diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/components/status.js b/app/javascript/mastodon/components/status.js
index a918a94f8..6129b3f1e 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/components/status.js
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/components/status.js
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ export default class Status extends ImmutablePureComponent {
     onFavourite: PropTypes.func,
     onReblog: PropTypes.func,
     onDelete: PropTypes.func,
+    onDirect: PropTypes.func,
+    onMention: PropTypes.func,
     onPin: PropTypes.func,
     onOpenMedia: PropTypes.func,
     onOpenVideo: PropTypes.func,
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/components/status_action_bar.js b/app/javascript/mastodon/components/status_action_bar.js
index e036dc1da..10f34b0c7 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/components/status_action_bar.js
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/components/status_action_bar.js
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import { me } from '../initial_state';
 
 const messages = defineMessages({
   delete: { id: 'status.delete', defaultMessage: 'Delete' },
+  direct: { id: 'status.direct', defaultMessage: 'Direct message @{name}' },
   mention: { id: 'status.mention', defaultMessage: 'Mention @{name}' },
   mute: { id: 'account.mute', defaultMessage: 'Mute @{name}' },
   block: { id: 'account.block', defaultMessage: 'Block @{name}' },
@@ -41,6 +42,7 @@ export default class StatusActionBar extends ImmutablePureComponent {
     onFavourite: PropTypes.func,
     onReblog: PropTypes.func,
     onDelete: PropTypes.func,
+    onDirect: PropTypes.func,
     onMention: PropTypes.func,
     onMute: PropTypes.func,
     onBlock: PropTypes.func,
@@ -92,6 +94,10 @@ export default class StatusActionBar extends ImmutablePureComponent {
     this.props.onMention(this.props.status.get('account'), this.context.router.history);
   }
 
+  handleDirectClick = () => {
+    this.props.onDirect(this.props.status.get('account'), this.context.router.history);
+  }
+
   handleMuteClick = () => {
     this.props.onMute(this.props.status.get('account'));
   }
@@ -149,6 +155,7 @@ export default class StatusActionBar extends ImmutablePureComponent {
       menu.push({ text: intl.formatMessage(messages.delete), action: this.handleDeleteClick });
     } else {
       menu.push({ text: intl.formatMessage(messages.mention, { name: status.getIn(['account', 'username']) }), action: this.handleMentionClick });
+      menu.push({ text: intl.formatMessage(messages.direct, { name: status.getIn(['account', 'username']) }), action: this.handleDirectClick });
       menu.push(null);
       menu.push({ text: intl.formatMessage(messages.mute, { name: status.getIn(['account', 'username']) }), action: this.handleMuteClick });
       menu.push({ text: intl.formatMessage(messages.block, { name: status.getIn(['account', 'username']) }), action: this.handleBlockClick });
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/containers/status_container.js b/app/javascript/mastodon/containers/status_container.js
index 4579bd132..f22509edf 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/containers/status_container.js
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/containers/status_container.js
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { makeGetStatus } from '../selectors';
 import {
   replyCompose,
   mentionCompose,
+  directCompose,
 } from '../actions/compose';
 import {
   reblog,
@@ -102,6 +103,10 @@ const mapDispatchToProps = (dispatch, { intl }) => ({
     }
   },
 
+  onDirect (account, router) {
+    dispatch(directCompose(account, router));
+  },
+
   onMention (account, router) {
     dispatch(mentionCompose(account, router));
   },
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/status/components/action_bar.js b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/status/components/action_bar.js
index 13cc10c9c..4aa6b08f2 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/status/components/action_bar.js
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/status/components/action_bar.js
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import { me } from '../../../initial_state';
 
 const messages = defineMessages({
   delete: { id: 'status.delete', defaultMessage: 'Delete' },
+  direct: { id: 'status.direct', defaultMessage: 'Direct message @{name}' },
   mention: { id: 'status.mention', defaultMessage: 'Mention @{name}' },
   reply: { id: 'status.reply', defaultMessage: 'Reply' },
   reblog: { id: 'status.reblog', defaultMessage: 'Boost' },
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ export default class ActionBar extends React.PureComponent {
     onReblog: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
     onFavourite: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
     onDelete: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
+    onDirect: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
     onMention: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
     onMute: PropTypes.func,
     onMuteConversation: PropTypes.func,
@@ -63,6 +65,10 @@ export default class ActionBar extends React.PureComponent {
     this.props.onDelete(this.props.status);
   }
 
