diff --git a/backend/app/routers/rooms.py b/backend/app/routers/rooms.py
index bd64762..96b3f53 100644
--- a/backend/app/routers/rooms.py
+++ b/backend/app/routers/rooms.py
@@ -113,15 +113,23 @@ async def create_room_endpoint(
 @router.post("/dm", response_model=RoomRead, status_code=201)
 async def start_dm_endpoint(
     data: StartDmRequest,
+    request: Request,
     current_user: User = Depends(get_current_user),
     db: AsyncSession = Depends(get_db),
 ):
     try:
-        return await find_or_create_dm(db, current_user.id, data.other_user_id)
+        room = await find_or_create_dm(db, current_user.id, data.other_user_id)
     except CannotDmSelfError:
         raise HTTPException(status_code=400, detail="Cannot start a DM with yourself")
     except TargetUserNotFoundError:
         raise HTTPException(status_code=404, detail="No user with that ID")
+    # Same signal add_member sends -- without it, the other participant's
+    # already-open client has no way to know this DM exists until they
+    # reload: GET /rooms/mine is only fetched once at app mount. Sent
+    # unconditionally (not just on genuine creation) since re-finding an
+    # existing DM and refreshing their room list again is harmless.
+    await broadcast_room_added(request.app.state.broadcaster, data.other_user_id, room)
+    return room
 
 
 @router.get("", response_model=list[RoomListItem])
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_broadcast.py b/backend/tests/test_broadcast.py
index cb9a3f6..be73a1a 100644
--- a/backend/tests/test_broadcast.py
+++ b/backend/tests/test_broadcast.py
@@ -146,6 +146,28 @@ def test_add_member_notifies_target_user_via_websocket(ws_client_factory, monkey
         assert received == {"type": "room_added", "room_id": room["id"]}
 
 
+def test_start_dm_notifies_other_participant_via_websocket(ws_client_factory):
+    # A production report: bob had no idea a DM existed until he reloaded --
+    # find_or_create_dm was creating the room/membership correctly but never
+    # sending this signal, unlike every other "you're now in a room" path
+    # (add_member, above). Same shape as that test: bob is only ever
+    # "connected," never "joined," proving the signal alone is what tells
+    # his client the room exists at all.
+    instance1 = ws_client_factory()
+    instance2 = ws_client_factory()
+
+    alice = _register_ws(instance1, _unique("alice"))
+    bob = _register_ws(instance2, _unique("bob"))
+
+    with instance2.websocket_connect("/ws/chat") as bob_ws:
+        resp = instance1.post("/api/rooms/dm", json={"other_user_id": bob["id"]})
+        assert resp.status_code == 201, resp.text
+        room = resp.json()
+
+        received = bob_ws.receive_json()
+        assert received == {"type": "room_added", "room_id": room["id"]}
+
+
 def test_profile_update_notifies_room_members_via_websocket(ws_client_factory, monkeypatch):
     # Only reaches clients that have the room's own channel joined --
     # exactly the case where a stale avatar/display name would actually be