diff --git a/lib/discourse_dev/post.rb b/lib/discourse_dev/post.rb
index ed2e2f65dbb..ef0e072daa4 100644
--- a/lib/discourse_dev/post.rb
+++ b/lib/discourse_dev/post.rb
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ module DiscourseDev
 
       category = topic.category
       @max_likes_count = DiscourseDev.config.post[:max_likes_count]
-      unless category.groups.blank?
+      if category&.groups.present?
         group_ids = category.groups.pluck(:id)
         @user_ids = ::GroupUser.where(group_id: group_ids).pluck(:user_id)
         @user_count = @user_ids.count
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ module DiscourseDev
     end
 
     def user
-      return User.random if topic.category.groups.blank?
+      return User.random if topic.category&.groups.blank?
       return Discourse.system_user if @user_ids.blank?
 
       position = Faker::Number.between(from: 0, to: @user_count - 1)
diff --git a/lib/discourse_dev/record.rb b/lib/discourse_dev/record.rb
index 71ff5af9cda..3e2767ef62c 100644
--- a/lib/discourse_dev/record.rb
+++ b/lib/discourse_dev/record.rb
@@ -69,8 +69,8 @@ module DiscourseDev
       model.count
     end
 
-    def self.populate!
-      self.new.populate!
+    def self.populate!(*args)
+      self.new(*args).populate!
     end
 
     def self.random(model, use_existing_records: true)
diff --git a/lib/discourse_dev/topic.rb b/lib/discourse_dev/topic.rb
index b15d7fc85f5..c08af628ebd 100644
--- a/lib/discourse_dev/topic.rb
+++ b/lib/discourse_dev/topic.rb
@@ -6,8 +6,11 @@ require 'faker'
 module DiscourseDev
   class Topic < Record
 
-    def initialize
+    def initialize(private_messages: false, recipient: nil, ignore_current_count: false)
       @settings = DiscourseDev.config.topic
+      @private_messages = private_messages
+      @recipient = recipient
+      @ignore_current_count = ignore_current_count
       super(::Topic, @settings[:count])
     end
 
@@ -29,19 +32,29 @@ module DiscourseDev
         max_views = SiteSetting.topic_views_heat_high + SiteSetting.topic_views_heat_medium
       end
 
+      if @category
+        merge_attributes = {
+          category: @category.id,
+          tags: tags
+        }
+      else
+        merge_attributes = {
+          archetype: "private_message",
+          target_usernames: [@recipient]
+        }
+      end
+
       {
         title: title[0, SiteSetting.max_topic_title_length],
         raw: Faker::DiscourseMarkdown.sandwich(sentences: 5),
-        category: @category.id,
         created_at: Faker::Time.between(from: DiscourseDev.config.start_date, to: DateTime.now),
-        tags: tags,
         topic_opts: {
           import_mode: true,
           views: Faker::Number.between(from: 1, to: max_views),
           custom_fields: { dev_sample: true }
         },
         skip_validations: true
-      }
+      }.merge(merge_attributes)
     end
 
     def title
@@ -65,7 +78,13 @@ module DiscourseDev
     end
 
     def create!
-      @category = Category.random
+      if @private_messages && !::User.find_by_username(@recipient)
+        puts "Cannot create PMs for missing user with username: #{@recipient}"
+        exit 1
+      end
+
+      @category = @private_messages ? nil : Category.random
+
       user = self.user
       topic_data = Faker::DiscourseMarkdown.with_user(user.id) { data }
       post = PostCreator.new(user, topic_data).create!
@@ -82,12 +101,13 @@ module DiscourseDev
     end
 
     def populate!
-      topics = super
+      topics = super(ignore_current_count: @ignore_current_count)
       delete_unwanted_sidekiq_jobs
       topics
     end
 
     def user
+      return ::User.find_by_username(@recipient) if @private_messages
       return User.random if @category.groups.blank?
 
       group_ids = @category.groups.pluck(:id)
diff --git a/lib/tasks/populate.rake b/lib/tasks/populate.rake
index 6197bb684b8..1ebd4d8940e 100644
--- a/lib/tasks/populate.rake
+++ b/lib/tasks/populate.rake
@@ -22,7 +22,23 @@ end
 
 desc 'Creates sample topics'
 task 'topics:populate' => ['db:load_config'] do |_, args|
-  DiscourseDev::Topic.populate!
+  if ENV['IGNORE_CURRENT_COUNT'] == "true"
+    DiscourseDev::Topic.populate!(ignore_current_count: true)
+  else
+    DiscourseDev::Topic.populate!
+  end
+end
+
+desc 'Creates sample private messages'
+task 'private_messages:populate', [:recipient] => ['db:load_config'] do |_, args|
+  args.with_defaults(type: 'string')
+
+  if !args[:recipient]
+    puts "ERROR: Expecting rake private_messages:populate[recipient]"
+    exit 1
+  end
+
+  DiscourseDev::Topic.populate!(private_messages: true, recipient: args[:recipient], ignore_current_count: true)
 end
 
 desc 'Create post revisions'