diff --git a/spaceapi/utils.py b/spaceapi/utils.py
--- a/spaceapi/utils.py
+++ b/spaceapi/utils.py
@@ -59,12 +59,16 @@ class ActiveStatus(Singleton, dict):
 
             people_now_present = self['sensors']['people_now_present']
 
-            people_now_present['value'] += 1
+            if 'names' in people_now_present and username not in people_now_present['names']:
+                people_now_present['value'] += 1
 
-            if username in current_app.config['PEOPLE_NOW_PRESENT_ALLOWED']:
-                if 'names' in people_now_present and username not in people_now_present['names']:
+                if username in current_app.config['PEOPLE_NOW_PRESENT_ALLOWED']:
                     people_now_present['names'].append(username)
-                else:
+
+            elif 'names' not in people_now_present:
+                people_now_present['value'] += 1
+
+                if username in current_app.config['PEOPLE_NOW_PRESENT_ALLOWED']:
                     people_now_present['names'] = [username]
 
             self['sensors']['people_now_present'] = people_now_present