diff --git a/web/images/icons/users.svg b/web/images/icons/users.svg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b54475b48c
Binary files /dev/null and b/web/images/icons/users.svg differ
diff --git a/web/src/compose_actions.js b/web/src/compose_actions.js
index 75d5263222..b759ccf5ce 100644
--- a/web/src/compose_actions.js
+++ b/web/src/compose_actions.js
@@ -96,7 +96,10 @@ export function show_compose_box(msg_type, opts) {
         // button. It would be nice if the dropdown supported a way to attach
         // the "DM" button display string so we wouldn't have to manually change
         // it here.
-        $("#compose_select_recipient_name").text($t({defaultMessage: "DM"}));
+        const direct_message_label = $t({defaultMessage: "DM"});
+        $("#compose_select_recipient_name").html(
+            `<i class="zulip-icon zulip-icon-users stream-privacy-type-icon"></i> ${direct_message_label}`,
+        );
     }
     compose_banner.clear_errors();
     compose_banner.clear_warnings();
diff --git a/web/src/compose_recipient.js b/web/src/compose_recipient.js
index 5da787640a..f6f5dd3156 100644
--- a/web/src/compose_recipient.js
+++ b/web/src/compose_recipient.js
@@ -202,6 +202,7 @@ function get_options_for_recipient_widget() {
     const direct_messages_option = {
         name: $t({defaultMessage: "Direct message"}),
         value: DIRECT_MESSAGE,
+        is_direct_message: true,
     };
     if (
         page_params.realm_private_message_policy ===
diff --git a/web/styles/app_components.css b/web/styles/app_components.css
index 4b704bf1aa..95b93d265d 100644
--- a/web/styles/app_components.css
+++ b/web/styles/app_components.css
@@ -829,13 +829,15 @@ div.overlay {
     position: relative;
     top: 0.06rem;
     padding-right: 1px;
+    width: 12px;
 
     &.zulip-icon-globe,
     &.zulip-icon-hashtag {
         font-size: 0.75em;
     }
 
-    &.zulip-icon-lock {
+    &.zulip-icon-lock,
+    &.zulip-icon-users {
         font-size: 0.8em;
     }
 }
diff --git a/web/templates/settings/dropdown_list.hbs b/web/templates/settings/dropdown_list.hbs
index 58cc715cd5..39303e4d19 100644
--- a/web/templates/settings/dropdown_list.hbs
+++ b/web/templates/settings/dropdown_list.hbs
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
     <a role="menuitem" tabindex="0">
         {{#if stream}}
             {{> ../inline_decorated_stream_name stream=stream show_colored_icon=true}}
+        {{else if is_direct_message}}
+            <i class="zulip-icon zulip-icon-users stream-privacy-type-icon"></i> {{name}}
         {{else}}
             {{name}}
         {{/if}}