diff --git a/src/js/component.js b/src/js/component.js
index 939c06ea1..eb7aaea28 100644
--- a/src/js/component.js
+++ b/src/js/component.js
@@ -66,7 +66,9 @@ vjs.Component = vjs.CoreObject.extend({
     // Don't want to trigger ready here or it will before init is actually
     // finished for all children that run this constructor
 
-    this.enableUserActivity();
+    if (options.reportUserActivity) {
+      this.enableUserActivity();
+    }
   }
 });
 
diff --git a/src/js/media/media.js b/src/js/media/media.js
index b446b1cf4..792d8f4c4 100644
--- a/src/js/media/media.js
+++ b/src/js/media/media.js
@@ -12,10 +12,12 @@
 vjs.MediaTechController = vjs.Component.extend({
   /** @constructor */
   init: function(player, options, ready){
+    // we don't want the tech to report user activity automatically.
+    // This is done manually in addControlsListeners
+    options.reportUserActivity = false;
     vjs.Component.call(this, player, options, ready);
 
     this.initControlsListeners();
-    this.disableUserActivity();
   }
 });
 
diff --git a/src/js/player.js b/src/js/player.js
index f12158400..232514a79 100644
--- a/src/js/player.js
+++ b/src/js/player.js
@@ -54,6 +54,9 @@ vjs.Player = vjs.Component.extend({
     // May be turned back on by HTML5 tech if nativeControlsForTouch is true
     tag.controls = false;
 
+    // we don't want the player to report user activity
+    options.reportUserActivity = false;
+
     // Run base component initializing with new options.
     // Builds the element through createEl()
     // Inits and embeds any child components in opts
@@ -106,7 +109,6 @@ vjs.Player = vjs.Component.extend({
     }
 
     this.listenForUserActivity();
-    this.disableUserActivity();
   }
 });
 
diff --git a/test/unit/component.js b/test/unit/component.js
index c3cad1d27..4bb2abfe4 100644
--- a/test/unit/component.js
+++ b/test/unit/component.js
@@ -229,9 +229,7 @@ test('should emit a tap event', function(){
   var origTouch = vjs.TOUCH_ENABLED;
   vjs.TOUCH_ENABLED = true;
 
-  var comp = new vjs.Component(getFakePlayer(), {});
-
-  comp.disableUserActivity();
+  var comp = new vjs.Component(getFakePlayer(), {reportUserActivity: false});
 
   comp.emitTapEvents();
   comp.on('tap', function(){