diff --git a/editor/liveblocks.config.ts b/editor/liveblocks.config.ts
index 479d9d49b2dc..3b9bc2a81a00 100644
--- a/editor/liveblocks.config.ts
+++ b/editor/liveblocks.config.ts
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ export const {
     useUpdateMyPresence,
     useSelf,
     useOthers,
+    useOthersListener,
     useOthersMapped,
     useOthersConnectionIds,
     useOther,
diff --git a/editor/src/components/canvas/multiplayer-cursors.tsx b/editor/src/components/canvas/multiplayer-cursors.tsx
index 67493449d6ea..283bcfb170ab 100644
--- a/editor/src/components/canvas/multiplayer-cursors.tsx
+++ b/editor/src/components/canvas/multiplayer-cursors.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,14 @@
+import type { User } from '@liveblocks/client'
 import { motion } from 'framer-motion'
 import React from 'react'
-import { useOthers, useRoom, useSelf, useUpdateMyPresence } from '../../../liveblocks.config'
+import type { Presence, UserMeta } from '../../../liveblocks.config'
+import {
+  useOthers,
+  useOthersListener,
+  useRoom,
+  useSelf,
+  useUpdateMyPresence,
+} from '../../../liveblocks.config'
 import { useAddMyselfToCollaborators } from '../../core/commenting/comment-hooks'
 import type { CanvasPoint } from '../../core/shared/math-utils'
 import { pointsEqual, windowPoint } from '../../core/shared/math-utils'
@@ -10,6 +18,7 @@ import {
   normalizeOthersList,
   possiblyUniqueColor,
 } from '../../core/shared/multiplayer'
+import { assertNever } from '../../core/shared/utils'
 import { useKeepShallowReferenceEquality } from '../../utils/react-performance'
 import { UtopiaTheme, useColorTheme } from '../../uuiui'
 import type { EditorAction } from '../editor/action-types'
@@ -25,18 +34,18 @@ export const MultiplayerPresence = React.memo(() => {
   const dispatch = useDispatch()
 
   const room = useRoom()
-  const self = useSelf()
-  const others = useOthers((list) => normalizeOthersList(self.id, list))
+  const me = useSelf()
+  const others = useOthers((list) => normalizeOthersList(me.id, list))
   const updateMyPresence = useUpdateMyPresence()
 
-  const selfColorIndex = React.useMemo(() => self.presence.colorIndex, [self.presence])
+  const myColorIndex = React.useMemo(() => me.presence.colorIndex, [me.presence])
   const otherColorIndices = useKeepShallowReferenceEquality(
     others.map((other) => other.presence.colorIndex),
   )
 
   const getColorIndex = React.useCallback(() => {
-    return selfColorIndex ?? possiblyUniqueColor(otherColorIndices)
-  }, [selfColorIndex, otherColorIndices])
+    return myColorIndex ?? possiblyUniqueColor(otherColorIndices)
+  }, [myColorIndex, otherColorIndices])
   const loginState = useEditorState(
     Substores.userState,
     (store) => store.userState.loginState,
@@ -107,8 +116,8 @@ export const MultiplayerPresence = React.memo(() => {
 MultiplayerPresence.displayName = 'MultiplayerPresence'
 
 const MultiplayerCursors = React.memo(() => {
-  const self = useSelf()
-  const others = useOthers((list) => normalizeOthersList(self.id, list))
+  const me = useSelf()
+  const others = useOthers((list) => normalizeOthersList(me.id, list))
 
   return (
     <div
@@ -224,8 +233,7 @@ const FollowingOverlay = React.memo(() => {
   const colorTheme = useColorTheme()
   const dispatch = useDispatch()
 
-  const self = useSelf()
-  const others = useOthers((list) => normalizeOthersList(self.id, list))
+  const room = useRoom()
 
   const mode = useEditorState(
     Substores.restOfEditor,
@@ -243,34 +251,59 @@ const FollowingOverlay = React.memo(() => {
     'FollowingOverlay canvasOffset',
   )
 
+  const isFollowTarget = React.useCallback(
+    (other: User<Presence, UserMeta>): boolean => {
+      return isFollowMode(mode) && other.id === mode.playerId
+    },
+    [mode],
+  )
+
+  const resetFollowed = React.useCallback(() => {
+    dispatch([switchEditorMode(EditorModes.selectMode(null, false, 'none'))])
+  }, [dispatch])
+
   const followed = React.useMemo(() => {
-    return others.find((other) => isFollowMode(mode) && other.id === mode.playerId)
-  }, [others, mode])
+    return room.getOthers().find(isFollowTarget) ?? null
+  }, [room, isFollowTarget])
 
