diff --git a/src/api/messages/sendMessage.js b/src/api/messages/sendMessage.js
index 371027ad715..390c69f1848 100644
--- a/src/api/messages/sendMessage.js
+++ b/src/api/messages/sendMessage.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import { apiPost } from '../apiFetch';
 export default async (
   auth: Auth,
   params: {|
-    type: 'private' | 'stream',
+    type: 'direct' | 'stream',
     to: string,
     // TODO(server-2.0): Say "topic", not "subject"
     subject?: string,
@@ -15,12 +15,19 @@ export default async (
     localId?: number,
     eventQueueId?: string,
   |},
-): Promise<ApiResponse> =>
-  apiPost(auth, 'messages', {
-    type: params.type,
+  zulipFeatureLevel: number, // TODO(#4659): Don't get this from callers.
+): Promise<ApiResponse> => {
+  let { type } = params;
+  if (type === 'direct' && zulipFeatureLevel < 174) {
+    // TODO(server-7.0): Simplify.
+    type = 'private';
+  }
+  return apiPost(auth, 'messages', {
+    type,
     to: params.to,
     subject: params.subject,
     content: params.content,
     local_id: params.localId,
     queue_id: params.eventQueueId,
   });
+};
diff --git a/src/outbox/outboxActions.js b/src/outbox/outboxActions.js
index ce7720c5553..d56f2c025ea 100644
--- a/src/outbox/outboxActions.js
+++ b/src/outbox/outboxActions.js
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import { makeUserId } from '../api/idTypes';
 import { caseNarrowPartial, isConversationNarrow } from '../utils/narrow';
 import { BackoffMachine } from '../utils/async';
 import { recipientsOfPrivateMessage, streamNameOfStreamMessage } from '../utils/recipient';
+import { getZulipFeatureLevel } from '../account/accountsSelectors';
 
 export const messageSendStart = (outbox: Outbox): PerAccountAction => ({
   type: MESSAGE_SEND_START,
@@ -54,6 +55,7 @@ export const messageSendComplete = (localMessageId: number): PerAccountAction =>
 const trySendMessages = (dispatch, getState): boolean => {
   const state = getState();
   const auth = getAuth(state);
+  const zulipFeatureLevel = getZulipFeatureLevel(state);
   const outboxToSend = state.outbox.filter(outbox => !outbox.isSent);
   const oneWeekAgoTimestamp = Date.now() / 1000 - 60 * 60 * 24 * 7;
   try {
@@ -69,6 +71,8 @@ const trySendMessages = (dispatch, getState): boolean => {
         return; // i.e., continue
       }
 
+      const type = item.type === 'private' ? 'direct' : item.type;
+
       // prettier-ignore
       const to =
         item.type === 'private'
@@ -79,14 +83,18 @@ const trySendMessages = (dispatch, getState): boolean => {
             //   CSV, then a literal. To avoid misparsing, always use JSON.
           : JSON.stringify([streamNameOfStreamMessage(item)]);
 
-      await api.sendMessage(auth, {
-        type: item.type,
-        to,
-        subject: item.subject,
-        content: item.markdownContent,
-        localId: item.timestamp,
-        eventQueueId: state.session.eventQueueId ?? undefined,
-      });
+      await api.sendMessage(
+        auth,
+        {
+          type,
+          to,
+          subject: item.subject,
+          content: item.markdownContent,
+          localId: item.timestamp,
+          eventQueueId: state.session.eventQueueId ?? undefined,
+        },
+        zulipFeatureLevel,
+      );
       dispatch(messageSendComplete(item.timestamp));
     });
     return true;
diff --git a/src/sharing/ShareWrapper.js b/src/sharing/ShareWrapper.js
index 01c5fe671c0..920e91c70d8 100644
--- a/src/sharing/ShareWrapper.js
+++ b/src/sharing/ShareWrapper.js
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import { ensureUnreachable } from '../generics';
 import { IconAttachment, IconCancel } from '../common/Icons';
 import type { AppNavigationMethods } from '../nav/AppNavigator';
 import { ApiError, RequestError } from '../api/apiErrors';
+import { getZulipFeatureLevel } from '../account/accountsSelectors';
 
 type SendTo =
   | {| type: 'pm', selectedRecipients: $ReadOnlyArray<UserId> |}
@@ -80,6 +81,7 @@ type OuterProps = $ReadOnly<{|
 type SelectorProps = $ReadOnly<{|
   auth: Auth,
   ownUserId: UserId,
+  zulipFeatureLevel: number,
 |}>;
 
 type Props = $ReadOnly<{|
@@ -124,7 +126,7 @@ class ShareWrapperInner extends React.PureComponent<Props, State> {
    */
   handleSend = async () => {
     const _ = this.context;
-    const { auth, sendTo, sharedData, getValidationErrors } = this.props;
+    const { auth, sendTo, sharedData, getValidationErrors, zulipFeatureLevel } = this.props;
     let messageToSend = this.state.message;
 
     const validationErrors = getValidationErrors(messageToSend);
@@ -193,7 +195,7 @@ class ShareWrapperInner extends React.PureComponent<Props, State> {
       sendTo.type === 'pm'
         ? {
             content: messageToSend,
-            type: 'private',
+            type: 'direct',
             to: JSON.stringify(sendTo.selectedRecipients),
           }
         : {
@@ -206,7 +208,7 @@ class ShareWrapperInner extends React.PureComponent<Props, State> {
           };
 
     try {
-      await api.sendMessage(auth, messageData);
+      await api.sendMessage(auth, messageData, zulipFeatureLevel);
     } catch (err) {
       showToast(_('Failed to send message'));
       logging.error(err);
@@ -333,6 +335,7 @@ class ShareWrapperInner extends React.PureComponent<Props, State> {
 const ShareWrapper: ComponentType<OuterProps> = connect(state => ({
   auth: getAuth(state),
   ownUserId: getOwnUserId(state),
+  zulipFeatureLevel: getZulipFeatureLevel(state),
 }))(ShareWrapperInner);
 
 export default ShareWrapper;