diff --git a/lib/src/client.dart b/lib/src/client.dart
index e6da4ba7..cc46ce78 100644
--- a/lib/src/client.dart
+++ b/lib/src/client.dart
@@ -571,12 +571,14 @@ class Client extends MatrixApi {
     enableEncryption ??= await userOwnsEncryptionKeys(mxid);
     if (enableEncryption) {
       initialState ??= [];
-      initialState.add(StateEvent(
-        content: {
-          'algorithm': supportedGroupEncryptionAlgorithms.first,
-        },
-        type: EventTypes.Encryption,
-      ));
+      if (!initialState.any((s) => s.type == EventTypes.Encryption)) {
+        initialState.add(StateEvent(
+          content: {
+            'algorithm': supportedGroupEncryptionAlgorithms.first,
+          },
+          type: EventTypes.Encryption,
+        ));
+      }
     }
 
     // Start a new direct chat
@@ -587,12 +589,10 @@ class Client extends MatrixApi {
       initialState: initialState,
     );
 
-    if (waitForSync) {
-      if (getRoomById(roomId) == null) {
-        // Wait for room actually appears in sync
-        await onSync.stream.firstWhere(
-            (sync) => sync.rooms?.join?.containsKey(roomId) ?? false);
-      }
+    if (waitForSync && getRoomById(roomId) == null) {
+      // Wait for room actually appears in sync
+      await onSync.stream
+          .firstWhere((sync) => sync.rooms?.join?.containsKey(roomId) ?? false);
     }
 
     await Room(id: roomId, client: this).addToDirectChat(mxid);
@@ -615,12 +615,14 @@ class Client extends MatrixApi {
         encryptionEnabled && preset != CreateRoomPreset.publicChat;
     if (enableEncryption) {
       initialState ??= [];
-      initialState.add(StateEvent(
-        content: {
-          'algorithm': supportedGroupEncryptionAlgorithms.first,
-        },
-        type: EventTypes.Encryption,
-      ));
+      if (!initialState.any((s) => s.type == EventTypes.Encryption)) {
+        initialState.add(StateEvent(
+          content: {
+            'algorithm': supportedGroupEncryptionAlgorithms.first,
+          },
+          type: EventTypes.Encryption,
+        ));
+      }
     }
     final roomId = await createRoom(
       invite: invite,
diff --git a/lib/src/utils/device_keys_list.dart b/lib/src/utils/device_keys_list.dart
index 6babeb1e..a6bdb115 100644
--- a/lib/src/utils/device_keys_list.dart
+++ b/lib/src/utils/device_keys_list.dart
@@ -67,14 +67,25 @@ class DeviceKeysList {
     }
   }
 
-  Future<KeyVerification> startVerification() async {
+  /// Starts a verification with this device. This might need to create a new
+  /// direct chat to send the verification request over this room. For this you
+  /// can set parameters here.
+  Future<KeyVerification> startVerification({
+    bool? newDirectChatEnableEncryption,
+    List<StateEvent>? newDirectChatInitialState,
+  }) async {
     final encryption = client.encryption;
     if (encryption == null) {
       throw Exception('Encryption not enabled');
     }
     if (userId != client.userID) {
       // in-room verification with someone else
-      final roomId = await client.startDirectChat(userId);
+      final roomId = await client.startDirectChat(
+        userId,
+        enableEncryption: newDirectChatEnableEncryption,
+        initialState: newDirectChatInitialState,
+        waitForSync: false,
+      );
 
       final room =
           client.getRoomById(roomId) ?? Room(id: roomId, client: client);
diff --git a/test/device_keys_list_test.dart b/test/device_keys_list_test.dart
index 98560862..13d24f59 100644
--- a/test/device_keys_list_test.dart
+++ b/test/device_keys_list_test.dart
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ void main() {
       expect(req?.room != null, false);
 
       req = await client.userDeviceKeys['@alice:example.com']
-          ?.startVerification();
+          ?.startVerification(newDirectChatEnableEncryption: false);
       expect(req != null, true);
       expect(req?.room != null, true);
     });
diff --git a/test/encryption/key_verification_test.dart b/test/encryption/key_verification_test.dart
index 8a622e44..770af7aa 100644
--- a/test/encryption/key_verification_test.dart
+++ b/test/encryption/key_verification_test.dart
@@ -119,7 +119,9 @@ void main() {
       client1.userDeviceKeys[client1.userID]!.masterKey!
           .setDirectVerified(false);
       final req1 =
-          await client1.userDeviceKeys[client2.userID]!.startVerification();
+          await client1.userDeviceKeys[client2.userID]!.startVerification(
+        newDirectChatEnableEncryption: false,
+      );
       var evt = getLastSentEvent(req1);
       expect(req1.state, KeyVerificationState.waitingAccept);
 
@@ -221,8 +223,8 @@ void main() {
       client1.userDeviceKeys[client1.userID]!.masterKey!
           .setDirectVerified(true);
       await client1.encryption!.ssss.clearCache();
-      final req1 =
-          await client1.userDeviceKeys[client2.userID]!.startVerification();
+      final req1 = await client1.userDeviceKeys[client2.userID]!
+          .startVerification(newDirectChatEnableEncryption: false);
       expect(req1.state, KeyVerificationState.askSSSS);
       await req1.openSSSS(recoveryKey: ssssKey);
       await Future.delayed(Duration(seconds: 1));
@@ -241,8 +243,8 @@ void main() {
       // the other one has to have their master key verified to trigger asking for ssss
       client2.userDeviceKeys[client2.userID]!.masterKey!
           .setDirectVerified(true);
-      final req1 =
-          await client1.userDeviceKeys[client2.userID]!.startVerification();
+      final req1 = await client1.userDeviceKeys[client2.userID]!
+          .startVerification(newDirectChatEnableEncryption: false);
       var evt = getLastSentEvent(req1);
       expect(req1.state, KeyVerificationState.waitingAccept);
 
@@ -345,8 +347,8 @@ void main() {
       // make sure our master key is *not* verified to not triger SSSS for now
       client1.userDeviceKeys[client1.userID]!.masterKey!
           .setDirectVerified(false);
-      final req1 =
-          await client1.userDeviceKeys[client2.userID]!.startVerification();
+      final req1 = await client1.userDeviceKeys[client2.userID]!
+          .startVerification(newDirectChatEnableEncryption: false);
       var evt = getLastSentEvent(req1);
       expect(req1.state, KeyVerificationState.waitingAccept);
 
@@ -375,8 +377,8 @@ void main() {
       // make sure our master key is *not* verified to not triger SSSS for now
       client1.userDeviceKeys[client1.userID]!.masterKey!
           .setDirectVerified(false);
-      final req1 =
-          await client1.userDeviceKeys[client2.userID]!.startVerification();
+      final req1 = await client1.userDeviceKeys[client2.userID]!
+          .startVerification(newDirectChatEnableEncryption: false);
       var evt = getLastSentEvent(req1);
       expect(req1.state, KeyVerificationState.waitingAccept);
 
@@ -436,8 +438,8 @@ void main() {
       // make sure our master key is *not* verified to not triger SSSS for now
       client1.userDeviceKeys[client1.userID]!.masterKey!
           .setDirectVerified(false);
-      final req1 =
-          await client1.userDeviceKeys[client2.userID]!.startVerification();
+      final req1 = await client1.userDeviceKeys[client2.userID]!
+          .startVerification(newDirectChatEnableEncryption: false);
       final evt = getLastSentEvent(req1);
       expect(req1.state, KeyVerificationState.waitingAccept);