diff --git a/plugins/chat/app/controllers/chat/chat_controller.rb b/plugins/chat/app/controllers/chat/chat_controller.rb
index e0d9d3a9a79..66fa311a390 100644
--- a/plugins/chat/app/controllers/chat/chat_controller.rb
+++ b/plugins/chat/app/controllers/chat/chat_controller.rb
@@ -118,22 +118,21 @@ module Chat
         # If any of the channel users is ignoring, muting, or preventing DMs from
         # the current user then we should not auto-follow the channel once again or
         # publish the new channel.
-        user_ids_allowing_communication =
+        allowed_user_ids =
           UserCommScreener.new(
             acting_user: current_user,
             target_user_ids:
               @chat_channel.user_chat_channel_memberships.where(following: false).pluck(:user_id),
           ).allowing_actor_communication
 
-        if user_ids_allowing_communication.any?
-          Chat::Publisher.publish_new_channel(
-            @chat_channel,
-            User.where(id: user_ids_allowing_communication),
-          )
+        allowed_user_ids << current_user.id if !@user_chat_channel_membership.following
+
+        if allowed_user_ids.any?
+          Chat::Publisher.publish_new_channel(@chat_channel, User.where(id: allowed_user_ids))
 
           @chat_channel
             .user_chat_channel_memberships
-            .where(user_id: user_ids_allowing_communication)
+            .where(user_id: allowed_user_ids)
             .update_all(following: true)
         end
       end
diff --git a/plugins/chat/app/services/chat/publisher.rb b/plugins/chat/app/services/chat/publisher.rb
index 5f3c8b58b72..33da0ba24ed 100644
--- a/plugins/chat/app/services/chat/publisher.rb
+++ b/plugins/chat/app/services/chat/publisher.rb
@@ -372,7 +372,7 @@ module Chat
             serialized_channel =
               Chat::ChannelSerializer.new(
                 chat_channel,
-                scope: Guardian.new(membership.user), # We need a guardian here for direct messages
+                scope: membership.user.guardian, # We need a guardian here for direct messages
                 root: :channel,
                 membership: membership,
               ).as_json
diff --git a/plugins/chat/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/chat-channel.js b/plugins/chat/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/chat-channel.js
index ccbefd36d57..04c9f32de3c 100644
--- a/plugins/chat/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/chat-channel.js
+++ b/plugins/chat/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/chat-channel.js
@@ -113,6 +113,13 @@ export default class ChatLivePane extends Component {
       return;
     }
 
+    if (
+      this.args.channel.isDirectMessageChannel &&
+      !this.args.channel.isFollowing
+    ) {
+      this.chatChannelsManager.follow(this.args.channel);
+    }
+
     // Technically we could keep messages to avoid re-fetching them, but
     // it's not worth the complexity for now
     this.args.channel.clearMessages();
diff --git a/plugins/chat/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/chat-channel.js b/plugins/chat/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/chat-channel.js
index 135291c449b..e1e2a51dc71 100644
--- a/plugins/chat/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/chat-channel.js
+++ b/plugins/chat/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/chat-channel.js
@@ -56,7 +56,6 @@ export default class ChatChannel {
     return new ChatChannel(args);
   }
 
-  @tracked currentUserMembership = null;
   @tracked title;
   @tracked slug;
   @tracked description;
@@ -82,6 +81,7 @@ export default class ChatChannel {
   messagesManager = new ChatMessagesManager(getOwner(this));
 
   @tracked _unreadThreadIds = new TrackedSet();
+  @tracked _currentUserMembership;
 
   constructor(args = {}) {
     this.id = args.id;
@@ -109,9 +109,7 @@ export default class ChatChannel {
           users: args.chatable?.users,
         })
       : Category.create(args.chatable);
-    this.currentUserMembership = UserChatChannelMembership.create(
-      args.current_user_membership
-    );
+    this.currentUserMembership = args.current_user_membership;
 
     if (args.archive_completed || args.archive_failed) {
       this.archive = ChatChannelArchive.create(args);
@@ -301,15 +299,17 @@ export default class ChatChannel {
     return !READONLY_STATUSES.includes(this.status);
   }
 
