diff --git a/pkg/api/api.go b/pkg/api/api.go
index b77aec72..a14fe872 100644
--- a/pkg/api/api.go
+++ b/pkg/api/api.go
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ import (
 	"stream.place/streamplace/pkg/mist/mistconfig"
 	"stream.place/streamplace/pkg/model"
 	"stream.place/streamplace/pkg/notifications"
-	"stream.place/streamplace/pkg/spmetrics"
 	"stream.place/streamplace/pkg/spxrpc"
 	"stream.place/streamplace/pkg/statedb"
 	"stream.place/streamplace/pkg/streamplace"
@@ -574,7 +573,7 @@ func (a *StreamplaceAPI) HandleViewCount(ctx context.Context) httprouter.Handle
 			apierrors.WriteHTTPNotFound(w, "user not found", err)
 			return
 		}
-		count := spmetrics.GetViewCount(user)
+		count := a.Bus.GetViewerCount(user)
 		bs, err := json.Marshal(streamplace.Livestream_ViewerCount{Count: int64(count), LexiconTypeID: "place.stream.livestream#viewerCount"})
 		if err != nil {
 			apierrors.WriteHTTPInternalServerError(w, "could not marshal view count", err)
diff --git a/pkg/atproto/sync.go b/pkg/atproto/sync.go
index 13610a55..15d7bd1d 100644
--- a/pkg/atproto/sync.go
+++ b/pkg/atproto/sync.go
@@ -559,6 +559,10 @@ func (atsync *ATProtoSynchronizer) handleCreateUpdate(ctx context.Context, userD
 		// This allows moderators to see their permissions instantly without page refresh
 		go atsync.Bus.Publish(userDID, view)
 
+	case *streamplace.LiveViewCount:
+		log.Debug(ctx, "indexing view count", "streamer", rec.Streamer, "server", rec.Server, "count", rec.Count)
+		atsync.Bus.SetFederatedViewCount(rec.Streamer, rec.Server, int(rec.Count))
+
 	case *streamplace.LiveRecommendations:
 		log.Debug(ctx, "creating recommendations", "userDID", userDID, "count", len(rec.Streamers))
 
diff --git a/pkg/bus/bus.go b/pkg/bus/bus.go
index 9f004223..3b8335b7 100644
--- a/pkg/bus/bus.go
+++ b/pkg/bus/bus.go
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 package bus
 
 import (
+	"strings"
 	"sync"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/patrickmn/go-cache"
 )
 
 type Message any
@@ -24,6 +28,11 @@ type Bus struct {
 	viewerCounts             map[string]map[string]int
 	viewerCountsMutex        sync.RWMutex
 	viewerCountSubscriptions []chan ViewerCountUpdate
+
+	// federatedViewCounts stores reported view counts from remote servers.
+	// Key: "{streamerDID}:{serverDID}", Value: int (count).
+	// 2min TTL so stale servers drop off (records update every ~30s).
+	federatedViewCounts *cache.Cache
 }
 
 func NewBus() *Bus {
@@ -33,6 +42,7 @@ func NewBus() *Bus {
 		segBuf:                   make(map[string][]*Seg),
 		viewerCounts:             make(map[string]map[string]int),
 		viewerCountSubscriptions: []chan ViewerCountUpdate{},
+		federatedViewCounts:      cache.New(2*time.Minute, 4*time.Minute),
 	}
 }
 
@@ -95,17 +105,32 @@ func (b *Bus) Publish(user string, msg Message) {
 func (b *Bus) GetViewerCount(user string) int {
 	b.viewerCountsMutex.RLock()
 	defer b.viewerCountsMutex.RUnlock()
-	streamerCounts, ok := b.viewerCounts[user]
-	if !ok {
-		return 0
-	}
+	// Local viewer counts (from HLS connections on this node)
 	count := 0
-	for _, viewers := range streamerCounts {
-		count += viewers
+	if streamerCounts, ok := b.viewerCounts[user]; ok {
+		for _, viewers := range streamerCounts {
+			count += viewers
+		}
+	}
+	// Federated view counts (reported by remote servers via atproto)
+	prefix := user + ":"
+	for k, v := range b.federatedViewCounts.Items() {
+		if strings.HasPrefix(k, prefix) && !v.Expired() {
+			if c, ok := v.Object.(int); ok {
+				count += c
+			}
+		}
 	}
 	return count
 }
 
+// SetFederatedViewCount stores a view count reported by a remote server.
+// The count will expire after 2 minutes if not refreshed.
+func (b *Bus) SetFederatedViewCount(streamer string, server string, count int) {
+	key := streamer + ":" + server
+	b.federatedViewCounts.SetDefault(key, count)
+}
+
 func (b *Bus) SetViewerCount(user string, origin string, count int) {
 	b.viewerCountsMutex.Lock()
 	defer b.viewerCountsMutex.Unlock()
diff --git a/pkg/spxrpc/place_stream_live.go b/pkg/spxrpc/place_stream_live.go
index fcf69183..0caa6cce 100644
--- a/pkg/spxrpc/place_stream_live.go
+++ b/pkg/spxrpc/place_stream_live.go
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ func (s *Server) handlePlaceStreamLiveGetLiveUsers(ctx context.Context, before s
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, echo.NewHTTPError(http.StatusInternalServerError, fmt.Sprintf("Failed to convert livestream to streamplace livestream: %s", err))
 		}
-		viewers := spmetrics.GetViewCount(stream.Author.Did)
+		viewers := s.bus.GetViewerCount(stream.Author.Did)
 		stream.ViewerCount = &placestream.Livestream_ViewerCount{
 			LexiconTypeID: "place.stream.livestream#viewerCount",
 			Count:         int64(viewers),