diff --git a/app/controllers/status_messages_controller.rb b/app/controllers/status_messages_controller.rb
index fc79eed3e..e0d493d45 100644
--- a/app/controllers/status_messages_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/status_messages_controller.rb
@@ -47,13 +47,13 @@ class StatusMessagesController < ApplicationController
     @status_message = current_user.build_post(:status_message, params[:status_message])
     @status_message.attach_photos_by_ids(params[:photos])
 
-
     if @status_message.save
       aspects = current_user.aspects_from_ids(destination_aspect_ids)
       current_user.add_to_streams(@status_message, aspects)
       receiving_services = Service.titles(services)
 
       current_user.dispatch_post(@status_message, :url => short_post_url(@status_message.guid), :service_types => receiving_services)
+      current_user.participate!(@status_message)
 
       if coming_from_profile_page? # if this is a post coming from a profile page
         flash[:notice] = successful_mention_message
diff --git a/features/participate_stream.feature b/features/participate_stream.feature
index 47d2213c5..176670a56 100644
--- a/features/participate_stream.feature
+++ b/features/participate_stream.feature
@@ -8,6 +8,11 @@ Feature: The participate stream
     And I post "B- barack obama is your new bicycle"
     And I post "C- barack obama is a square"
 
+    When I go to the participate page
+    Then "C- barack obama is a square" should be post 1
+    And "B- barack obama is your new bicycle" should be post 2
+    And "A- I like turtles" should be post 3
+
     When I pin the post "A- I like turtles"
     And I wait for 1 second
     And I comment "Sassy sawfish" on "C- barack obama is a square"