diff --git a/hyprctl/hw-protocols/hyprpaper_core.xml b/hyprctl/hw-protocols/hyprpaper_core.xml
index fa2edc0a..3d26a102 100644
--- a/hyprctl/hw-protocols/hyprpaper_core.xml
+++ b/hyprctl/hw-protocols/hyprpaper_core.xml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
-<protocol name="hyprpaper_core" version="1">
+<protocol name="hyprpaper_core" version="2">
   <copyright>
     BSD 3-Clause License
 
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
     OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
   </copyright>
 
-  <object name="hyprpaper_core_manager" version="1">
+  <object name="hyprpaper_core_manager" version="2">
     <description summary="manager object">
       This is the core manager object for hyprpaper operations
     </description>
@@ -62,6 +62,13 @@
         Destroys this object. Children remain alive until destroyed.
       </description>
     </c2s>
+
+    <c2s name="get_status_object" since="2">
+      <description summary="Get a status object">
+        Creates a status object
+      </description>
+      <returns iface="hyprpaper_status"/>
+    </c2s>
   </object>
 
   <enum name="wallpaper_fit_mode">
@@ -141,4 +148,25 @@
       </description>
     </c2s>
   </object>
+
+  <object name="hyprpaper_status" version="2">
+    <description summary="status object">
+      This is an object which will emit various status updates.
+    </description>
+    
+    <s2c name="active_wallpaper">
+      <description summary="Active wallpaper state">
+        Sends the active wallpaper for a given monitor. This will be emitted
+        immediately after binding, and then every time the path changes.
+      </description>
+      <arg name="monitor" type="varchar" summary="monitor name"/>
+      <arg name="path" type="varchar" summary="wallpaper path"/>
+    </s2c>
+
+    <c2s name="destroy" destructor="true">
+      <description summary="Destroy this object">
+        Destroys this object.
+      </description>
+    </c2s>
+  </object>
 </protocol>
diff --git a/hyprctl/src/hyprpaper/Hyprpaper.cpp b/hyprctl/src/hyprpaper/Hyprpaper.cpp
index 7c74d7ce..93f4182a 100644
--- a/hyprctl/src/hyprpaper/Hyprpaper.cpp
+++ b/hyprctl/src/hyprpaper/Hyprpaper.cpp
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include <optional>
 #include <format>
 #include <filesystem>
+#include <print>
 
 #include <hyprpaper_core-client.hpp>
 
@@ -15,7 +16,7 @@ using namespace std::string_literals;
 constexpr const char*          SOCKET_NAME = ".hyprpaper.sock";
 static SP<CCHyprpaperCoreImpl> g_coreImpl;
 
-constexpr const uint32_t       PROTOCOL_VERSION_SUPPORTED = 1;
+constexpr const uint32_t       PROTOCOL_VERSION_SUPPORTED = 2;
 
 //
 static hyprpaperCoreWallpaperFitMode fitFromString(const std::string_view& sv) {
@@ -53,21 +54,7 @@ static std::expected<std::string, std::string> getFullPath(const std::string_vie
     return resolvePath(sv);
 }
 
-std::expected<void, std::string> Hyprpaper::makeHyprpaperRequest(const std::string_view& rq) {
-    if (!rq.contains(' '))
-        return std::unexpected("Invalid request");
-
-    if (!rq.starts_with("/hyprpaper "))
-        return std::unexpected("Invalid request");
-
-    std::string_view LHS, RHS;
-    auto             spacePos = rq.find(' ', 12);
-    LHS                       = rq.substr(11, spacePos - 11);
-    RHS                       = rq.substr(spacePos + 1);
-
-    if (LHS != "wallpaper")
-        return std::unexpected("Unknown hyprpaper request");
-
+static std::expected<void, std::string> doWallpaper(const std::string_view& RHS) {
     CVarList2         args(std::string{RHS}, 0, ',');
 
     const std::string MONITOR  = std::string{args[0]};
@@ -99,7 +86,7 @@ std::expected<void, std::string> Hyprpaper::makeHyprpaperRequest(const std::stri
     if (!socket)
         return std::unexpected("can't send: failed to connect to hyprpaper (is it running?)");
 