+  handleDirectClick = () => {
+    this.props.onDirect(this.props.status.get('account'), this.context.router.history);
+  }
+
   handleMentionClick = () => {
     this.props.onMention(this.props.status.get('account'), this.context.router.history);
   }
@@ -108,6 +114,7 @@ export default class ActionBar extends React.PureComponent {
 
     if (publicStatus) {
       menu.push({ text: intl.formatMessage(messages.embed), action: this.handleEmbed });
+      menu.push(null);
     }
 
     if (me === status.getIn(['account', 'id'])) {
@@ -121,6 +128,7 @@ export default class ActionBar extends React.PureComponent {
       menu.push({ text: intl.formatMessage(messages.delete), action: this.handleDeleteClick });
     } else {
       menu.push({ text: intl.formatMessage(messages.mention, { name: status.getIn(['account', 'username']) }), action: this.handleMentionClick });
+      menu.push({ text: intl.formatMessage(messages.direct, { name: status.getIn(['account', 'username']) }), action: this.handleDirectClick });
       menu.push(null);
       menu.push({ text: intl.formatMessage(messages.mute, { name: status.getIn(['account', 'username']) }), action: this.handleMuteClick });
       menu.push({ text: intl.formatMessage(messages.block, { name: status.getIn(['account', 'username']) }), action: this.handleBlockClick });
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/status/index.js b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/status/index.js
index 2f482b292..55eff0823 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/status/index.js
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/status/index.js
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import {
 import {
   replyCompose,
   mentionCompose,
+  directCompose,
 } from '../../actions/compose';
 import { blockAccount } from '../../actions/accounts';
 import {
@@ -148,6 +149,10 @@ export default class Status extends ImmutablePureComponent {
     }
   }
 
+  handleDirectClick = (account, router) => {
+    this.props.dispatch(directCompose(account, router));
+  }
+
   handleMentionClick = (account, router) => {
     this.props.dispatch(mentionCompose(account, router));
   }
@@ -379,6 +384,7 @@ export default class Status extends ImmutablePureComponent {
                   onFavourite={this.handleFavouriteClick}
                   onReblog={this.handleReblogClick}
                   onDelete={this.handleDeleteClick}
+                  onDirect={this.handleDirectClick}
                   onMention={this.handleMentionClick}
                   onMute={this.handleMuteClick}
                   onMuteConversation={this.handleConversationMuteClick}
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/locales/defaultMessages.json b/app/javascript/mastodon/locales/defaultMessages.json
index 52b9db9ac..03be288bb 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/locales/defaultMessages.json
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/locales/defaultMessages.json
@@ -197,6 +197,10 @@
         "defaultMessage": "Delete",
         "id": "status.delete"
       },
+      {
+        "defaultMessage": "Direct message @{name}",
+        "id": "status.direct"
+      },
       {
         "defaultMessage": "Mention @{name}",
         "id": "status.mention"
@@ -1370,6 +1374,10 @@
         "defaultMessage": "Delete",
         "id": "status.delete"
       },
+      {
+        "defaultMessage": "Direct message @{name}",
+        "id": "status.direct"
+      },
       {
         "defaultMessage": "Mention @{name}",
         "id": "status.mention"
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/locales/en.json b/app/javascript/mastodon/locales/en.json
index 2286d2e83..a389735c1 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/locales/en.json
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/locales/en.json
@@ -240,6 +240,7 @@
   "status.block": "Block @{name}",
   "status.cannot_reblog": "This post cannot be boosted",
   "status.delete": "Delete",
+  "status.direct": "Direct message @{name}",
   "status.embed": "Embed",
   "status.favourite": "Favourite",
   "status.load_more": "Load more",
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/reducers/compose.js b/app/javascript/mastodon/reducers/compose.js
index 1f4177585..87049ea79 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/reducers/compose.js
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/reducers/compose.js
@@ -259,16 +259,18 @@ export default function compose(state = initialState, action) {
   case COMPOSE_UPLOAD_PROGRESS:
     return state.set('progress', Math.round((action.loaded / action.total) * 100));
   case COMPOSE_MENTION:
-    return state
-      .update('text', text => `${text}@${action.account.get('acct')} `)
-      .set('focusDate', new Date())
-      .set('idempotencyKey', uuid());
+    return state.withMutations(map => {
+      map.update('text', text => [text.trim(), `@${action.account.get('acct')} `].filter((str) => str.length !== 0).join(' '));
+      map.set('focusDate', new Date());
+      map.set('idempotencyKey', uuid());
+    });
   case COMPOSE_DIRECT:
-    return state
-      .update('text', text => `@${action.account.get('acct')} `)
-      .set('privacy', 'direct')
-      .set('focusDate', new Date())
-      .set('idempotencyKey', uuid());
+    return state.withMutations(map => {
+      map.update('text', text => [text.trim(), `@${action.account.get('acct')} `].filter((str) => str.length !== 0).join(' '));
+      map.set('privacy', 'direct');
+      map.set('focusDate', new Date());
+      map.set('idempotencyKey', uuid());
+    });
   case COMPOSE_SUGGESTIONS_CLEAR:
     return state.update('suggestions', ImmutableList(), list => list.clear()).set('suggestion_token', null);
   case COMPOSE_SUGGESTIONS_READY: