diff --git a/litecord/pubsub/channel.py b/litecord/pubsub/channel.py
index 5b3cf55..8ad47b5 100644
--- a/litecord/pubsub/channel.py
+++ b/litecord/pubsub/channel.py
@@ -84,6 +84,11 @@ class ChannelDispatcher(DispatcherWithFlags):
                 await self.unsub(channel_id, user_id)
                 continue
 
+            # skip typing events for users that don't want it
+            if event.startswith('TYPING_') and \
+                    not self.flags_get(channel_id, user_id, 'typing', True):
+                continue
+
             cur_sess = []
 
             if event in ('CHANNEL_CREATE', 'CHANNEL_UPDATE') \
diff --git a/litecord/pubsub/dispatcher.py b/litecord/pubsub/dispatcher.py
index 7d40c07..493162a 100644
--- a/litecord/pubsub/dispatcher.py
+++ b/litecord/pubsub/dispatcher.py
@@ -150,3 +150,10 @@ class DispatcherWithFlags(DispatcherWithState):
         """Unsubscribe a user from the guild."""
         await super().unsub(key, identifier)
         self.flags[key].pop(identifier)
+
+    def flags_get(self, key, identifier, field: str, default):
+        """Get a single field from the flags store."""
+        # yes, i know its simply an indirection from the main flags store,
+        # but i'd rather have this than change every call if i ever change
+        # the structure of the flags store.
+        return self.flags[key][identifier].get(field, default)
diff --git a/litecord/pubsub/guild.py b/litecord/pubsub/guild.py
index 7b56fcf..54d77e4 100644
--- a/litecord/pubsub/guild.py
+++ b/litecord/pubsub/guild.py
@@ -107,8 +107,8 @@ class GuildDispatcher(DispatcherWithFlags):
 
             # note that this does not equate to any unsubscription
             # of the channel.
-            flags = self.flags[guild_id][user_id]
-            if event.startswith('PRESENCE_') and not flags.get('presence', True):
+            if event.startswith('PRESENCE_') and \
+                    not self.flags_get(guild_id, user_id, 'presence', True):
                 continue
 
             # filter the ones that matter