-    g_coreImpl = makeShared<CCHyprpaperCoreImpl>(1);
+    g_coreImpl = makeShared<CCHyprpaperCoreImpl>(PROTOCOL_VERSION_SUPPORTED);
 
     socket->addImplementation(g_coreImpl);
 
@@ -111,7 +98,7 @@ std::expected<void, std::string> Hyprpaper::makeHyprpaperRequest(const std::stri
     if (!spec)
         return std::unexpected("can't send: hyprpaper doesn't have the spec?!");
 
-    auto manager = makeShared<CCHyprpaperCoreManagerObject>(socket->bindProtocol(g_coreImpl->protocol(), PROTOCOL_VERSION_SUPPORTED));
+    auto manager = makeShared<CCHyprpaperCoreManagerObject>(socket->bindProtocol(g_coreImpl->protocol(), std::min(PROTOCOL_VERSION_SUPPORTED, spec->specVer())));
 
     if (!manager)
         return std::unexpected("wire error: couldn't create manager");
@@ -150,3 +137,72 @@ std::expected<void, std::string> Hyprpaper::makeHyprpaperRequest(const std::stri
 
     return {};
 }
+
+static std::expected<void, std::string> doListActive() {
+    const auto RTDIR = getenv("XDG_RUNTIME_DIR");
+
+    if (!RTDIR || RTDIR[0] == '\0')
+        return std::unexpected("can't send: no XDG_RUNTIME_DIR");
+
+    const auto HIS = getenv("HYPRLAND_INSTANCE_SIGNATURE");
+
+    if (!HIS || HIS[0] == '\0')
+        return std::unexpected("can't send: no HYPRLAND_INSTANCE_SIGNATURE (not running under hyprland)");
+
+    auto socketPath = RTDIR + "/hypr/"s + HIS + "/"s + SOCKET_NAME;
+
+    auto socket = Hyprwire::IClientSocket::open(socketPath);
+
+    if (!socket)
+        return std::unexpected("can't send: failed to connect to hyprpaper (is it running?)");
+
+    g_coreImpl = makeShared<CCHyprpaperCoreImpl>(PROTOCOL_VERSION_SUPPORTED);
+
+    socket->addImplementation(g_coreImpl);
+
+    if (!socket->waitForHandshake())
+        return std::unexpected("can't send: wire handshake failed");
+
+    auto spec = socket->getSpec(g_coreImpl->protocol()->specName());
+
+    if (!spec)
+        return std::unexpected("can't send: hyprpaper doesn't have the spec?!");
+
+    if (spec->specVer() < 2)
+        return std::unexpected("can't send: hyprpaper protocol version too low (hyprpaper too old)");
+
+    auto manager = makeShared<CCHyprpaperCoreManagerObject>(socket->bindProtocol(g_coreImpl->protocol(), std::min(PROTOCOL_VERSION_SUPPORTED, spec->specVer())));
+
+    if (!manager)
+        return std::unexpected("wire error: couldn't create manager");
+
+    auto status = makeShared<CCHyprpaperStatusObject>(manager->sendGetStatusObject());
+
+    status->setActiveWallpaper([](const char* mon, const char* wp) { std::println("{}: {}", mon, wp); });
+
+    socket->roundtrip();
+
+    return {};
+}
+
+std::expected<void, std::string> Hyprpaper::makeHyprpaperRequest(const std::string_view& rq) {
+    if (!rq.contains(' '))
+        return std::unexpected("Invalid request");
+
+    if (!rq.starts_with("/hyprpaper "))
+        return std::unexpected("Invalid request");
+
+    std::string_view LHS, RHS;
+    auto             spacePos = rq.find(' ', 12);
+    LHS                       = rq.substr(11, spacePos - 11);
+    RHS                       = rq.substr(spacePos + 1);
+
+    if (LHS == "wallpaper")
+        return doWallpaper(RHS);
+    else if (LHS == "listactive")
+        return doListActive();
+    else
+        return std::unexpected("invalid hyprpaper request");
+
+    return {};
+}