diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/client/mod.rs b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/client/mod.rs
index 4024c4ebb..31bdc8ba0 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/client/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/client/mod.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 // limitations under the License.
 
 use std::{
+    collections::BTreeMap,
     fmt::{self, Debug},
     future::Future,
     pin::Pin,
@@ -67,7 +68,7 @@ use ruma::{
             create::RoomCreateEventContent,
             member::{MembershipState, RoomMemberEventContent},
         },
-        SyncStateEvent,
+        GlobalAccountDataEventType, SyncStateEvent,
     },
     presence::PresenceState,
     DeviceId, MilliSecondsSinceUnixEpoch, OwnedDeviceId, OwnedRoomId, OwnedServerName, RoomAliasId,
@@ -1846,6 +1847,44 @@ impl Client {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Create a direct message room with the specified user.
+    pub async fn create_dm_room(&self, user_id: &UserId) -> Result<room::Joined> {
+        use ruma::{api::client::room::create_room::v3::RoomPreset, events::direct::DirectEvent};
+
+        // First we create the DM room, where we invite the user and tell the
+        // invitee that the room should be a DM.
+        let invite = &[user_id.to_owned()];
+
+        let request = assign!(ruma::api::client::room::create_room::v3::Request::new(), {
+            invite,
+            is_direct: true,
+            preset: Some(RoomPreset::TrustedPrivateChat),
+        });
+
+        let room = self.create_room(request).await?;
+
+        // Now we need to mark the room as a DM for ourselves, we fetch the
+        // existing `m.direct` event and append the room to the list of DMs we
+        // have with this user.
+        let mut content = self
+            .store()
+            .get_account_data_event(GlobalAccountDataEventType::Direct)
+            .await?
+            .map(|e| e.deserialize_as::<DirectEvent>())
+            .transpose()?
+            .map(|e| e.content)
+            .unwrap_or_else(|| ruma::events::direct::DirectEventContent(BTreeMap::new()));
+
+        content.entry(user_id.to_owned()).or_default().push(room.room_id().to_owned());
+
+        // TODO We should probably save the fact that we need to send this out
+        // because otherwise we might end up in a state where we have a DM that
+        // isn't marked as one.
+        self.account().set_account_data(content).await?;
+
+        Ok(room)
+    }
+
     /// Search the homeserver's directory for public rooms with a filter.
     ///
     /// # Arguments
diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/encryption/identities/users.rs b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/encryption/identities/users.rs
index 9e8d27248..7f790aae3 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/encryption/identities/users.rs
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/encryption/identities/users.rs
@@ -475,12 +475,8 @@ impl OtherUserIdentity {
                 room.invite_user_by_id(self.inner.user_id()).await?;
             }
             room.clone()
-        } else if let Some(room) =
-            self.client.create_dm_room(self.inner.user_id().to_owned()).await?
-        {
-            room
         } else {
-            return Err(RequestVerificationError::RoomCreation(self.inner.user_id().to_owned()));
+            self.client.create_dm_room(self.inner.user_id()).await?
         };
 
         let response = room
diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/encryption/mod.rs b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/encryption/mod.rs
index 5e07e798f..db437e12e 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk/src/encryption/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk/src/encryption/mod.rs
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ pub use matrix_sdk_base::crypto::{
 use matrix_sdk_base::crypto::{
     CrossSigningStatus, OutgoingRequest, RoomMessageRequest, ToDeviceRequest,
 };
-use matrix_sdk_common::instant::Duration;
 #[cfg(feature = "e2e-encryption")]
 use ruma::OwnedDeviceId;
 use ruma::{
@@ -57,14 +56,13 @@ use ruma::{
 };
 use tracing::{debug, instrument, trace, warn};
 
-pub use crate::error::RoomKeyImportError;
 use crate::{
     attachment::{AttachmentInfo, Thumbnail},
     encryption::{
         identities::{Device, UserDevices},
         verification::{SasVerification, Verification, VerificationRequest},
     },
-    error::HttpResult,
+    error::{HttpResult, RoomKeyImportError},
     room, Client, Error, Result,
 };
 
@@ -226,57 +224,6 @@ impl Client {
         })
     }
 
-    #[cfg(feature = "e2e-encryption")]
-    pub(crate) async fn create_dm_room(
-        &self,
-        user_id: OwnedUserId,
-    ) -> Result<Option<room::Joined>> {
-        use ruma::{
-            api::client::room::create_room::v3::RoomPreset, events::direct::DirectEventContent,
-        };
-
-        const SYNC_WAIT_TIME: Duration = Duration::from_secs(3);
-
-        // First we create the DM room, where we invite the user and tell the
-        // invitee that the room should be a DM.
-        let invite = &[user_id.clone()];
-
-        let request = assign!(ruma::api::client::room::create_room::v3::Request::new(), {
-            invite,
-            is_direct: true,
-            preset: Some(RoomPreset::TrustedPrivateChat),
-        });
-
-        let response = self.send(request, None).await?;
-
-        // Now we need to mark the room as a DM for ourselves, we fetch the
-        // existing `m.direct` event and append the room to the list of DMs we
-        // have with this user.
-        let mut content = self
-            .account()
-            .account_data::<DirectEventContent>()
-            .await?
-            .map(|c| c.deserialize())
-            .transpose()?
-            .unwrap_or_default();
-
-        content.entry(user_id.to_owned()).or_default().push(response.room_id.to_owned());
-
-        // TODO We should probably save the fact that we need to send this out
-        // because otherwise we might end up in a state where we have a DM that
-        // isn't marked as one.
-        self.account().set_account_data(content).await?;
-
-        // If the room is already in our store, fetch it, otherwise wait for a
-        // sync to be done which should put the room into our store.
-        if let Some(room) = self.get_joined_room(&response.room_id) {
-            Ok(Some(room))
-        } else {
-            self.inner.sync_beat.listen().wait_timeout(SYNC_WAIT_TIME);
-            Ok(self.get_joined_room(&response.room_id))
-        }
-    }
-
     /// Claim one-time keys creating new Olm sessions.
     ///
     /// # Arguments