diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 85d20d786..5164b5d77 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 #include <QQuickStyle>
 #include <QQuickWindow>
 #include <QtQml/QQmlExtensionPlugin>
+#include <Quotient/connection.h>
 
 #ifdef Q_OS_ANDROID
 #include <QGuiApplication>
@@ -174,6 +175,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     initLogging();
 
     Connection::setEncryptionDefault(true);
+    Connection::setDirectChatEncryptionDefault(true);
 
 #ifdef NEOCHAT_FLATPAK
     // Copy over the included FontConfig configuration to the
diff --git a/src/neochatconnection.cpp b/src/neochatconnection.cpp
index 0b8c0ce52..89fbcd61a 100644
--- a/src/neochatconnection.cpp
+++ b/src/neochatconnection.cpp
@@ -398,15 +398,7 @@ void NeoChatConnection::openOrCreateDirectChat(User *user)
             return;
         }
     }
-    requestDirectChat(user);
-    connect(
-        this,
-        &Connection::directChatAvailable,
-        this,
-        [=](auto room) {
-            room->activateEncryption();
-        },
-        Qt::SingleShotConnection);
+    requestDirectChat(user->id());
 }
 
 qsizetype NeoChatConnection::directChatNotifications() const