/handlers.py b/notebook/services/security/handlers.py
index 36da227dd..f20e18058 100644
--- a/notebook/services/security/handlers.py
+++ b/notebook/services/security/handlers.py
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ from . import csp_report_uri
 class CSPReportHandler(APIHandler):
     '''Accepts a content security policy violation report'''
 
+    _track_activity = False
+
     def skip_origin_check(self):
         """Don't check origin when reporting origin-check violations!"""
         return True
diff --git a/notebook/services/sessions/tests/test_sessionmanager.py b/notebook/services/sessions/tests/test_sessionmanager.py
index f45024e56..96847a868 100644
--- a/notebook/services/sessions/tests/test_sessionmanager.py
+++ b/notebook/services/sessions/tests/test_sessionmanager.py
@@ -9,11 +9,15 @@ from tornado.ioloop import IOLoop
 from ..sessionmanager import SessionManager
 from notebook.services.kernels.kernelmanager import MappingKernelManager
 from notebook.services.contents.manager import ContentsManager
+from notebook._tz import utcnow, isoformat
 
 class DummyKernel(object):
     def __init__(self, kernel_name='python'):
         self.kernel_name = kernel_name
 
+dummy_date = utcnow()
+dummy_date_s = isoformat(dummy_date)
+
 class DummyMKM(MappingKernelManager):
     """MappingKernelManager interface that doesn't start kernels, for testing"""
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
@@ -25,7 +29,10 @@ class DummyMKM(MappingKernelManager):
     
     def start_kernel(self, kernel_id=None, path=None, kernel_name='python', **kwargs):
         kernel_id = kernel_id or self._new_id()
-        self._kernels[kernel_id] = DummyKernel(kernel_name=kernel_name)
+        k = self._kernels[kernel_id] = DummyKernel(kernel_name=kernel_name)
+        self._kernel_connections[kernel_id] = 0
+        k.last_activity = dummy_date
+        k.execution_state = 'idle'
         return kernel_id
 
     def shutdown_kernel(self, kernel_id, now=False):
@@ -65,7 +72,13 @@ class TestSessionManager(TestCase):
                     'notebook': {'path': u'/path/to/test.ipynb', 'name': None},
                     'type': 'notebook',
                     'name': None,
-                    'kernel': {'id':u'A', 'name': 'bar'}}
+                    'kernel': {
+                        'id': 'A',
+                        'name': 'bar',
+                        'connections': 0,
+                        'last_activity': dummy_date_s,
+                        'execution_state': 'idle',
+                    }}
         self.assertEqual(model, expected)
 
     def test_bad_get_session(self):
@@ -102,19 +115,37 @@ class TestSessionManager(TestCase):
                 'type': 'notebook',
                 'notebook': {'path': u'/path/to/1/test1.ipynb', 'name': None},
                 'name': None,
-                'kernel':{'id':u'A', 'name':'python'}
+                'kernel': {
+                    'id': 'A',
+                    'name':'python',
+                    'connections': 0,
+                    'last_activity': dummy_date_s,
+                    'execution_state': 'idle',
+                }
             }, {
                 'id':sessions[1]['id'],
                 'path': u'/path/to/2/test2.py',
                 'type': 'file',
                 'name': None,
-                'kernel':{'id':u'B', 'name':'python'}
+                'kernel': {
+                    'id': 'B',
+                    'name':'python',
+                    'connections': 0,
+                    'last_activity': dummy_date_s,
+                    'execution_state': 'idle',
+                }
             }, {
                 'id':sessions[2]['id'],
                 'path': u'/path/to/3',
                 'type': 'console',
                 'name': 'foo',
-                'kernel':{'id':u'C', 'name':'python'}
+                'kernel': {
+                    'id': 'C',
+                    'name':'python',
+                    'connections': 0,
+                    'last_activity': dummy_date_s,
+                    'execution_state': 'idle',
+                }
             }
         ]
         self.assertEqual(sessions, expected)
@@ -136,8 +167,11 @@ class TestSessionManager(TestCase):
                 'name': None,
                 'notebook': {'path': u'/path/to/2/test2.ipynb', 'name': None},
                 'kernel': {
-                    'id': u'B',
+                    'id': 'B',
                     'name':'python',
+                    'connections': 0,
+                    'last_activity': dummy_date_s,
+                    'execution_state': 'idle',
                 }
             }
         ]
@@ -154,7 +188,14 @@ class TestSessionManager(TestCase):
                     'type': 'notebook',
                     'name': None,
                     'notebook': {'path': u'/path/to/new_name.ipynb', 'name': None},
-                    'kernel':{'id':u'A', 'name':'julia'}}
+                    'kernel': {
+                        'id': 'A',
+                        'name':'julia',
+                        'connections': 0,
+                        'last_activity': dummy_date_s,
+                        'execution_state': 'idle',
+                    }
+        }
         self.assertEqual(model, expected)
     