-  React.useEffect(() => {
-    // when following another player, apply its canvas constraints
-    if (followed == null) {
-      if (isFollowMode(mode)) {
-        // reset if the other player disconnects
-        dispatch([switchEditorMode(EditorModes.selectMode(null, false, 'none'))])
+  const updateCanvasFromOtherPresence = React.useCallback(
+    (presence: Presence) => {
+      let actions: EditorAction[] = []
+      if (presence.canvasScale != null && presence.canvasScale !== canvasScale) {
+        actions.push(CanvasActions.zoom(presence.canvasScale, null))
       }
-      return
-    }
+      if (presence.canvasOffset != null && !pointsEqual(presence.canvasOffset, canvasOffset)) {
+        actions.push(CanvasActions.positionCanvas(presence.canvasOffset))
+      }
+      if (actions.length > 0) {
+        dispatch(actions)
+      }
+    },
+    [dispatch, canvasScale, canvasOffset],
+  )
 
-    let actions: EditorAction[] = []
-    if (followed.presence.canvasScale != null && followed.presence.canvasScale !== canvasScale) {
-      actions.push(CanvasActions.zoom(followed.presence.canvasScale, null))
-    }
-    if (
-      followed.presence.canvasOffset != null &&
-      !pointsEqual(followed.presence.canvasOffset, canvasOffset)
-    ) {
-      actions.push(CanvasActions.positionCanvas(followed.presence.canvasOffset))
-    }
-    if (actions.length > 0) {
-      dispatch(actions)
+  useOthersListener((event) => {
+    if (isFollowMode(mode)) {
+      switch (event.type) {
+        case 'enter':
+        case 'update':
+          if (isFollowTarget(event.user)) {
+            updateCanvasFromOtherPresence(event.user.presence)
+          }
+          break
+        case 'leave':
+          if (isFollowTarget(event.user)) {
+            resetFollowed()
+          }
+          break
+        case 'reset':
+          resetFollowed()
+          break
+        default:
+          assertNever(event)
+      }
     }
-  }, [followed, canvasScale, canvasOffset, dispatch, mode])
+  })
 
   if (followed == null) {
     return null
diff --git a/editor/src/components/user-bar.tsx b/editor/src/components/user-bar.tsx
index 938e8b129787..297eafdd6a44 100644
--- a/editor/src/components/user-bar.tsx
+++ b/editor/src/components/user-bar.tsx
@@ -61,11 +61,11 @@ const MultiplayerUserBar = React.memo(() => {
   const dispatch = useDispatch()
   const colorTheme = useColorTheme()
 
-  const self = useSelf()
-  const myName = normalizeMultiplayerName(self.presence.name)
+  const me = useSelf()
+  const myName = normalizeMultiplayerName(me.presence.name)
 
   const others = useOthers((list) =>
-    normalizeOthersList(self.id, list).map((other) => ({
+    normalizeOthersList(me.id, list).map((other) => ({
       id: other.id,
       name: other.presence.name,
       colorIndex: other.presence.colorIndex,
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ const MultiplayerUserBar = React.memo(() => {
     [dispatch, mode],
   )
 
-  if (self.presence.name == null) {
+  if (me.presence.name == null) {
     // it may still be loading, so fallback until it sorts itself out
     return <SinglePlayerUserBar />
   }
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ const MultiplayerUserBar = React.memo(() => {
           name={multiplayerInitialsFromName(myName)}
           tooltip={`${myName} (you)`}
           color={{ background: colorTheme.bg3.value, foreground: colorTheme.fg1.value }}
-          picture={self.presence.picture}
+          picture={me.presence.picture}
         />
       </a>
     </div>
diff --git a/editor/src/core/commenting/comment-hooks.tsx b/editor/src/core/commenting/comment-hooks.tsx
index af7daf761372..7979b51fb929 100644
--- a/editor/src/core/commenting/comment-hooks.tsx
+++ b/editor/src/core/commenting/comment-hooks.tsx
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ export function useCanvasCommentThread(x: number, y: number): ThreadData<ThreadM
 }
 
 export function useMyMultiplayerColorIndex() {
-  const self = useSelf()
-  return self.presence.colorIndex
+  const me = useSelf()
+  return me.presence.colorIndex
 }
 
 export function useAddMyselfToCollaborators() {