diff --git a/src/wp-includes/ms-default-filters.php b/src/wp-includes/ms-default-filters.php
index 9d5da57f3e..759c81f0ed 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/ms-default-filters.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/ms-default-filters.php
@@ -37,8 +37,15 @@ add_filter( 'term_id_filter', 'global_terms', 10, 2 );
 add_action( 'publish_post', 'update_posts_count' );
 add_action( 'delete_post', '_update_blog_date_on_post_delete' );
 add_action( 'transition_post_status', '_update_blog_date_on_post_publish', 10, 3 );
+
+// Counts
 add_action( 'admin_init', 'wp_schedule_update_network_counts');
 add_action( 'update_network_counts', 'wp_update_network_counts');
+foreach ( array( 'user_register', 'deleted_user', 'wpmu_new_user', 'make_spam_user', 'make_ham_user' ) as $action )
+	add_action( $action, 'wp_maybe_update_network_user_counts' );
+foreach ( array( 'make_spam_blog', 'make_ham_blog', 'archive_blog', 'unarchive_blog', 'make_delete_blog', 'make_undelete_blog' ) as $action )
+	add_action( $action, 'wp_maybe_update_network_site_counts' );
+unset( $action );
 
 // Files
 add_filter( 'wp_upload_bits', 'upload_is_file_too_big' );
diff --git a/src/wp-includes/ms-functions.php b/src/wp-includes/ms-functions.php
index 0ec664b065..6620998edc 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/ms-functions.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/ms-functions.php
@@ -1102,6 +1102,9 @@ function insert_blog($domain, $path, $site_id) {
 
 	$blog_id = $wpdb->insert_id;
 	refresh_blog_details( $blog_id );
+
+	wp_maybe_update_network_site_counts();
+
 	return $blog_id;
 }
 
@@ -1876,10 +1879,83 @@ function wp_schedule_update_network_counts() {
  *  @since 3.1.0
  */
 function wp_update_network_counts() {
+	wp_update_network_user_counts();
+	wp_update_network_site_counts();
+}
+
+/**
+ * Update the count of sites for the current network.
+ *
+ * If enabled through the 'enable_live_network_counts' filter, update the sites count
+ * on a network when a site is created or its status is updated.
+ *
+ * @since 3.7.0
+ *
+ * @uses wp_update_network_site_counts()
+ */
+function wp_maybe_update_network_site_counts() {
+	$is_small_network = ! wp_is_large_network( 'sites' );
+
+	/**
+	 * Filter the decision to update network user and site counts in real time.
+	 *
+	 * @since 3.7.0
+	 *
+	 * @param bool   $small_network Based on wp_is_large_network( $context ).
+	 * @param string $context       Context. Either 'users' or 'sites'.
+	 */
+	if ( ! apply_filters( 'enable_live_network_counts', $is_small_network, 'sites' ) )
+		return;
+
+	wp_update_network_site_counts();
+}
+
+/**
+ * Update the network-wide users count.
+ *
+ * If enabled through the 'enable_live_network_counts' filter, update the users count
+ * on a network when a user is created or its status is updated.
+ *
+ * @since 3.7.0
+ *
+ * @uses wp_update_network_user_counts()
+ */
+function wp_maybe_update_network_user_counts() {
+	$is_small_network = ! wp_is_large_network( 'users' );
+
+	/**
+	 * Filter the decision to update network user and site counts in real time.
+	 *
+	 * @since 3.7.0
+	 *
+	 * @param bool   $small_network Based on wp_is_large_network( $context ).
+	 * @param string $context       Context. Either 'users' or 'sites'.
+	 */
+	if ( ! apply_filters( 'enable_live_network_counts', $is_small_network, 'users' ) )
+		return;
+
+	wp_update_network_user_counts();
+}
+
+/**
+ * Update the network-wide site count.
+ *
+ * @since 3.7.0
+ */
+function wp_update_network_site_counts() {
 	global $wpdb;
 
 	$count = $wpdb->get_var( $wpdb->prepare("SELECT COUNT(blog_id) as c FROM $wpdb->blogs WHERE site_id = %d AND spam = '0' AND deleted = '0' and archived = '0'", $wpdb->siteid) );
 	update_site_option( 'blog_count', $count );
+}
+
+/**
+ * Update the network-wide user count.
+ *
+ * @since 3.7.0
+ */
+function wp_update_network_user_counts() {
+	global $wpdb;
 
 	$count = $wpdb->get_var( "SELECT COUNT(ID) as c FROM $wpdb->users WHERE spam = '0' AND deleted = '0'" );
 	update_site_option( 'user_count', $count );
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/ms.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/ms.php
index b95a12207c..34c35a00b1 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/tests/ms.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/ms.php
@@ -16,6 +16,63 @@ class Tests_MS extends WP_UnitTestCase {
 		$_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'] = '';
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * @ticket 22917
+	 */
+	function test_enable_live_network_site_counts_filter() {
+		$site_count_start = get_blog_count();
+		// false for large networks by default
+		add_filter( 'enable_live_network_counts', '__return_false' );
+		$this->factory->blog->create_many( 4 );
+
+		// count only updated when cron runs, so unchanged
+		$this->assertEquals( $site_count_start, (int) get_blog_count() );
+
+		add_filter( 'enable_live_network_counts', '__return_true' );
+		$site_ids = $this->factory->blog->create_many( 4 );
+
+		$this->assertEquals( $site_count_start + 9, (int) get_blog_count() );
+
+		//clean up
+		remove_filter( 'enable_live_network_counts', '__return_false' );
+		remove_filter( 'enable_live_network_counts', '__return_true' );
+		foreach ( $site_ids as $site_id ) {
+			wpmu_delete_blog( $site_id, true );
+		}
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @ticket 22917
+	 */
+	function test_enable_live_network_user_counts_filter() {
+		// false for large networks by default
+		add_filter( 'enable_live_network_counts', '__return_false' );
+
+		// Refresh the cache
+		wp_update_network_counts();
+		$start_count = get_user_count();
+
+		wpmu_create_user( 'user', 'pass', 'email' );
+
+		// No change, cache not refreshed
+		$count = get_user_count();
+
+		$this->assertEquals( $start_count, $count );
+
+		wp_update_network_counts();
+		$start_count = get_user_count();
+
+		add_filter( 'enable_live_network_counts', '__return_true' );
+
+		wpmu_create_user( 'user2', 'pass2', 'email2' );
+
+		$count = get_user_count();
+		$this->assertEquals( $start_count + 1, $count );
+
+		remove_filter( 'enable_live_network_counts', '__return_false' );
+		remove_filter( 'enable_live_network_counts', '__return_true' );
+	}
+
 	function test_create_and_delete_blog() {
 		global $wpdb;
 
@@ -230,6 +287,8 @@ class Tests_MS extends WP_UnitTestCase {
 		wp_update_network_counts();
 		$start_count = get_user_count();
 
+		// Only false for large networks as of 3.7
+		add_filter( 'enable_live_network_counts', '__return_false' );
 		$this->factory->user->create( array( 'role' => 'administrator' ) );
 
 		$count = get_user_count(); // No change, cache not refreshed
@@ -239,6 +298,7 @@ class Tests_MS extends WP_UnitTestCase {
 
 		$count = get_user_count();
 		$this->assertEquals( $start_count + 1, $count );
+		remove_filter( 'enable_live_network_counts', '__return_false' );
 	}
 
 	function test_wp_schedule_update_network_counts() {