     def test_bad_update_session(self):
@@ -179,13 +220,25 @@ class TestSessionManager(TestCase):
                 'type': 'notebook',
                 'name': None,
                 'notebook': {'path': u'/path/to/1/test1.ipynb', 'name': None},
-                'kernel': {'id':u'A', 'name':'python'}
+                'kernel': {
+                    'id': 'A',
+                    'name':'python',
+                    'connections': 0,
+                    'last_activity': dummy_date_s,
+                    'execution_state': 'idle',
+                }
             }, {
                 'id': sessions[2]['id'],
                 'type': 'console',
                 'path': u'/path/to/3',
                 'name': 'foo',
-                'kernel': {'id':u'C', 'name':'python'}
+                'kernel': {
+                    'id': 'C',
+                    'name':'python',
+                    'connections': 0,
+                    'last_activity': dummy_date_s,
+                    'execution_state': 'idle',
+                }
             }
         ]
         self.assertEqual(new_sessions, expected)
diff --git a/notebook/services/sessions/tests/test_sessions_api.py b/notebook/services/sessions/tests/test_sessions_api.py
index dba1417d6..a947316df 100644
--- a/notebook/services/sessions/tests/test_sessions_api.py
+++ b/notebook/services/sessions/tests/test_sessions_api.py
@@ -225,6 +225,8 @@ class SessionAPITest(NotebookTestBase):
         r = self.request('GET', 'api/kernels')
         r.raise_for_status()
         kernel_list = r.json()
+        after['kernel'].pop('last_activity')
+        [ k.pop('last_activity') for k in kernel_list ]
         self.assertEqual(kernel_list, [after['kernel']])
 
     def test_modify_kernel_id(self):
@@ -248,4 +250,7 @@ class SessionAPITest(NotebookTestBase):
         r = self.request('GET', 'api/kernels')
         r.raise_for_status()
         kernel_list = r.json()
+
+        kernel.pop('last_activity')
+        [ k.pop('last_activity') for k in kernel_list ]
         self.assertEqual(kernel_list, [kernel])
diff --git a/notebook/tests/launchnotebook.py b/notebook/tests/launchnotebook.py
index 9ffe34989..146f63314 100644
--- a/notebook/tests/launchnotebook.py
+++ b/notebook/tests/launchnotebook.py
@@ -72,16 +72,22 @@ class NotebookTestBase(TestCase):
             raise TimeoutError("Undead notebook server")
     
     @classmethod
-    def request(self, verb, path, **kwargs):
+    def auth_headers(cls):
+        headers = {}
+        if cls.token:
+            headers['Authorization'] = 'token %s' % cls.token
+        return headers
+
+    @classmethod
+    def request(cls, verb, path, **kwargs):
         """Send a request to my server
         
         with authentication and everything.
         """
         headers = kwargs.setdefault('headers', {})
-        # kwargs.setdefault('allow_redirects', False)
-        headers.setdefault('Authorization', 'token %s' % self.token)
+        headers.update(cls.auth_headers())
         response = requests.request(verb,
-            url_path_join(self.base_url(), path),
+            url_path_join(cls.base_url(), path),
             **kwargs)
         return response