diff --git a/mopidy/frontends/mpd/__init__.py b/mopidy/frontends/mpd/__init__.py
index 561f9295..6f6e3bfc 100644
--- a/mopidy/frontends/mpd/__init__.py
+++ b/mopidy/frontends/mpd/__init__.py
@@ -1,15 +1,15 @@
 import logging
 import sys
 
-from pykka.actor import ThreadingActor
+from pykka import registry, actor
 
-from mopidy import settings
+from mopidy import listeners, settings
 from mopidy.frontends.mpd import dispatcher, protocol
 from mopidy.utils import network, process, log
 
 logger = logging.getLogger('mopidy.frontends.mpd')
 
-class MpdFrontend(ThreadingActor):
+class MpdFrontend(actor.ThreadingActor, listeners.BackendListener):
     """
     The MPD frontend.
 
@@ -39,6 +39,25 @@ class MpdFrontend(ThreadingActor):
     def on_stop(self):
         process.stop_actors_by_class(MpdSession)
 
+    def send_idle(self, subsystem):
+        # FIXME this should be updated once pykka supports non-blocking calls
+        # on proxies or some similar solution
+        registry.ActorRegistry.broadcast({
+            'command': 'pykka_call',
+            'attr_path': ('on_idle',),
+            'args': [subsystem],
+            'kwargs': {},
+        }, target_class=MpdSession)
+
+    def playback_state_changed(self):
+        self.send_idle('player')
+
+    def playlist_changed(self):
+        self.send_idle('playlist')
+
+    def options_changed(self):
+        self.send_idle('options')
+
 
 class MpdSession(network.LineProtocol):
     """
@@ -70,5 +89,8 @@ class MpdSession(network.LineProtocol):
 
         self.send_lines(response)
 
+    def on_idle(self, subsystem):
+        self.dispatcher.handle_idle(subsystem)
+
     def close(self):
         self.stop()
diff --git a/mopidy/frontends/mpd/dispatcher.py b/mopidy/frontends/mpd/dispatcher.py
index 0f0f0299..6cc05bec 100644
--- a/mopidy/frontends/mpd/dispatcher.py
+++ b/mopidy/frontends/mpd/dispatcher.py
@@ -47,6 +47,9 @@ class MpdDispatcher(object):
         ]
         return self._call_next_filter(request, response, filter_chain)
 
+    def handle_idle(self, subsystem):
+        logger.debug(u'Got idle event for %s', subsystem)
+
     def _call_next_filter(self, request, response, filter_chain):
         if filter_chain:
             next_filter = filter_chain.pop(0)
diff --git a/mopidy/listeners.py b/mopidy/listeners.py
index c0453a2b..5fbccff5 100644
--- a/mopidy/listeners.py
+++ b/mopidy/listeners.py
@@ -14,11 +14,13 @@ class BackendListener(object):
     @staticmethod
     def send(event, **kwargs):
         """Helper to allow calling of backend listener events"""
+        # FIXME this should be updated once pykka supports non-blocking calls
+        # on proxies or some similar solution
         registry.ActorRegistry.broadcast({
             'command': 'pykka_call',
             'attr_path': (event,),
             'args': [],
-            'kwargs': kwargs
+            'kwargs': kwargs,
         }, target_class=BackendListener)
 
     def track_playback_started(self, track):