-  updateMembership(membership) {
-    this.currentUserMembership.following = membership.following;
-    this.currentUserMembership.lastReadMessage_id =
-      membership.last_read_message_id;
-    this.currentUserMembership.desktopNotificationLevel =
-      membership.desktop_notification_level;
-    this.currentUserMembership.mobileNotificationLevel =
-      membership.mobile_notification_level;
-    this.currentUserMembership.muted = membership.muted;
+  get currentUserMembership() {
+    return this._currentUserMembership;
+  }
+
+  set currentUserMembership(membership) {
+    if (membership instanceof UserChatChannelMembership) {
+      this._currentUserMembership = membership;
+    } else {
+      this._currentUserMembership =
+        UserChatChannelMembership.create(membership);
+    }
   }
 
   clearSelectedMessages() {
diff --git a/plugins/chat/assets/javascripts/discourse/services/chat-channels-manager.js b/plugins/chat/assets/javascripts/discourse/services/chat-channels-manager.js
index 03aa219bb91..f42ad19f551 100644
--- a/plugins/chat/assets/javascripts/discourse/services/chat-channels-manager.js
+++ b/plugins/chat/assets/javascripts/discourse/services/chat-channels-manager.js
@@ -67,16 +67,11 @@ export default class ChatChannelsManager extends Service {
 
     if (!model.currentUserMembership.following) {
       return this.chatApi.followChannel(model.id).then((membership) => {
-        model.currentUserMembership.following = membership.following;
-        model.currentUserMembership.muted = membership.muted;
-        model.currentUserMembership.desktopNotificationLevel =
-          membership.desktopNotificationLevel;
-        model.currentUserMembership.mobileNotificationLevel =
-          membership.mobileNotificationLevel;
+        model.currentUserMembership = membership;
         return model;
       });
     } else {
-      return Promise.resolve(model);
+      return model;
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/plugins/chat/assets/javascripts/discourse/services/chat-subscriptions-manager.js b/plugins/chat/assets/javascripts/discourse/services/chat-subscriptions-manager.js
index ee172ac0eca..e65a97b1775 100644
--- a/plugins/chat/assets/javascripts/discourse/services/chat-subscriptions-manager.js
+++ b/plugins/chat/assets/javascripts/discourse/services/chat-subscriptions-manager.js
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ export default class ChatSubscriptionsManager extends Service {
     this.chatChannelsManager.find(data.channel.id).then((channel) => {
       // we need to refresh here to have correct last message ids
       channel.meta = data.channel.meta;
-      channel.updateMembership(data.channel.current_user_membership);
+      channel.currentUserMembership = data.channel.current_user_membership;
 
       if (
         channel.isDirectMessageChannel &&
diff --git a/plugins/chat/assets/javascripts/discourse/services/chat.js b/plugins/chat/assets/javascripts/discourse/services/chat.js
index 1b12c8580d2..decadb20f61 100644
--- a/plugins/chat/assets/javascripts/discourse/services/chat.js
+++ b/plugins/chat/assets/javascripts/discourse/services/chat.js
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ export default class Chat extends Service {
               channel.tracking.unreadCount = state.unread_count;
               channel.tracking.mentionCount = state.mention_count;
 
-              channel.updateMembership(channelObject.current_user_membership);
+              channel.updateMembership = channelObject.current_user_membership;
 
