diff --git a/src/screens/Messages/Settings.tsx b/src/screens/Messages/Settings.tsx
index f49311b0da..f392d1c65c 100644
--- a/src/screens/Messages/Settings.tsx
+++ b/src/screens/Messages/Settings.tsx
@@ -201,7 +201,12 @@ export function MessagesSettingsScreenInner({}: Props) {
                   type="radio"
                   values={[
                     (profile?.associated?.chat
-                      ?.allowGroupInvites as AllowIncoming) ?? 'following',
+                      ?.allowGroupInvites as AllowIncoming) ??
+                      // when unset, group invites follow the general DM
+                      // preference (see canBeAddedToGroup)
+                      (profile?.associated?.chat
+                        ?.allowIncoming as AllowIncoming) ??
+                      'following',
                   ]}
                   onChange={onSelectGroupInvitesFrom}>
                   <View>
diff --git a/src/state/queries/messages/actor-declaration.ts b/src/state/queries/messages/actor-declaration.ts
index 53b493ab6a..7261f96eb7 100644
--- a/src/state/queries/messages/actor-declaration.ts
+++ b/src/state/queries/messages/actor-declaration.ts
@@ -35,7 +35,11 @@ export function useUpdateActorDeclaration({
         current?.associated?.chat?.allowIncoming ??
         'following'
       const allowGroupInvites =
-        update.allowGroupInvites ?? current?.associated?.chat?.allowGroupInvites
+        update.allowGroupInvites ??
+        current?.associated?.chat?.allowGroupInvites ??
+        // when unset, group invites follow the general DM preference
+        // (see canBeAddedToGroup), so mirror that when persisting
+        allowIncoming
       const result = await agent.com.atproto.repo.putRecord({
         repo: currentAccount.did,
         collection: 'chat.bsky.actor.declaration',
@@ -43,7 +47,7 @@ export function useUpdateActorDeclaration({
         record: {
           $type: 'chat.bsky.actor.declaration',
           allowIncoming,
-          ...(allowGroupInvites && {allowGroupInvites}),
+          allowGroupInvites,
         },
       })
       return result