diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/base_model.py b/bookwyrm/models/base_model.py
index 60e5da0ad..cb2fc851e 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/base_model.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/base_model.py
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ class BookWyrmModel(models.Model):
 
 @receiver(models.signals.post_save)
 # pylint: disable=unused-argument
-def execute_after_save(sender, instance, created, *args, **kwargs):
+def set_remote_id(sender, instance, created, *args, **kwargs):
     """ set the remote_id after save (when the id is available) """
     if not created or not hasattr(instance, "get_remote_id"):
         return
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/status.py b/bookwyrm/models/status.py
index 904ce461d..6d93ff0a2 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/status.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/status.py
@@ -5,11 +5,14 @@ import re
 from django.apps import apps
 from django.core.validators import MaxValueValidator, MinValueValidator
 from django.db import models
+from django.db.models import Q
+from django.dispatch import receiver
 from django.template.loader import get_template
 from django.utils import timezone
 from model_utils.managers import InheritanceManager
+import redis
 
-from bookwyrm import activitypub
+from bookwyrm import activitypub, settings
 from .activitypub_mixin import ActivitypubMixin, ActivityMixin
 from .activitypub_mixin import OrderedCollectionPageMixin
 from .base_model import BookWyrmModel
@@ -17,6 +20,10 @@ from .fields import image_serializer
 from .readthrough import ProgressMode
 from . import fields
 
+r = redis.Redis(
+    host=settings.REDIS_ACTIVITY_HOST, port=settings.REDIS_ACTIVITY_PORT, db=0
+)
+
 
 class Status(OrderedCollectionPageMixin, BookWyrmModel):
     """ any post, like a reply to a review, etc """
@@ -383,3 +390,71 @@ class Boost(ActivityMixin, Status):
     # This constraint can't work as it would cross tables.
     # class Meta:
     #     unique_together = ('user', 'boosted_status')
+
+
+@receiver(models.signals.post_save)
+# pylint: disable=unused-argument
+def update_feeds(sender, instance, created, *args, **kwargs):
+    """ add statuses to activity feeds """
+    # we're only interested in new statuses that aren't dms
+    if not created or not issubclass(sender, Status) or instance.privacy == 'direct':
+        return
+
+    user = instance.user
+
+    community = user.__class__.objects.filter(
+        local=True # we only manage timelines for local users
+    ).exclude(
+        Q(id__in=user.blocks.all()) | Q(blocks=user)  # not blocked
+    )
+
+    # ------ home timeline: users you follow and yourself
+    friends = community.filter(
+        Q(id=user.id) | Q(following=user)
+    )
+    add_status(friends, instance, 'home')
+
+    # local and federated timelines only get public statuses
+    if instance.privacy != 'public':
+        return
+
+    # ------ federated timeline: to anyone, anywhere
+    add_status(community, instance, 'federated')
+
+    # if the author is a remote user, it doesn't go on the local timeline
+    if not user.local:
+        return
+
+    # ------ local timeline: to anyone, anywhere
+    add_status(community, instance, 'local')
+
+
+def add_status(users, status, feed_name):
+    """ add a status to users' feeds """
+    # we want to do this as a bulk operation
+    pipeline = r.pipeline()
+    value = {status.id: status.published_date.timestamp()}
+    for user in users:
+        feed_id = '{}-{}'.format(user.id, feed_name)
+        unread_feed_id = '{}-unread'.format(feed_id)
+
+        # add the status to the feed
+        pipeline.zadd(feed_id, value)
+
+        # add to the unread status count
+        pipeline.incr(unread_feed_id)
+    pipeline.execute()
+
+
+def get_activity_stream(user, feed_name, start, end):
+    """ load the ids for statuses to be displayed """
+    feed_id = '{}-{}'.format(user.id, feed_name)
+    unread_feed_id = '{}-unread'.format(feed_id)
+
+    # clear unreads for this feed
+    r.set(unread_feed_id, 0)
+
+    statuses = r.zrange(feed_id, start, end)
+    return Status.objects.select_subclasses().filter(
+        id__in=statuses
+    ).order_by('-published_date')
diff --git a/bookwyrm/settings.py b/bookwyrm/settings.py
index cd8448503..bc210dacc 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/settings.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/settings.py
@@ -92,10 +92,12 @@ TEMPLATES = [
 
 WSGI_APPLICATION = "bookwyrm.wsgi.application"
 
-# redis
+# redis/activity streams settings
 REDIS_ACTIVITY_HOST = env("REDIS_ACTIVITY_HOST", "localhost")
 REDIS_ACTIVITY_PORT = env("REDIS_ACTIVITY_PORT", 6379)
 
+MAX_STREAM_LENGTH = env("MAX_STREAM_LENGTH", 200)
+
 # Database
 # https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/2.0/ref/settings/#databases
 
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/feed.py b/bookwyrm/views/feed.py
index d08c9a42c..a19c2738a 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/feed.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/feed.py
@@ -28,19 +28,22 @@ class Feed(View):
         except ValueError:
             page = 1
 
-        if tab == "home":
-            activities = get_activity_feed(request.user, following_only=True)
+        try:
+            tab_title = {
+                'home': _("Home"),
+                "local": _("Local"),
+                "federated": _("Federated")
+            }[tab]
+        except KeyError:
+            tab = 'home'
             tab_title = _("Home")
-        elif tab == "local":
-            activities = get_activity_feed(
-                request.user, privacy=["public", "followers"], local_only=True
-            )
-            tab_title = _("Local")
-        else:
-            activities = get_activity_feed(
-                request.user, privacy=["public", "followers"]
-            )
-            tab_title = _("Federated")
+
+        activities = models.status.get_activity_stream(
+            request.user, tab,
+            (1 - page) * PAGE_LENGTH,
+            page * PAGE_LENGTH
+        )
+
         paginated = Paginator(activities, PAGE_LENGTH)
 
         data = {