               this.chatSubscriptionsManager.startChannelSubscription(channel);
             });
diff --git a/plugins/chat/spec/system/message_notifications_with_sidebar_spec.rb b/plugins/chat/spec/system/message_notifications_with_sidebar_spec.rb
index f10aa455ef9..656d16ab3f2 100644
--- a/plugins/chat/spec/system/message_notifications_with_sidebar_spec.rb
+++ b/plugins/chat/spec/system/message_notifications_with_sidebar_spec.rb
@@ -238,45 +238,6 @@ RSpec.describe "Message notifications - with sidebar", type: :system do
           end
         end
       end
-
-      context "with dm and public channel" do
-        fab!(:current_user) { Fabricate(:admin) }
-        fab!(:user_1) { Fabricate(:user) }
-        fab!(:channel_1) { Fabricate(:category_channel) }
-        fab!(:dm_channel_1) { Fabricate(:direct_message_channel, users: [current_user, user_1]) }
-
-        before do
-          channel_1.add(user_1)
-          channel_1.add(current_user)
-        end
-
-        context "when messages are created" do
-          xit "correctly renders notifications" do
-            using_session(:current_user) { visit("/") }
-
-            using_session(:user_1) { create_message(channel: channel_1, creator: user_1) }
-
-            using_session(:current_user) do
-              expect(page).to have_css(".chat-header-icon .chat-channel-unread-indicator", text: "")
-              expect(page).to have_css(".sidebar-row.channel-#{channel_1.id} .unread")
-            end
-
-            using_session(:user_1) do |session|
-              create_message(channel: dm_channel_1, creator: user_1)
-              session.quit
-            end
-
-            using_session(:current_user) do |session|
-              expect(page).to have_css(".sidebar-row.channel-#{dm_channel_1.id} .icon.urgent")
-              expect(page).to have_css(
-                ".chat-header-icon .chat-channel-unread-indicator",
-                text: "1",
-              )
-              session.quit
-            end
-          end
-        end
-      end
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/plugins/chat/spec/system/page_objects/chat/chat.rb b/plugins/chat/spec/system/page_objects/chat/chat.rb
index 590b2f2f2d8..a79d717b4a7 100644
--- a/plugins/chat/spec/system/page_objects/chat/chat.rb
+++ b/plugins/chat/spec/system/page_objects/chat/chat.rb
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ module PageObjects
         @message_creator ||= PageObjects::Components::Chat::MessageCreator.new
       end
 
+      def sidebar
+        @sidebar ||= PageObjects::Components::Chat::Sidebar.new
+      end
+
       def prefers_full_page
         page.execute_script(
           "window.localStorage.setItem('discourse_chat_preferred_mode', '\"FULL_PAGE_CHAT\"');",
diff --git a/plugins/chat/spec/system/page_objects/chat/components/composer.rb b/plugins/chat/spec/system/page_objects/chat/components/composer.rb
index cdb69716222..07695148542 100644
--- a/plugins/chat/spec/system/page_objects/chat/components/composer.rb
+++ b/plugins/chat/spec/system/page_objects/chat/components/composer.rb
@@ -49,26 +49,32 @@ module PageObjects
         end
 
         def reply_to_last_message_shortcut
+          input.click
           input.send_keys(%i[shift arrow_up])
         end
 
         def edit_last_message_shortcut
+          input.click
           input.send_keys(%i[arrow_up])
         end
 
         def emphasized_text_shortcut
+          input.click
           input.send_keys([PLATFORM_KEY_MODIFIER, "i"])
         end
 
         def cancel_shortcut
+          input.click
           input.send_keys(:escape)
         end
 
         def indented_text_shortcut
+          input.click
           input.send_keys([PLATFORM_KEY_MODIFIER, "e"])
         end
 
         def bold_text_shortcut
+          input.click
           input.send_keys([PLATFORM_KEY_MODIFIER, "b"])
         end
 
