diff --git a/playwright/e2e/crypto/history-sharing.spec.ts b/playwright/e2e/crypto/history-sharing.spec.ts
index 820f5edc63..3974ba79c5 100644
--- a/playwright/e2e/crypto/history-sharing.spec.ts
+++ b/playwright/e2e/crypto/history-sharing.spec.ts
@@ -38,6 +38,14 @@ test.describe("History sharing", function () {
 
             // Create the room and send a message
             await createRoom(alicePage, "TestRoom", true);
+
+            // The default history visibility for private rooms is "invited",
+            // so we need to change it to "shared" to ensure Bob can see the message when he joins.
+            const roomId = await aliceElementApp.getCurrentRoomIdFromUrl();
+            await aliceElementApp.client.sendStateEvent(roomId, "m.room.history_visibility", {
+                history_visibility: "shared",
+            });
+
             await sendMessageInCurrentRoom(alicePage, "A message from Alice");
 
             // Send the invite to Bob
@@ -101,6 +109,12 @@ test.describe("History sharing", function () {
         await bobPage.getByRole("option", { name: "TestRoom" }).click();
         await bobPage.getByRole("button", { name: "Accept" }).click();
 
+        // The room now defaults to "invited" history visibility, so we need to set it to "shared" first
+        await aliceElementApp.client.sendStateEvent(roomId, "m.room.history_visibility", {
+            history_visibility: "shared",
+        });
+        await expect(bobPage.getByText("Alice made future room history visible to all room members.")).toBeVisible();
+
         // Bob sends a message with "shared" visibility
         await sendMessageInCurrentRoom(bobPage, "Message1: 'shared' visibility");
         await expect(alicePage.getByText("Message1")).toBeVisible();
diff --git a/playwright/snapshots/crypto/crypto.spec.ts/RoomSummaryCard-with-verified-e2ee-linux.png b/playwright/snapshots/crypto/crypto.spec.ts/RoomSummaryCard-with-verified-e2ee-linux.png
index 433d80278d..b94d605559 100644
Binary files a/playwright/snapshots/crypto/crypto.spec.ts/RoomSummaryCard-with-verified-e2ee-linux.png and b/playwright/snapshots/crypto/crypto.spec.ts/RoomSummaryCard-with-verified-e2ee-linux.png differ
diff --git a/src/createRoom.ts b/src/createRoom.ts
index 30020bc2ce..193e9dd2cc 100644
--- a/src/createRoom.ts
+++ b/src/createRoom.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import {
     RoomCreateTypeField,
     RoomType,
     type ICreateRoomOpts,
-    type HistoryVisibility,
+    HistoryVisibility,
     JoinRule,
     Preset,
     RestrictedAllowType,
@@ -294,11 +294,24 @@ export default async function createRoom(client: MatrixClient, opts: IOpts): Pro
         }
     }
 
-    if (opts.historyVisibility) {
+    // Set history visibility to "invited" for DMs and non-public rooms unless explicitly overridden
+    // This ensures that room history is only visible to invited members by default
+    let historyVisibility = opts.historyVisibility;
+    if (!historyVisibility) {
+        // Determine if the room will be public based on the join rule or preset
+        const isPublicRoom = opts.joinRule === JoinRule.Public || createOpts.preset === Preset.PublicChat;
+
+        // For DMs and non-public rooms, set history visibility to "invited"
+        if (opts.dmUserId || !isPublicRoom) {
+            historyVisibility = HistoryVisibility.Invited;
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (historyVisibility) {
         createOpts.initial_state.push({
             type: EventType.RoomHistoryVisibility,
             content: {
-                history_visibility: opts.historyVisibility,
+                history_visibility: historyVisibility,
             },
         });
     }
diff --git a/test/unit-tests/createRoom-test.ts b/test/unit-tests/createRoom-test.ts
index 2775ad5409..3474020f65 100644
--- a/test/unit-tests/createRoom-test.ts
+++ b/test/unit-tests/createRoom-test.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import { mocked, type Mocked } from "jest-mock";
 import {
     type MatrixClient,
     type Device,
+    HistoryVisibility,
     Preset,
     RoomType,
     JoinRule,
@@ -58,7 +59,10 @@ describe("createRoom", () => {
         expect(client.createRoom).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
             preset: "private_chat",
             visibility: "private",
-            initial_state: [{ state_key: "", type: "m.room.guest_access", content: { guest_access: "can_join" } }],
+            initial_state: [
+                { state_key: "", type: "m.room.guest_access", content: { guest_access: "can_join" } },
+                { type: "m.room.history_visibility", content: { history_visibility: "invited" } },
+            ],
         });
     });
 
@@ -77,6 +81,7 @@ describe("createRoom", () => {
                         algorithm: "m.megolm.v1.aes-sha2",
                     },
                 },
+                { type: "m.room.history_visibility", content: { history_visibility: "invited" } },
             ],
         });
     });
@@ -104,6 +109,7 @@ describe("createRoom", () => {
                         "io.element.msc4362.encrypt_state_events": true,
                     },
                 },
+                { type: "m.room.history_visibility", content: { history_visibility: "invited" } },
                 // Room name is NOT included, since it needs to be encrypted.
             ],
         });
@@ -146,6 +152,7 @@ describe("createRoom", () => {
                         "io.element.msc4362.encrypt_state_events": true,
                     },
                 },
+                { type: "m.room.history_visibility", content: { history_visibility: "invited" } },
                 // Room name is NOT included, since it needs to be encrypted.
             ],
         });
@@ -178,6 +185,7 @@ describe("createRoom", () => {
                         "io.element.msc4362.encrypt_state_events": true,
                     },
                 },
+                { type: "m.room.history_visibility", content: { history_visibility: "invited" } },
                 // Room name is NOT included, since it needs to be encrypted.
             ],
         });
@@ -218,6 +226,7 @@ describe("createRoom", () => {
             initial_state: [
                 { state_key: "", type: "m.room.guest_access", content: { guest_access: "can_join" } },
                 { type: "m.space.parent", state_key: parentSpace.roomId, content: { canonical: true, via: [] } },
+                { type: "m.room.history_visibility", content: { history_visibility: "invited" } },
             ],
         });
     });
@@ -354,6 +363,31 @@ describe("createRoom", () => {
         );
     });
 
+    it("should set history visibility to invited for DMs", async () => {
+        await createRoom(client, { dmUserId: "@bob:example.org" });
+        expect(client.createRoom).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+            expect.objectContaining({
+                initial_state: expect.arrayContaining([
+                    { type: "m.room.history_visibility", content: { history_visibility: "invited" } },
+                ]),
+            }),
+        );
+    });
+
+    it("should respect an explicit history visibility override", async () => {
+        await createRoom(client, {
+            createOpts: { preset: Preset.PrivateChat },
+            historyVisibility: HistoryVisibility.Shared,
+        });
+        expect(client.createRoom).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+            expect.objectContaining({
+                initial_state: expect.arrayContaining([
+                    { type: "m.room.history_visibility", content: { history_visibility: "shared" } },
+                ]),
+            }),
+        );
+    });
+
     describe("room versions", () => {
         afterEach(() => {
             jest.clearAllMocks();