Cellular senescence and mitochondrial dysfunction are hallmarks of ageing, but until now their relationship has not been clear. Recent work by Wiley et al. shows that mitochondrial defects can cause a distinct senescence phenotype termed MiDAS (mitochondrial dysfunction-associated senescence). MiDAS has a specific secretome that is able to drive some of the aging phenotypes. These findings suggest novel therapeutic opportunities for treating age-related pathologies.