diff --git a/packages/web/src/api/client.ts b/packages/web/src/api/client.ts
index 4f158e9e..0e5bedf5 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/api/client.ts
+++ b/packages/web/src/api/client.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import type {
   UpdateMemberRequest,
   LiveKitTokenResponse,
   CreateDmRequest,
+  AddDmMemberRequest,
   CreateGroupDmRequest,
   CreateDmMessageRequest,
   Friend,
@@ -158,7 +159,7 @@ export class BackspaceApiClient {
     sendMessage: (id: string, data: CreateDmMessageRequest) => Promise<DmMessageWithUser>;
     updateMessage: (id: string, data: UpdateMessageRequest) => Promise<DmMessageWithUser>;
     deleteMessage: (id: string) => Promise<{ success: boolean }>;
-    addMember: (dmChannelId: string, data: { userId: string }) => Promise<DmChannel>;
+    addMember: (dmChannelId: string, data: AddDmMemberRequest) => Promise<DmChannel>;
     leave: (dmChannelId: string) => Promise<{ success: boolean }>;
   };
 
@@ -519,7 +520,7 @@ export class BackspaceApiClient {
         request<DmMessageWithUser>('PATCH', `/dm/messages/${id}`, data),
       deleteMessage: (id: string) =>
         request<{ success: boolean }>('DELETE', `/dm/messages/${id}`),
-      addMember: (dmChannelId: string, data: { userId: string }) =>
+      addMember: (dmChannelId: string, data: AddDmMemberRequest) =>
         request<DmChannel>('POST', `/dm/${dmChannelId}/members`, data),
       leave: (dmChannelId: string) =>
         request<{ success: boolean }>('DELETE', `/dm/${dmChannelId}/members`),
diff --git a/packages/web/src/components/chat/FriendsPage.tsx b/packages/web/src/components/chat/FriendsPage.tsx
index aafb8b77..2a38f627 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/components/chat/FriendsPage.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/components/chat/FriendsPage.tsx
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ export function FriendsPage({ mobile }: FriendsPageProps) {
   const pendingIncoming = requests.filter(r => r.status === 'pending' && r.user?.id === r.fromId);
   const pendingOutgoing = requests.filter(r => r.status === 'pending' && r.user?.id === r.toId);
 
-  const handleOpenDm = async (friendId: string, instanceOrigin: string, homeUserId?: string) => {
+  const handleOpenDm = async (friendId: string, homeUserId?: string, homeInstance?: string | null) => {
     try {
       // Check if a DM already exists with this user (on any instance)
       const existing = useSpaceStore.getState().findExistingDmForUser({ id: friendId, homeUserId: homeUserId ?? undefined });
@@ -62,13 +62,12 @@ export function FriendsPage({ mobile }: FriendsPageProps) {
         navigate(`/channels/@me/${existing.dm.id}`);
         return;
       }
-      let client = api;
-      if (instanceOrigin) {
-        const instance = useInstanceStore.getState().instances.find(i => i.origin === instanceOrigin);
-        if (instance?.api) client = instance.api;
-      }
-      const dmChannel = await client.dm.create({ userId: friendId });
-      addDmChannel(dmChannel, instanceOrigin);
+      const dmChannel = await api.dm.create({
+        userId: homeInstance ? undefined : friendId,
+        homeUserId: homeUserId ?? undefined,
+        homeInstance: homeInstance ?? undefined,
+      });
+      addDmChannel(dmChannel);
       navigate(`/channels/@me/${dmChannel.id}`);
     } catch (err) {
       console.error('Failed to open DM:', err);
@@ -98,7 +97,7 @@ export function FriendsPage({ mobile }: FriendsPageProps) {
               </div>
             ) : (
               onlineFriends.map(friend => (
-                <FriendItem key={`${friend.id}:${friend._instanceOrigin}`} friend={friend} onRemove={() => removeFriend(friend.id)} onDm={() => handleOpenDm(friend.id, friend._instanceOrigin, friend.homeUserId ?? undefined)} />
+                <FriendItem key={`${friend.id}:${friend._instanceOrigin}`} friend={friend} onRemove={() => removeFriend(friend.id)} onDm={() => handleOpenDm(friend.id, friend.homeUserId ?? undefined, friend.homeInstance)} />
               ))
             )}
           </div>
@@ -116,7 +115,7 @@ export function FriendsPage({ mobile }: FriendsPageProps) {
               </div>
             ) : (
               friends.map(friend => (
-                <FriendItem key={`${friend.id}:${friend._instanceOrigin}`} friend={friend} onRemove={() => removeFriend(friend.id)} onDm={() => handleOpenDm(friend.id, friend._instanceOrigin, friend.homeUserId ?? undefined)} />
