diff --git a/src/Rooms.js b/src/Rooms.js
index 4bcc68cb57..648a10f7ad 100644
--- a/src/Rooms.js
+++ b/src/Rooms.js
@@ -88,6 +88,10 @@ export function looksLikeDirectMessageRoom(room, me) {
  * @returns {object} A promise
  */
 export function setDMRoom(roomId, userId) {
+    if (MatrixClientPeg.get().isGuest()) {
+        return q();
+    }
+
     const mDirectEvent = MatrixClientPeg.get().getAccountData('m.direct');
     let dmRoomMap = {};
 
diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/RoomList.js b/src/components/views/rooms/RoomList.js
index 84da6ef0bb..f26409e489 100644
--- a/src/components/views/rooms/RoomList.js
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/RoomList.js
@@ -261,7 +261,10 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
             }
         });
 
-        if (s.lists["im.vector.fake.direct"].length == 0 && MatrixClientPeg.get().getAccountData('m.direct') === undefined) {
+        if (s.lists["im.vector.fake.direct"].length == 0 &&
+            MatrixClientPeg.get().getAccountData('m.direct') === undefined &&
+            !MatrixClientPeg.get().isGuest())
+        {
             // scan through the 'recents' list for any rooms which look like DM rooms
             // and make them DM rooms
             const oldRecents = s.lists["im.vector.fake.recent"];