diff --git a/src/createRoom.ts b/src/createRoom.ts
index b9f30476e4..78d0cf1356 100644
--- a/src/createRoom.ts
+++ b/src/createRoom.ts
@@ -26,9 +26,7 @@ import dis from "./dispatcher/dispatcher";
 import * as Rooms from "./Rooms";
 import DMRoomMap from "./utils/DMRoomMap";
 import {getAddressType} from "./UserAddress";
-
-const E2EE_WK_KEY = "im.vector.e2ee";
-const E2EE_WK_KEY_DEPRECATED = "im.vector.riot.e2ee";
+import { getE2EEWellKnown } from "./utils/WellKnownUtils";
 
 // we define a number of interfaces which take their names from the js-sdk
 /* eslint-disable camelcase */
@@ -295,16 +293,11 @@ export async function ensureDMExists(client: MatrixClient, userId: string): Prom
     return roomId;
 }
 
-export function privateShouldBeEncrypted() {
-    const clientWellKnown = MatrixClientPeg.get().getClientWellKnown();
-    if (clientWellKnown && clientWellKnown[E2EE_WK_KEY]) {
-        const defaultDisabled = clientWellKnown[E2EE_WK_KEY]["default"] === false;
+export function privateShouldBeEncrypted(): boolean {
+    const e2eeWellKnown = getE2EEWellKnown();
+    if (e2eeWellKnown) {
+        const defaultDisabled = e2eeWellKnown["default"] === false;
         return !defaultDisabled;
     }
-    if (clientWellKnown && clientWellKnown[E2EE_WK_KEY_DEPRECATED]) {
-        const defaultDisabled = clientWellKnown[E2EE_WK_KEY_DEPRECATED]["default"] === false;
-        return !defaultDisabled;
-    }
-
     return true;
 }
diff --git a/src/utils/WellKnownUtils.ts b/src/utils/WellKnownUtils.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2712570396
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils/WellKnownUtils.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2020 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.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+import {MatrixClientPeg} from '../MatrixClientPeg';
+
+const E2EE_WK_KEY = "im.vector.e2ee";
+const E2EE_WK_KEY_DEPRECATED = "im.vector.riot.e2ee";
+
+export interface IE2EEWellKnown {
+    default?: boolean;
+}
+
+export function getE2EEWellKnown(): IE2EEWellKnown {
+    const clientWellKnown = MatrixClientPeg.get().getClientWellKnown();
+    if (clientWellKnown && clientWellKnown[E2EE_WK_KEY]) {
+        return clientWellKnown[E2EE_WK_KEY];
+    }
+    if (clientWellKnown && clientWellKnown[E2EE_WK_KEY_DEPRECATED]) {
+        return clientWellKnown[E2EE_WK_KEY_DEPRECATED]
+    }
+    return null;
+}