+                <FriendItem key={`${friend.id}:${friend._instanceOrigin}`} friend={friend} onRemove={() => removeFriend(friend.id)} onDm={() => handleOpenDm(friend.id, friend.homeUserId ?? undefined, friend.homeInstance)} />
               ))
             )}
           </div>
@@ -198,7 +197,7 @@ export function FriendsPage({ mobile }: FriendsPageProps) {
                 if (mobile) {
                   pushMobileScreen('user-profile', { userId: friend.id });
                 } else {
-                  handleOpenDm(friend.id, friend._instanceOrigin ?? '', friend.homeUserId ?? undefined);
+                  handleOpenDm(friend.id, friend.homeUserId ?? undefined, friend.homeInstance);
                 }
               }}
               className={rowClass}
@@ -357,7 +356,7 @@ export function FriendsPage({ mobile }: FriendsPageProps) {
 function AddFriendTab({
   onOpenDm,
 }: {
-  onOpenDm: (userId: string, origin: string, homeUserId?: string) => void;
+  onOpenDm: (userId: string, homeUserId?: string, homeInstance?: string | null) => void;
 }) {
   const searchUsers = useSocialStore((s) => s.searchUsers);
   const sendFriendRequest = useSocialStore((s) => s.sendFriendRequest);
@@ -610,7 +609,7 @@ function UserDiscoverCard({
   onRelationshipChange,
 }: {
   user: TaggedDiscoverUser;
-  onOpenDm: (userId: string, origin: string, homeUserId?: string) => void;
+  onOpenDm: (userId: string, homeUserId?: string, homeInstance?: string | null) => void;
   onRelationshipChange: (userId: string, origin: string, relationship: TaggedDiscoverUser['relationship'], requestId?: string) => void;
 }) {
   const sendFriendRequest = useSocialStore((s) => s.sendFriendRequest);
@@ -729,7 +728,7 @@ function UserDiscoverCard({
   };
 
   const handleMessage = () => {
-    onOpenDm(user.id, user._instanceOrigin, user.homeUserId ?? undefined);
+    onOpenDm(user.id, user.homeUserId ?? undefined, user.homeInstance);
   };
 
   return (
diff --git a/packages/web/src/components/layout/DmSearchBar.tsx b/packages/web/src/components/layout/DmSearchBar.tsx
index 56b6c4f0..0929be37 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/components/layout/DmSearchBar.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/components/layout/DmSearchBar.tsx
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { createPortal } from 'react-dom';
 import { useNavigate } from 'react-router-dom';
 import type { User, DmChannel } from '@backspace/shared';
 import { Avatar } from '../ui/Avatar';
-import { useSpaceStore, getApiForOrigin, resolveUserOrigin } from '../../stores/spaceStore';
+import { useSpaceStore } from '../../stores/spaceStore';
 import { useAuthStore } from '../../stores/authStore';
 import { useUIStore } from '../../stores/uiStore';
 import { api } from '../../api/client';
@@ -182,10 +182,12 @@ export function DmSearchBar() {
           navigate(`/channels/@me/${existing.dm.id}`);
           return;
         }
-        const origin = resolveUserOrigin(item.user);
-        const dmApi = getApiForOrigin(origin);
-        const channel = await dmApi.dm.create({ userId: item.user.id });
-        addDmChannel(channel, origin);
+        const channel = await api.dm.create({
+          userId: item.user.homeInstance ? undefined : item.user.id,
+          homeUserId: item.user.homeUserId ?? undefined,
+          homeInstance: item.user.homeInstance ?? undefined,
+        });
+        addDmChannel(channel);
         close();
         useUIStore.getState().setShowDms(true);
         navigate(`/channels/@me/${channel.id}`);
diff --git a/packages/web/src/components/modals/AddDmMemberModal.tsx b/packages/web/src/components/modals/AddDmMemberModal.tsx
index 9fd760b6..4b8b420e 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/components/modals/AddDmMemberModal.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/components/modals/AddDmMemberModal.tsx
@@ -114,7 +114,11 @@ export function AddDmMemberModal() {
       } else {
         // Existing group DM → add each friend sequentially
         for (const friend of selectedFriends) {
-          await api.dm.addMember(dmChannelId, { userId: friend.id });
+          await api.dm.addMember(dmChannelId, {
+            userId: friend.homeInstance ? undefined : friend.id,
+            homeUserId: friend.homeUserId ?? undefined,
+            homeInstance: friend.homeInstance ?? undefined,
+          });
         }
         closeModal();
       }
diff --git a/packages/web/src/components/modals/NewDmModal.tsx b/packages/web/src/components/modals/NewDmModal.tsx