diff --git a/plugins/chat/spec/system/page_objects/chat/components/sidebar.rb b/plugins/chat/spec/system/page_objects/chat/components/sidebar.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..95984bfbbe4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/chat/spec/system/page_objects/chat/components/sidebar.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+module PageObjects
+  module Components
+    module Chat
+      class Sidebar < PageObjects::Components::Base
+        attr_reader :context
+
+        SELECTOR = "#d-sidebar"
+
+        def component
+          page.find(SELECTOR)
+        end
+
+        def has_direct_message_channel?(channel, **args)
+          channel_selector = direct_message_channel_selector(channel, **args)
+          predicate = component.has_css?(channel_selector)
+
+          if args[:unread]
+            predicate &&
+              component.has_css?("#{channel_selector} .sidebar-section-link-suffix.icon.unread")
+          elsif args[:mention]
+            predicate &&
+              component.has_css?("#{channel_selector} .sidebar-section-link-suffix.icon.urgent")
+          else
+            predicate &&
+              component.has_no_css?("#{channel_selector} .sidebar-section-link-suffix.icon")
+          end
+        end
+
+        def has_no_direct_message_channel?(channel, **args)
+          component.has_no_css?(direct_message_channel_selector(channel, **args))
+        end
+
+        def direct_message_channel_selector(channel, **args)
+          selector = "#sidebar-section-content-chat-dms"
+          selector += " .sidebar-section-link.channel-#{channel.id}"
+          selector
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/plugins/chat/spec/system/send_message_spec.rb b/plugins/chat/spec/system/send_message_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..05e49104346
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/chat/spec/system/send_message_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+RSpec.describe "Send message", type: :system do
+  fab!(:user_1) { Fabricate(:admin) }
+  fab!(:user_2) { Fabricate(:admin) }
+
+  let(:chat_page) { PageObjects::Pages::Chat.new }
+  let(:channel_page) { PageObjects::Pages::ChatChannel.new }
+
+  before do
+    # simpler user search without having to worry about user search data
+    SiteSetting.enable_names = false
+
+    chat_system_bootstrap
+  end
+
+  context "with direct message channels" do
+    context "when users are not following the channel" do
+      fab!(:channel_1) { Fabricate(:direct_message_channel, users: [user_1, user_2]) }
+
+      before do
+        channel_1.remove(user_1)
+        channel_1.remove(user_2)
+      end
+
+      it "shows correct state" do
+        using_session(:user_1) do
+          sign_in(user_1)
+          visit("/")
+
+          expect(chat_page.sidebar).to have_no_direct_message_channel(channel_1)
+        end
+
+        using_session(:user_2) do
+          sign_in(user_2)
+          visit("/")
+
+          expect(chat_page.sidebar).to have_no_direct_message_channel(channel_1)
+        end
+
+        using_session(:user_1) do
+          chat_page.open_new_message
+          chat_page.message_creator.filter(user_2.username)
+          chat_page.message_creator.click_row(user_2)
+
+          expect(chat_page.sidebar).to have_direct_message_channel(channel_1)
+        end
+
+        using_session(:user_2) do
+          expect(chat_page.sidebar).to have_no_direct_message_channel(channel_1)
+        end
+
+        using_session(:user_1) do |session|
+          channel_page.send_message
+
+          expect(chat_page.sidebar).to have_direct_message_channel(channel_1)
+
+          session.quit
+        end
+
+        using_session(:user_2) do |session|
+          expect(chat_page.sidebar).to have_direct_message_channel(channel_1, mention: true)
+
+          session.quit
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    context "when users are following the channel" do
+      fab!(:channel_1) { Fabricate(:direct_message_channel, users: [user_1, user_2]) }
+
+      it "shows correct state" do
+        using_session(:user_1) do
+          sign_in(user_1)
+          visit("/")
+
+          expect(chat_page.sidebar).to have_direct_message_channel(channel_1)
+        end
+
+        using_session(:user_2) do
+          sign_in(user_2)
+          visit("/")
+
+          expect(chat_page.sidebar).to have_direct_message_channel(channel_1)
+        end
+
+        using_session(:user_1) do
+          chat_page.open_new_message
+          chat_page.message_creator.filter(user_2.username)
+          chat_page.message_creator.click_row(user_2)
+
+          expect(chat_page.sidebar).to have_direct_message_channel(channel_1)
+        end
+
+        using_session(:user_2) do
+          expect(chat_page.sidebar).to have_direct_message_channel(channel_1)
+        end
+
+        using_session(:user_1) do |session|
+          channel_page.send_message
+
+          expect(chat_page.sidebar).to have_direct_message_channel(channel_1)
+
+          session.quit
+        end
+
+        using_session(:user_2) do |session|
+          expect(chat_page.sidebar).to have_direct_message_channel(channel_1, mention: true)
+
+          session.quit
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end