diff --git a/examples/idle.c b/examples/idle.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e5e01f638
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/idle.c
@@ -0,0 +1,189 @@
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+#include <getopt.h>
+#include <pthread.h>
+#include <wayland-client.h>
+#include <wayland-client-protocol.h>
+#include <idle-client-protocol.h>
+
+static struct org_kde_kwin_idle *idle_manager = NULL;
+static struct wl_seat *seat = NULL;
+static uint32_t timeout = 0, simulate_activity_timeout = 0, close_timeout = 0;
+static int run = 1;
+
+struct thread_args {
+	struct wl_display *display;
+	struct org_kde_kwin_idle_timeout *timer;
+};
+
+static void handle_global(void *data, struct wl_registry *registry,
+		uint32_t name, const char *interface, uint32_t version) {
+	fprintf(stdout, "interfaces found: %s\n", interface);
+	if (strcmp(interface, "org_kde_kwin_idle") == 0) {
+		idle_manager = wl_registry_bind(registry, name, &org_kde_kwin_idle_interface, 1);
+	}
+	else if (strcmp(interface, "wl_seat") == 0) {
+		seat = wl_registry_bind(registry, name, &wl_seat_interface, 1);
+	}
+}
+
+static void handle_global_remove(void *data, struct wl_registry *registry, uint32_t name) {
+	//TODO
+}
+
+static const struct wl_registry_listener registry_listener = {
+	.global = handle_global,
+	.global_remove = handle_global_remove,
+};
+
+static void handle_idle(void* data, struct org_kde_kwin_idle_timeout *timer) {
+	fprintf(stdout, "idle state\n");
+}
+
+static void handle_resume(void* data, struct org_kde_kwin_idle_timeout *timer) {
+	fprintf(stdout, "active state\n");
+}
+
+static const struct org_kde_kwin_idle_timeout_listener idle_timer_listener = {
+	.idle = handle_idle,
+	.resumed = handle_resume,
+};
+
+int parse_args(int argc, char *argv[]) {
+	int c;
+	while ((c = getopt(argc, argv, "c:hs:t:")) != -1) {
+		switch(c)
+		{
+			case 'c':
+				close_timeout = strtoul(optarg, NULL, 10);
+				break;
+			case 's':
+				simulate_activity_timeout = strtoul(optarg, NULL, 10);
+				break;
+			case 't':
+				timeout = strtoul(optarg, NULL, 10);
+				break;
+			case 'h':
+			case '?':
+				printf("Usage: %s [OPTIONS]\n", argv[0]);
+				printf("  -t seconds\t\t\tidle timeout in seconds\n");
+				printf("  -s seconds optional\t\tsimulate user activity after x seconds\n");
+				printf("  -c seconds optional\t\tclose program after x seconds\n");
+				printf("  -h\t\t\t\tthis help menu\n");
+				return 1;
+			default:
+				return 1;
+		}
+	}
+	return 0;
+}
+
+void *simulate_activity(void *data) {
+	sleep(simulate_activity_timeout);
+	fprintf(stdout, "simulate user activity\n");
+	struct thread_args *arg = data;
+	org_kde_kwin_idle_timeout_simulate_user_activity(arg->timer);
+	wl_display_roundtrip(arg->display);
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+void *close_program(void *data) {
+	sleep(close_timeout);
+	struct thread_args *arg = data;
+	org_kde_kwin_idle_timeout_release(arg->timer);
+	wl_display_roundtrip(arg->display);
+	fprintf(stdout, "close program\n");
+	run = 0;
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+void *main_loop(void *data) {
+	struct wl_display *display = data;
+	while (wl_display_dispatch(display) != -1) {
+		;
+	}
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
+
+	if (parse_args(argc, argv) != 0) {
+		return -1;
+	}
+	if (timeout == 0) {
+		printf("idle timeout 0 is invalid\n");
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	struct wl_display *display = wl_display_connect(NULL);
+	if (display == NULL) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "failed to create display\n");
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	struct wl_registry *registry = wl_display_get_registry(display);
+	wl_registry_add_listener(registry, &registry_listener, NULL);
+	wl_display_dispatch(display);
+	wl_display_roundtrip(display);
+
+	if (idle_manager == NULL) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "display doesn't support idle protocol\n");
+		return -1;
+	}
+	if (seat== NULL) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "seat error\n");
+		return -1;
+	}
+	struct org_kde_kwin_idle_timeout *timer =
+		org_kde_kwin_idle_get_idle_timeout(idle_manager, seat, timeout * 1000);
+
+	if (timer == NULL) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Could not create idle_timeout\n");
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	pthread_t t1, t2, t3;
+	struct thread_args arg = {
+		.timer = timer,
+		.display = display,
+	};
+
+	if (simulate_activity_timeout != 0 && simulate_activity_timeout < close_timeout) {
+		if (pthread_create(&t1, NULL, &simulate_activity, (void *)&arg) != 0) {
+			return -1;
+		}
+	}
+	if (close_timeout != 0) {
+		if (pthread_create(&t2, NULL, &close_program, (void *)&arg) != 0) {
+			if (simulate_activity_timeout != 0) {
+				pthread_cancel(t1);
+			}
+			return -1;
+		}
+	}
+
+	org_kde_kwin_idle_timeout_add_listener(timer, &idle_timer_listener, timer);
+	fprintf(stdout, "waiting\n");
+
+	if (pthread_create(&t3, NULL, &main_loop, (void *)display) != 0) {
+		if (simulate_activity_timeout != 0) {
+			pthread_cancel(t1);
+		}
+		if (close_timeout != 0 ) {
+			pthread_cancel(t2);
+		}
+	}
+
+	if (simulate_activity_timeout != 0) {
+		pthread_join(t1, NULL);
+	}
+	if (close_timeout != 0) {
+		pthread_join(t2, NULL);
+	}
+	pthread_cancel(t3);
+
+	wl_display_disconnect(display);
+	return 0;
+}
diff --git a/examples/meson.build b/examples/meson.build
index af0f5a18b..aa9eac476 100644
--- a/examples/meson.build
+++ b/examples/meson.build
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ lib_shared = static_library(
 	include_directories: include_directories('support')
 )
 
+threads = dependency('threads')
+
 executable('simple', 'simple.c', dependencies: wlroots, link_with: lib_shared)
 executable('pointer', 'pointer.c', dependencies: wlroots, link_with: lib_shared)
 executable('touch', 'touch.c', dependencies: wlroots, link_with: lib_shared)
@@ -32,3 +34,10 @@ executable(
 	dependencies: [wayland_client, wlr_protos, wlroots],
 	link_with: lib_shared,
 )
+
+executable(
+	'idle',
+	'idle.c',
+	dependencies: [wayland_client, wlr_protos, wlroots, threads],
+	link_with: lib_shared,
+)