diff --git a/lib/shared/thread-utils.js b/lib/shared/thread-utils.js
--- a/lib/shared/thread-utils.js
+++ b/lib/shared/thread-utils.js
@@ -607,9 +607,13 @@
     username: username,
   };
 
+  const threadType = usingOlmViaTunnelbrokerForDMs
+    ? threadTypes.PERSONAL
+    : threadTypes.GENESIS_PERSONAL;
+
   const threadInfo = createPendingThread({
     viewerID: loggedInUserInfo.id,
-    threadType: threadTypes.GENESIS_PERSONAL,
+    threadType,
     members: [loggedInUserInfo, pendingPersonalThreadUserInfo],
   });
 
@@ -1512,9 +1516,13 @@
     return threadInfo;
   }
   members.push(...mentionedNewMembers);
+  const threadType = threadTypeIsThick(parentThreadInfo.type)
+    ? threadTypes.THICK_SIDEBAR
+    : threadTypes.SIDEBAR;
+
   return createPendingThread({
     viewerID,
-    threadType: threadTypes.SIDEBAR,
+    threadType,
     members,
     parentThreadInfo,
     threadColor: threadInfo.color,
diff --git a/native/chat/chat-thread-list.react.js b/native/chat/chat-thread-list.react.js
--- a/native/chat/chat-thread-list.react.js
+++ b/native/chat/chat-thread-list.react.js
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 import type { ThreadInfo } from 'lib/types/minimally-encoded-thread-permissions-types.js';
 import { threadTypes } from 'lib/types/thread-types-enum.js';
 import type { UserInfo } from 'lib/types/user-types.js';
+import { usingOlmViaTunnelbrokerForDMs } from 'lib/utils/services-utils.js';
 
 import { ChatThreadListItem } from './chat-thread-list-item.react.js';
 import ChatThreadListSearch from './chat-thread-list-search.react.js';
@@ -135,9 +136,12 @@
     if (!loggedInUserInfo) {
       return;
     }
+    const threadType = usingOlmViaTunnelbrokerForDMs
+      ? threadTypes.PRIVATE
+      : threadTypes.GENESIS_PRIVATE;
     const threadInfo = createPendingThread({
       viewerID: loggedInUserInfo.id,
-      threadType: threadTypes.GENESIS_PRIVATE,
+      threadType,
       members: [loggedInUserInfo],
     });
     navigateToThread({ threadInfo, searching: true });
diff --git a/native/chat/compose-thread-button.react.js b/native/chat/compose-thread-button.react.js
--- a/native/chat/compose-thread-button.react.js
+++ b/native/chat/compose-thread-button.react.js
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 import { useLoggedInUserInfo } from 'lib/hooks/account-hooks.js';
 import { createPendingThread } from 'lib/shared/thread-utils.js';
 import { threadTypes } from 'lib/types/thread-types-enum.js';
+import { usingOlmViaTunnelbrokerForDMs } from 'lib/utils/services-utils.js';
 
 import type { ChatNavigationProp } from './chat.react.js';
 import Button from '../components/button.react.js';
@@ -23,12 +24,15 @@
     if (!loggedInUserInfo) {
       return;
     }
+    const threadType = usingOlmViaTunnelbrokerForDMs
+      ? threadTypes.PRIVATE
+      : threadTypes.GENESIS_PRIVATE;
     navigate<'MessageList'>({
       name: MessageListRouteName,
       params: {
         threadInfo: createPendingThread({
           viewerID: loggedInUserInfo.id,
-          threadType: threadTypes.GENESIS_PRIVATE,
+          threadType,
           members: [loggedInUserInfo],
         }),
         searching: true,
diff --git a/web/utils/thread-utils.js b/web/utils/thread-utils.js
--- a/web/utils/thread-utils.js
+++ b/web/utils/thread-utils.js
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 import type { ThreadInfo } from 'lib/types/minimally-encoded-thread-permissions-types.js';
 import { threadTypes } from 'lib/types/thread-types-enum.js';
 import type { AccountUserInfo } from 'lib/types/user-types.js';
+import { usingOlmViaTunnelbrokerForDMs } from 'lib/utils/services-utils.js';
 
 import { useSelector } from '../redux/redux-utils.js';
 
@@ -53,18 +54,22 @@
     }),
   );
 
+  const threadType = usingOlmViaTunnelbrokerForDMs
+    ? threadTypes.PRIVATE
+    : threadTypes.GENESIS_PRIVATE;
+
   const newThreadID = 'pending/new_thread';
   const pendingNewThread = React.useMemo(
     () => ({
       ...createPendingThread({
         viewerID: loggedInUserInfo.id,
-        threadType: threadTypes.GENESIS_PRIVATE,
+        threadType,
         members: [loggedInUserInfo],
         name: 'New thread',
       }),
       id: newThreadID,
     }),
-    [loggedInUserInfo],
+    [loggedInUserInfo, threadType],
   );
   const existingThreadInfoFinderForCreatingThread = useExistingThreadInfoFinder(
     pendingPrivateThread.current,