diff --git a/osu.Game/Input/IdleTracker.cs b/osu.Game/Input/IdleTracker.cs
index bfe21f650a..e2f13309cf 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Input/IdleTracker.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Input/IdleTracker.cs
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 // Copyright (c) ppy Pty Ltd <contact@ppy.sh>. Licensed under the MIT Licence.
 // See the LICENCE file in the repository root for full licence text.
 
+using osu.Framework.Allocation;
 using osu.Framework.Bindables;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics;
 using osu.Framework.Input;
 using osu.Framework.Input.Bindings;
 using osu.Framework.Input.Events;
+using osu.Framework.Platform;
 using osu.Game.Input.Bindings;
 
 namespace osu.Game.Input
@@ -63,8 +65,17 @@ protected override void Update()
 
         public void OnReleased(KeyBindingReleaseEvent<GlobalAction> e) => updateLastInteractionTime();
 
+        [Resolved]
+        private GameHost host { get; set; }
+
         protected override bool Handle(UIEvent e)
         {
+            // Even when not active, `MouseMoveEvent`s will arrive.
+            // We don't want these to trigger a non-idle state as it's quite often the user interacting
+            // with other windows while osu! is in the background.
+            if (!host.IsActive.Value)
+                return base.Handle(e);
+
             switch (e)
             {
                 case KeyDownEvent _:
diff --git a/osu.Game/Online/Chat/ChannelManager.cs b/osu.Game/Online/Chat/ChannelManager.cs
index cc41511764..2d7a0bc9fc 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Online/Chat/ChannelManager.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Online/Chat/ChannelManager.cs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 using osu.Framework.Bindables;
 using osu.Framework.Logging;
 using osu.Game.Database;
+using osu.Game.Input;
 using osu.Game.Online.API;
 using osu.Game.Online.API.Requests;
 using osu.Game.Online.API.Requests.Responses;
@@ -67,11 +68,34 @@ public class ChannelManager : PollingComponent, IChannelPostTarget
 
         public readonly BindableBool HighPollRate = new BindableBool();
 
+        private readonly IBindable<bool> isIdle = new BindableBool();
+
         public ChannelManager()
         {
             CurrentChannel.ValueChanged += currentChannelChanged;
+        }
 
-            HighPollRate.BindValueChanged(enabled => TimeBetweenPolls.Value = enabled.NewValue ? 1000 : 6000, true);
+        [BackgroundDependencyLoader(permitNulls: true)]
+        private void load(IdleTracker idleTracker)
+        {
+            HighPollRate.BindValueChanged(updatePollRate);
+            isIdle.BindValueChanged(updatePollRate, true);
+
+            if (idleTracker != null)
+                isIdle.BindTo(idleTracker.IsIdle);
+        }
+
+        private void updatePollRate(ValueChangedEvent<bool> valueChangedEvent)
+        {
+            // Polling will eventually be replaced with websocket, but let's avoid doing these background operations as much as possible for now.
+            // The only loss will be delayed PM/message highlight notifications.
+
+            if (HighPollRate.Value)
+                TimeBetweenPolls.Value = 1000;
+            else if (!isIdle.Value)
+                TimeBetweenPolls.Value = 60000;
+            else
+                TimeBetweenPolls.Value = 600000;
         }
 
         /// <summary>