diff --git a/src/components/views/dialogs/DeviceVerifyDialog.js b/src/components/views/dialogs/DeviceVerifyDialog.js
index ca05d74964..fcb5089785 100644
--- a/src/components/views/dialogs/DeviceVerifyDialog.js
+++ b/src/components/views/dialogs/DeviceVerifyDialog.js
@@ -24,8 +24,7 @@ import sdk from '../../../index';
 import * as FormattingUtils from '../../../utils/FormattingUtils';
 import { _t } from '../../../languageHandler';
 import {verificationMethods} from 'matrix-js-sdk/lib/crypto';
-import DMRoomMap from '../../../utils/DMRoomMap';
-import createRoom from "../../../createRoom";
+import {ensureDMExists} from "../../../createRoom";
 import dis from "../../../dispatcher";
 import SettingsStore from '../../../settings/SettingsStore';
 
@@ -322,23 +321,7 @@ export default class DeviceVerifyDialog extends React.Component {
 }
 
 async function ensureDMExistsAndOpen(userId) {
-    const client = MatrixClientPeg.get();
-    const roomIds = DMRoomMap.shared().getDMRoomsForUserId(userId);
-    const rooms = roomIds.map(id => client.getRoom(id));
-    const suitableDMRooms = rooms.filter(r => {
-        if (r && r.getMyMembership() === "join") {
-            const member = r.getMember(userId);
-            return member && (member.membership === "invite" || member.membership === "join");
-        }
-        return false;
-    });
-    let roomId;
-    if (suitableDMRooms.length) {
-        const room = suitableDMRooms[0];
-        roomId = room.roomId;
-    } else {
-        roomId = await createRoom({dmUserId: userId, spinner: false, andView: false});
-    }
+    const roomId = ensureDMExists(MatrixClientPeg.get(), userId);
     // don't use andView and spinner in createRoom, together, they cause this dialog to close and reopen,
     // we causes us to loose the verifier and restart, and we end up having two verification requests
     dis.dispatch({
diff --git a/src/components/views/right_panel/EncryptionPanel.js b/src/components/views/right_panel/EncryptionPanel.js
index 9b32dba30e..7992933864 100644
--- a/src/components/views/right_panel/EncryptionPanel.js
+++ b/src/components/views/right_panel/EncryptionPanel.js
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import React from 'react';
 import EncryptionInfo from "./EncryptionInfo";
 import VerificationPanel from "./VerificationPanel";
 import MatrixClientPeg from "../../../MatrixClientPeg";
+import {ensureDMExists} from "../../../createRoom";
 
 export default class EncryptionPanel extends React.PureComponent {
     constructor(props) {
@@ -40,9 +41,8 @@ export default class EncryptionPanel extends React.PureComponent {
     _onStartVerification = async () => {
         const client = MatrixClientPeg.get();
         const {member} = this.props;
-        // TODO: get the room id of the DM here?
-        // will this panel be shown in non-DM rooms?
-        const verificationRequest = await client.requestVerificationDM(member.userId, member.roomId);
+        const roomId = await ensureDMExists(client, member.userId);
+        const verificationRequest = await client.requestVerificationDM(member.userId, roomId);
         this.setState({verificationRequest});
     };
 }
diff --git a/src/createRoom.js b/src/createRoom.js
index 0ee90beba8..766c9b0c8f 100644
--- a/src/createRoom.js
+++ b/src/createRoom.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 /*
 Copyright 2015, 2016 OpenMarket Ltd
+Copyright 2019 The Matrix.org Foundation C.I.C.
 
 Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -20,7 +21,7 @@ import sdk from './index';
 import { _t } from './languageHandler';
 import dis from "./dispatcher";
 import * as Rooms from "./Rooms";
-
+import DMRoomMap from "./utils/DMRoomMap";
 import {getAddressType} from "./UserAddress";
 
 /**
@@ -35,7 +36,7 @@ import {getAddressType} from "./UserAddress";
  * @returns {Promise} which resolves to the room id, or null if the
  * action was aborted or failed.
  */
-function createRoom(opts) {
+export default function createRoom(opts) {
     opts = opts || {};
     if (opts.spinner === undefined) opts.spinner = true;
 
@@ -140,4 +141,22 @@ function createRoom(opts) {
     });
 }
 
-module.exports = createRoom;
+export async function ensureDMExists(client, userId) {
+    const roomIds = DMRoomMap.shared().getDMRoomsForUserId(userId);
+    const rooms = roomIds.map(id => client.getRoom(id));
+    const suitableDMRooms = rooms.filter(r => {
+        if (r && r.getMyMembership() === "join") {
+            const member = r.getMember(userId);
+            return member && (member.membership === "invite" || member.membership === "join");
+        }
+        return false;
+    });
+    let roomId;
+    if (suitableDMRooms.length) {
+        const room = suitableDMRooms[0];
+        roomId = room.roomId;
+    } else {
+        roomId = await createRoom({dmUserId: userId, spinner: false, andView: false});
+    }
+    return roomId;
+}