diff --git a/src/infrastructure/presence.py b/src/infrastructure/presence.py
index 2c0c314..2bda56c 100644
--- a/src/infrastructure/presence.py
+++ b/src/infrastructure/presence.py
@@ -240,3 +240,94 @@ def produce_agent_state(agent_id: str, presence: dict) -> dict:
         },
         "ts": int(time.time()),
     }
+
+
+def produce_system_status() -> dict:
+    """Generate a system_status message for the Matrix.
+
+    Returns a dict with system health metrics including agent count,
+    visitor count, uptime, thinking engine status, and memory count.
+
+    Returns
+    -------
+    dict
+        Message with keys ``type``, ``data`` (containing ``agents_online``,
+        ``visitors``, ``uptime_seconds``, ``thinking_active``, ``memory_count``),
+        and ``ts``.
+
+    Examples
+    --------
+    >>> produce_system_status()
+    {
+        "type": "system_status",
+        "data": {
+            "agents_online": 5,
+            "visitors": 2,
+            "uptime_seconds": 3600,
+            "thinking_active": True,
+            "memory_count": 150,
+        },
+        "ts": 1742529600,
+    }
+    """
+    # Count agents with status != offline
+    agents_online = 0
+    try:
+        from timmy.agents.loader import list_agents
+
+        agents = list_agents()
+        agents_online = sum(1 for a in agents if a.get("status", "") not in ("offline", ""))
+    except Exception as exc:
+        logger.debug("Failed to count agents: %s", exc)
+
+    # Count visitors from WebSocket clients
+    visitors = 0
+    try:
+        from dashboard.routes.world import _ws_clients
+
+        visitors = len(_ws_clients)
+    except Exception as exc:
+        logger.debug("Failed to count visitors: %s", exc)
+
+    # Calculate uptime
+    uptime_seconds = 0
+    try:
+        from datetime import UTC
+
+        from config import APP_START_TIME
+
+        uptime_seconds = int((datetime.now(UTC) - APP_START_TIME).total_seconds())
+    except Exception as exc:
+        logger.debug("Failed to calculate uptime: %s", exc)
+
+    # Check thinking engine status
+    thinking_active = False
+    try:
+        from config import settings
+        from timmy.thinking import thinking_engine
+
+        thinking_active = settings.thinking_enabled and thinking_engine is not None
+    except Exception as exc:
+        logger.debug("Failed to check thinking status: %s", exc)
+
+    # Count memories in vector store
+    memory_count = 0
+    try:
+        from timmy.memory_system import get_memory_stats
+
+        stats = get_memory_stats()
+        memory_count = stats.get("total_entries", 0)
+    except Exception as exc:
+        logger.debug("Failed to count memories: %s", exc)
+
+    return {
+        "type": "system_status",
+        "data": {
+            "agents_online": agents_online,
+            "visitors": visitors,
+            "uptime_seconds": uptime_seconds,
+            "thinking_active": thinking_active,
+            "memory_count": memory_count,
+        },
+        "ts": int(time.time()),
+    }
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_presence.py b/tests/unit/test_presence.py
index 03a97ae..02bfa50 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_presence.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_presence.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ from infrastructure.presence import (
     _get_familiar_state,
     produce_agent_state,
     produce_bark,
+    produce_system_status,
     produce_thought,
     serialize_presence,
 )
@@ -419,3 +420,83 @@ class TestProduceThought:
         assert result["data"]["text"] == "Analyzing the situation..."
         assert result["data"]["thought_id"] == 42
         assert result["data"]["chain_id"] == "chain-abc"
+
+
+class TestProduceSystemStatus:
+    """Tests for produce_system_status() — Matrix system_status message producer."""
+
+    @patch("infrastructure.presence.time")
+    def test_full_message_structure(self, mock_time):
+        """Returns dict with type, data, and ts keys."""
+        mock_time.time.return_value = 1742529600
+        result = produce_system_status()
+
+        assert result["type"] == "system_status"
+        assert result["ts"] == 1742529600
+        assert isinstance(result["data"], dict)
+
+    def test_data_has_required_fields(self):
+        """data dict contains all required system status fields."""
+        result = produce_system_status()
+        data = result["data"]
+
+        assert "agents_online" in data
+        assert "visitors" in data
+        assert "uptime_seconds" in data
+        assert "thinking_active" in data
+        assert "memory_count" in data
+
+    def test_data_field_types(self):
+        """All data fields have correct types."""
+        result = produce_system_status()
+        data = result["data"]
+
+        assert isinstance(data["agents_online"], int)
+        assert isinstance(data["visitors"], int)
+        assert isinstance(data["uptime_seconds"], int)
+        assert isinstance(data["thinking_active"], bool)
+        assert isinstance(data["memory_count"], int)
+
+    def test_agents_online_is_non_negative(self):
+        """agents_online is never negative."""
+        result = produce_system_status()
+        assert result["data"]["agents_online"] >= 0
+
+    def test_visitors_is_non_negative(self):
+        """visitors is never negative."""
+        result = produce_system_status()
+        assert result["data"]["visitors"] >= 0
+
+    def test_uptime_seconds_is_non_negative(self):
+        """uptime_seconds is never negative."""
+        result = produce_system_status()
+        assert result["data"]["uptime_seconds"] >= 0
+
+    def test_memory_count_is_non_negative(self):
+        """memory_count is never negative."""
+        result = produce_system_status()
+        assert result["data"]["memory_count"] >= 0
+
+    @patch("infrastructure.presence.time")
+    def test_ts_is_unix_timestamp(self, mock_time):
+        """ts should be an integer Unix timestamp."""
+        mock_time.time.return_value = 1742529600
+        result = produce_system_status()
+        assert isinstance(result["ts"], int)
+        assert result["ts"] == 1742529600
+
+    @patch("infrastructure.presence.logger")
+    def test_graceful_degradation_on_import_errors(self, mock_logger):
+        """Function returns valid dict even when imports fail."""
+        # This test verifies the function handles failures gracefully
+        # by checking it always returns the expected structure
+        result = produce_system_status()
+
+        assert result["type"] == "system_status"
+        assert isinstance(result["data"], dict)
+        assert isinstance(result["ts"], int)
+
+    def test_returns_dict(self):
+        """produce_system_status always returns a plain dict."""
+        result = produce_system_status()
+        assert isinstance(result, dict)