diff --git a/src/qml/SpaceDrawer.qml b/src/qml/SpaceDrawer.qml
index be522718b..55f4fca0e 100644
--- a/src/qml/SpaceDrawer.qml
+++ b/src/qml/SpaceDrawer.qml
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ QQC2.Control {
         }
     }
 
-    property bool showDirectChats: false
+    property bool showDirectChats: RoomManager.directChatsActive
 
     signal selectionChanged
     signal spacesUpdated
@@ -103,7 +103,9 @@ QQC2.Control {
                         checked: root.selectedSpaceId === "" && root.showDirectChats === false
                         onClicked: {
                             root.showDirectChats = false;
+                            RoomManager.directChatsActive = false;
                             root.selectedSpaceId = "";
+                            RoomManager.lastSpaceId = "";
                             root.selectionChanged();
                         }
                     }
@@ -123,7 +125,9 @@ QQC2.Control {
                         checked: root.showDirectChats === true
                         onClicked: {
                             root.showDirectChats = true;
+                            RoomManager.directChatsActive = true;
                             root.selectedSpaceId = "";
+                            RoomManager.lastSpaceId = "";
                             root.selectionChanged();
                         }
 
@@ -184,8 +188,11 @@ QQC2.Control {
 
                             onSelected: {
                                 root.showDirectChats = false;
+                                RoomManager.directChatsActive = false;
                                 if (!SpaceHierarchyCache.isSpaceChild(roomId, RoomManager.currentRoom.id) || root.selectedSpaceId == roomId) {
                                     RoomManager.resolveResource(currentRoom.id);
+                                } else {
+                                    RoomManager.lastSpaceId = currentRoom.id;
                                 }
                                 root.selectedSpaceId = roomId;
                                 root.selectionChanged();
diff --git a/src/roommanager.cpp b/src/roommanager.cpp
index aa3e3c3ae..13b13deb0 100644
--- a/src/roommanager.cpp
+++ b/src/roommanager.cpp
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ RoomManager::RoomManager(QObject *parent)
 {
     m_lastRoomConfig = m_config->group(QStringLiteral("LastOpenRoom"));
     m_lastSpaceConfig = m_config->group(QStringLiteral("LastOpenSpace"));
+    m_directChatsConfig = m_config->group(QStringLiteral("DirectChatsActive"));
 
     connect(this, &RoomManager::currentRoomChanged, this, [this]() {
         m_timelineModel->setRoom(m_currentRoom);
@@ -179,7 +180,7 @@ void RoomManager::loadInitialRoom()
     connect(this, &RoomManager::connectionChanged, this, &RoomManager::openRoomForActiveConnection);
 }
 
-QString RoomManager::lastSpaceId()
+QString RoomManager::lastSpaceId() const
 {
     if (!m_connection) {
         return {};
@@ -187,6 +188,40 @@ QString RoomManager::lastSpaceId()
     return m_lastSpaceConfig.readEntry(m_connection->userId(), QString());
 }
 
+void RoomManager::setLastSpaceId(const QString &lastSpaceId)
+{
+    if (!m_connection) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    const auto currentLastSpaceId = m_lastSpaceConfig.readEntry(m_connection->userId(), QString());
+    if (lastSpaceId == currentLastSpaceId) {
+        return;
+    }
+    m_lastSpaceConfig.writeEntry(m_connection->userId(), lastSpaceId);
+}
+
+bool RoomManager::directChatsActive() const
+{
+    if (!m_connection) {
+        return {};
+    }
+    return m_directChatsConfig.readEntry(m_connection->userId(), bool());
+}
+
+void RoomManager::setDirectChatsActive(bool directChatsActive)
+{
+    if (!m_connection) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    const auto currentDirectChatsActive = m_directChatsConfig.readEntry(m_connection->userId(), bool());
+    if (directChatsActive == currentDirectChatsActive) {
+        return;
+    }
+    m_directChatsConfig.writeEntry(m_connection->userId(), directChatsActive);
+}
+
 void RoomManager::openRoomForActiveConnection()
 {
     if (!m_connection) {
diff --git a/src/roommanager.h b/src/roommanager.h
index 1d49f67ae..85ddb7ff6 100644
--- a/src/roommanager.h
+++ b/src/roommanager.h
@@ -92,7 +92,12 @@ class RoomManager : public QObject, public UriResolverBase
     /**
      * @brief The room ID of the last space entered.
      */
-    Q_PROPERTY(QString lastSpaceId READ lastSpaceId CONSTANT)
+    Q_PROPERTY(QString lastSpaceId READ lastSpaceId WRITE setLastSpaceId CONSTANT)
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Whether the last SpaceDrawer category selected was direct chats.
+     */
+    Q_PROPERTY(bool directChatsActive READ directChatsActive WRITE setDirectChatsActive CONSTANT)
 
     /**
      * @brief The ChatDocumentHandler for the open room.
@@ -200,7 +205,11 @@ public:
      */
     void setUrlArgument(const QString &arg);
 
-    QString lastSpaceId();
+    QString lastSpaceId() const;
+    void setLastSpaceId(const QString &lastSpaceId);
+
+    bool directChatsActive() const;
+    void setDirectChatsActive(bool directChatsActive);
 
     NeoChatConnection *connection() const;
     void setConnection(NeoChatConnection *connection);
@@ -334,6 +343,7 @@ private:
     KSharedConfig::Ptr m_config;
     KConfigGroup m_lastRoomConfig;
     KConfigGroup m_lastSpaceConfig;
+    KConfigGroup m_directChatsConfig;
     QPointer<ChatDocumentHandler> m_chatDocumentHandler;
 
     TimelineModel *m_timelineModel;