diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/components/status_action_bar.js b/app/javascript/mastodon/components/status_action_bar.js
index a21b066a59..1d8fe23dae 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/components/status_action_bar.js
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/components/status_action_bar.js
@@ -266,6 +266,7 @@ class StatusActionBar extends ImmutablePureComponent {
       menu.push({ text: intl.formatMessage(messages.redraft), action: this.handleRedraftClick });
     } else {
       menu.push({ text: intl.formatMessage(messages.mention, { name: account.get('username') }), action: this.handleMentionClick });
+      menu.push({ text: intl.formatMessage(messages.direct, { name: account.get('username') }), action: this.handleDirectClick });
       menu.push(null);
 
       if (relationship && relationship.get('muting')) {
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/account/components/header.js b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/account/components/header.js
index 83dc8d9b80..2830bee29f 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/account/components/header.js
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/account/components/header.js
@@ -177,6 +177,7 @@ class Header extends ImmutablePureComponent {
 
     if (account.get('id') !== me) {
       menu.push({ text: intl.formatMessage(messages.mention, { name: account.get('username') }), action: this.props.onMention });
+      menu.push({ text: intl.formatMessage(messages.direct, { name: account.get('username') }), action: this.props.onDirect });
       menu.push(null);
     }
 
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/direct_timeline/index.js b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/direct_timeline/index.js
index 46a56e942c..debb2d721c 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/direct_timeline/index.js
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/direct_timeline/index.js
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import { connectDirectStream } from '../../actions/streaming';
 import ConversationsListContainer from './containers/conversations_list_container';
 
 const messages = defineMessages({
-  title: { id: 'column.conversations', defaultMessage: 'Conversations' },
+  title: { id: 'column.direct', defaultMessage: 'Direct messages' },
 });
 
 export default @connect()
@@ -91,7 +91,8 @@ class DirectTimeline extends React.PureComponent {
           scrollKey={`direct_timeline-${columnId}`}
           timelineId='direct'
           onLoadMore={this.handleLoadMore}
-          emptyMessage={<FormattedMessage id='empty_column.conversations' defaultMessage="Once you send or receive a post that's only visible to people mentioned in it, it will show up here." />}
+          prepend={<div className='follow_requests-unlocked_explanation'><span><FormattedMessage id='compose_form.encryption_warning' defaultMessage='Posts on Mastodon are not end-to-end encrypted. Do not share any dangerous information over Mastodon.' /> <a href='/terms' target='_blank'><FormattedMessage id='compose_form.direct_message_warning_learn_more' defaultMessage='Learn more' /></a></span></div>}
+          emptyMessage={<FormattedMessage id='empty_column.direct' defaultMessage="You don't have any direct messages yet. When you send or receive one, it will show up here." />}
         />
       </Column>
     );
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/getting_started/index.js b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/getting_started/index.js
index 678fb089c2..65cee7498b 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/getting_started/index.js
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/getting_started/index.js
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ const messages = defineMessages({
   settings_subheading: { id: 'column_subheading.settings', defaultMessage: 'Settings' },
   community_timeline: { id: 'navigation_bar.community_timeline', defaultMessage: 'Local timeline' },
   explore: { id: 'navigation_bar.explore', defaultMessage: 'Explore' },
-  direct: { id: 'column.conversations', defaultMessage: 'Conversations' },
+  direct: { id: 'navigation_bar.direct', defaultMessage: 'Direct messages' },
   bookmarks: { id: 'navigation_bar.bookmarks', defaultMessage: 'Bookmarks' },
   preferences: { id: 'navigation_bar.preferences', defaultMessage: 'Preferences' },
   follow_requests: { id: 'navigation_bar.follow_requests', defaultMessage: 'Follow requests' },
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/keyboard_shortcuts/index.js b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/keyboard_shortcuts/index.js
index 5f38e2f4e2..8f1631d829 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/keyboard_shortcuts/index.js
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/keyboard_shortcuts/index.js
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ class KeyboardShortcuts extends ImmutablePureComponent {
               </tr>
               <tr>
                 <td><kbd>g</kbd>+<kbd>d</kbd></td>
-                <td><FormattedMessage id='keyboard_shortcuts.conversations' defaultMessage='to open conversations column' /></td>
+                <td><FormattedMessage id='keyboard_shortcuts.direct' defaultMessage='to open direct messages column' /></td>
               </tr>
               <tr>
                 <td><kbd>g</kbd>+<kbd>s</kbd></td>
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/ui/components/navigation_panel.js b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/ui/components/navigation_panel.js
index 9a3940b5bc..fe4ed5d772 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/ui/components/navigation_panel.js
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/ui/components/navigation_panel.js
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ const NavigationPanel = () => (
     <NavLink className='column-link column-link--transparent' to='/explore' data-preview-title-id='explore.title' data-preview-icon='hashtag'><Icon className='column-link__icon' id='hashtag' fixedWidth /><FormattedMessage id='explore.title' defaultMessage='Explore' /></NavLink>
     <NavLink className='column-link column-link--transparent' to='/public/local' data-preview-title-id='column.community' data-preview-icon='users' ><Icon className='column-link__icon' id='users' fixedWidth /><FormattedMessage id='tabs_bar.local_timeline' defaultMessage='Local' /></NavLink>
     <NavLink className='column-link column-link--transparent' exact to='/public' data-preview-title-id='column.public' data-preview-icon='globe' ><Icon className='column-link__icon' id='globe' fixedWidth /><FormattedMessage id='tabs_bar.federated_timeline' defaultMessage='Federated' /></NavLink>
-    <NavLink className='column-link column-link--transparent' to='/conversations'><Icon className='column-link__icon' id='at' fixedWidth /><FormattedMessage id='column.conversations' defaultMessage='Conversations' /></NavLink>
+    <NavLink className='column-link column-link--transparent' to='/conversations'><Icon className='column-link__icon' id='at' fixedWidth /><FormattedMessage id='navigation_bar.direct' defaultMessage='Direct messages' /></NavLink>
     <NavLink className='column-link column-link--transparent' to='/favourites'><Icon className='column-link__icon' id='star' fixedWidth /><FormattedMessage id='navigation_bar.favourites' defaultMessage='Favourites' /></NavLink>
     <NavLink className='column-link column-link--transparent' to='/bookmarks'><Icon className='column-link__icon' id='bookmark' fixedWidth /><FormattedMessage id='navigation_bar.bookmarks' defaultMessage='Bookmarks' /></NavLink>
     <NavLink className='column-link column-link--transparent' to='/lists'><Icon className='column-link__icon' id='list-ul' fixedWidth /><FormattedMessage id='navigation_bar.lists' defaultMessage='Lists' /></NavLink>
diff --git a/app/javascript/styles/mastodon/components.scss b/app/javascript/styles/mastodon/components.scss
index c04b30420b..472fa94077 100644
--- a/app/javascript/styles/mastodon/components.scss
+++ b/app/javascript/styles/mastodon/components.scss
@@ -4053,7 +4053,7 @@ a.status-card.compact:hover {
   }
 
   & > span {
-    max-width: 400px;
+    max-width: 500px;
   }
 
   a {