index f93daaea..15de6367 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/components/modals/NewDmModal.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/components/modals/NewDmModal.tsx
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { useNavigate } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { Modal } from '../ui/Modal';
 import { Avatar } from '../ui/Avatar';
 import { useUIStore } from '../../stores/uiStore';
-import { useSpaceStore, getApiForOrigin, resolveUserOrigin } from '../../stores/spaceStore';
+import { useSpaceStore } from '../../stores/spaceStore';
 import { api } from '../../api/client';
 import type { User } from '@backspace/shared';
 import { parseFederatedUsername } from '../../utils/identity';
@@ -67,10 +67,12 @@ export function NewDmModal() {
         navigate(`/channels/@me/${existing.dm.id}`);
         return;
       }
-      const origin = resolveUserOrigin(user);
-      const dmApi = getApiForOrigin(origin);
-      const channel = await dmApi.dm.create({ userId: user.id });
-      addDmChannel(channel, origin);
+      const channel = await api.dm.create({
+        userId: user.homeInstance ? undefined : user.id,
+        homeUserId: user.homeUserId ?? undefined,
+        homeInstance: user.homeInstance ?? undefined,
+      });
+      addDmChannel(channel);
       closeModal();
       useUIStore.getState().setShowDms(true);
       navigate(`/channels/@me/${channel.id}`);
diff --git a/packages/web/src/components/modals/UserProfileModal.tsx b/packages/web/src/components/modals/UserProfileModal.tsx
index 8438033b..039fabf7 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/components/modals/UserProfileModal.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/components/modals/UserProfileModal.tsx
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { Avatar } from '../ui/Avatar';
 import { Username } from '../ui/Username';
 import { useUIStore } from '../../stores/uiStore';
 import { useSpaceStore, getApiForOrigin, resolveUserOrigin } from '../../stores/spaceStore';
+import { api } from '../../api/client';
 import { useSocialStore, type TaggedFriend, type TaggedFriendRequest, InstanceNotConnectedError, InstanceDisconnectedError } from '../../stores/socialStore';
 import { ConnectInstanceModal } from './ConnectInstanceModal';
 import { useAuthStore } from '../../stores/authStore';
@@ -170,9 +171,12 @@ export function UserProfileModal() {
         navigate(`/channels/@me/${existing.dm.id}`);
         return;
       }
-      const dmApi = getApiForOrigin(userOrigin);
-      const channel = await dmApi.dm.create({ userId: user.id });
-      addDmChannel(channel, userOrigin);
+      const channel = await api.dm.create({
+        userId: user.homeInstance ? undefined : user.id,
+        homeUserId: user.homeUserId ?? undefined,
+        homeInstance: user.homeInstance ?? undefined,
+      });
+      addDmChannel(channel);
       useUIStore.getState().setShowDms(true);
       closeModal();
       navigate(`/channels/@me/${channel.id}`);
diff --git a/packages/web/src/components/ui/UserProfilePopout.tsx b/packages/web/src/components/ui/UserProfilePopout.tsx
index 05c2859c..64ffd61a 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/components/ui/UserProfilePopout.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/components/ui/UserProfilePopout.tsx
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import type { User } from '@backspace/shared';
 import { Avatar } from '../ui/Avatar';
 import { Username } from '../ui/Username';
 import { useSpaceStore, getApiForOrigin, resolveUserOrigin } from '../../stores/spaceStore';
+import { api } from '../../api/client';
 import { useUIStore } from '../../stores/uiStore';
 import { getAvatarGradient, adjustColor, mutedGradient } from '../../utils/gradients';
 import { parseFederatedUsername } from '../../utils/identity';
@@ -50,9 +51,12 @@ export function UserProfilePopout({ user, onClose, position }: UserProfilePopout
         navigate(`/channels/@me/${existing.dm.id}`);
         return;
       }
-      const dmApi = getApiForOrigin(origin);
-      const channel = await dmApi.dm.create({ userId: user.id });
-      addDmChannel(channel, origin);
+      const channel = await api.dm.create({
+        userId: user.homeInstance ? undefined : user.id,
+        homeUserId: user.homeUserId ?? undefined,
+        homeInstance: user.homeInstance ?? undefined,
+      });
+      addDmChannel(channel);
       useUIStore.getState().setShowDms(true);
       onClose();
       navigate(`/channels/@me/${channel.id}`);