diff --git a/keyserver/src/creators/role-creator.js b/keyserver/src/creators/role-creator.js
--- a/keyserver/src/creators/role-creator.js
+++ b/keyserver/src/creators/role-creator.js
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@
 import { dbQuery, SQL } from '../database/database.js';
 
 type InitialRoles = {
-  default: RoleInfo,
-  creator: RoleInfo,
+  +default: RoleInfo,
+  +creator: RoleInfo,
 };
 async function createInitialRolesForNewThread(
   threadID: string,
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@
   };
   const baseMemberPermissions = {
     ...genesisMemberPermissions,
+    [threadPermissions.REACT_TO_MESSAGE]: true,
     [threadPermissions.LEAVE_THREAD]: true,
     [threadPermissions.CREATE_SIDEBARS]: true,
     [threadPermissions.ADD_MEMBERS]: true,
@@ -153,6 +154,7 @@
     [threadPermissions.KNOW_OF]: true,
     [threadPermissions.VISIBLE]: true,
     [threadPermissions.VOICED]: true,
+    [threadPermissions.REACT_TO_MESSAGE]: true,
     [threadPermissions.EDIT_ENTRIES]: true,
     [threadPermissions.EDIT_THREAD_NAME]: true,
     [threadPermissions.EDIT_THREAD_COLOR]: true,
@@ -201,6 +203,7 @@
   if (threadType === threadTypes.SIDEBAR) {
     const memberPermissions = {
       [threadPermissions.VOICED]: true,
+      [threadPermissions.REACT_TO_MESSAGE]: true,
       [threadPermissions.EDIT_THREAD_NAME]: true,
       [threadPermissions.EDIT_THREAD_COLOR]: true,
       [threadPermissions.EDIT_THREAD_DESCRIPTION]: true,
@@ -223,6 +226,7 @@
       [threadPermissions.KNOW_OF]: true,
       [threadPermissions.VISIBLE]: true,
       [threadPermissions.VOICED]: true,
+      [threadPermissions.REACT_TO_MESSAGE]: true,
       [threadPermissions.EDIT_THREAD_COLOR]: true,
       [threadPermissions.EDIT_THREAD_DESCRIPTION]: true,
       [threadPermissions.CREATE_SIDEBARS]: true,
@@ -242,6 +246,7 @@
         [threadPermissions.KNOW_OF]: true,
         [threadPermissions.VISIBLE]: true,
         [threadPermissions.VOICED]: true,
+        [threadPermissions.REACT_TO_MESSAGE]: true,
         [threadPermissions.EDIT_ENTRIES]: true,
         [threadPermissions.EDIT_THREAD_NAME]: true,
         [threadPermissions.EDIT_THREAD_COLOR]: true,
@@ -260,6 +265,7 @@
   const subthreadBasePermissions = {
     [threadPermissions.KNOW_OF]: true,
     [threadPermissions.VISIBLE]: true,
+    [threadPermissions.REACT_TO_MESSAGE]: true,
     [threadPermissions.CREATE_SIDEBARS]: true,
     [threadPermissions.LEAVE_THREAD]: true,
     [openDescendantKnowOf]: true,
diff --git a/keyserver/src/database/migration-config.js b/keyserver/src/database/migration-config.js
--- a/keyserver/src/database/migration-config.js
+++ b/keyserver/src/database/migration-config.js
@@ -204,6 +204,7 @@
     },
   ],
   [18, updateRolesAndPermissionsForAllThreads],
+  [19, updateRolesAndPermissionsForAllThreads],
 ]);
 const newDatabaseVersion: number = Math.max(...migrations.keys());
 
diff --git a/lib/types/thread-types.js b/lib/types/thread-types.js
--- a/lib/types/thread-types.js
+++ b/lib/types/thread-types.js
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@
   REMOVE_MEMBERS: 'remove_members',
   CHANGE_ROLE: 'change_role',
   LEAVE_THREAD: 'leave_thread',
+  REACT_TO_MESSAGE: 'react_to_message',
 });
 export type ThreadPermission = $Values<typeof threadPermissions>;
 export function assertThreadPermissions(
@@ -120,7 +121,8 @@
       ourThreadPermissions === 'add_members' ||
       ourThreadPermissions === 'remove_members' ||
       ourThreadPermissions === 'change_role' ||
-      ourThreadPermissions === 'leave_thread',
+      ourThreadPermissions === 'leave_thread' ||
+      ourThreadPermissions === 'react_to_message',
     'string is not threadPermissions enum',
   );
   return ourThreadPermissions;