diff --git a/src/components/views/avatars/RoomAvatar.js b/src/components/views/avatars/RoomAvatar.js
index e0105159fb..7b9cb10d51 100644
--- a/src/components/views/avatars/RoomAvatar.js
+++ b/src/components/views/avatars/RoomAvatar.js
@@ -119,15 +119,7 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
         } else {
             // if the room is not marked as a 1:1, but only has max 2 members
             // then still try to show any avatar (pref. other member)
-            const totalMemberCount = room.getJoinedMemberCount() +
-                room.getInvitedMemberCount();
-            const members = room.currentState.getMembers();
-            if (totalMemberCount == 2) {
-                const myUserId = MatrixClientPeg.get().getUserId();
-                otherMember = members.find(m => m.userId !== myUserId);
-            } else if (totalMemberCount == 1) {
-                otherMember = members[0];
-            }
+            otherMember = room.getAvatarFallbackMember();
         }
         if (otherMember) {
             return otherMember.getAvatarUrl(
diff --git a/src/utils/DMRoomMap.js b/src/utils/DMRoomMap.js
index d95eda490d..0c5e696c5f 100644
--- a/src/utils/DMRoomMap.js
+++ b/src/utils/DMRoomMap.js
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ export default class DMRoomMap {
     constructor(matrixClient) {
         this.matrixClient = matrixClient;
         this.roomToUser = null;
+        // see _onAccountData
+        this._hasSentOutPatchDirectAccountDataPatch = false;
 
         // XXX: Force-bind the event handler method because it
         // doesn't call it with our object as the 'this'
@@ -70,10 +72,68 @@ export default class DMRoomMap {
 
     _onAccountData(ev) {
         if (ev.getType() == 'm.direct') {
-            this.userToRooms = this.matrixClient.getAccountData('m.direct').getContent();
+            const userToRooms = this.matrixClient.getAccountData('m.direct').getContent() || {};
+            const myUserId = this.matrixClient.getUserId();
+            const selfDMs = userToRooms[myUserId];
+            if (selfDMs && selfDMs.length) {
+                const neededPatching = this._patchUpSelfDMs(userToRooms);
+                // to avoid multiple devices fighting to correct
+                // the account data, only try to send the corrected
+                // version once.
+                if (neededPatching && !this._hasSentOutPatchDirectAccountDataPatch) {
+                    this._hasSentOutPatchDirectAccountDataPatch = true;
+                    this.matrixClient.setAccountData('m.direct', userToRooms);
+                }
+            }
+            this.userToRooms = userToRooms;
             this._populateRoomToUser();
         }
     }
+    /**
+     * some client bug somewhere is causing some DMs to be marked
+     * with ourself, not the other user. Fix it by guessing the other user and
+     * modifying userToRooms
+     */
+    _patchUpSelfDMs(userToRooms) {
+        const myUserId = this.matrixClient.getUserId();
+        const selfRoomIds = userToRooms[myUserId];
+        if (selfRoomIds) {
+            // any self-chats that should not be self-chats?
+            const guessedUserIdsThatChanged = selfRoomIds.map((roomId) => {
+                const room = this.matrixClient.getRoom(roomId);
+                if (room) {
+                    const userId = room.guessDMUserId();
+                    if (userId && userId !== myUserId) {
+                        return {userId, roomId};
+                    }
+                }
+            }).filter((ids) => !!ids);  //filter out
+            // these are actually all legit self-chats
+            // bail out
+            if (!guessedUserIdsThatChanged.length) {
+                return false;
+            }
+            userToRooms[myUserId] = selfRoomIds.filter((roomId) => {
+                return guessedUserIdsThatChanged
+                    .some((ids) => ids.roomId === roomId);
+            });
+
+            guessedUserIdsThatChanged.forEach(({userId, roomId}) => {
+                if (!userId) {
+                    // if not able to guess the other user (unlikely)
+                    // still put it in the map so the room stays marked
+                    // as a DM, we just wont be able to show an avatar.
+                    userId = "";
+                }
+                let roomIds = userToRooms[userId];
+                if (!roomIds) {
+                    roomIds = userToRooms[userId] = [];
+                }
+                roomIds.push(roomId);
+            });
+            return true;
+        }
+    }
 
     getDMRoomsForUserId(userId) {
         // Here, we return the empty list if there are no rooms,