diff --git a/src/components/dialogs/ThreadgateEditor.tsx b/src/components/dialogs/ThreadgateEditor.tsx
index f529ecc51a..1f9d754e93 100644
--- a/src/components/dialogs/ThreadgateEditor.tsx
+++ b/src/components/dialogs/ThreadgateEditor.tsx
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ function DialogContent({
   }
 
   const onPressEverybody = () => {
-    updateThreadgate([])
+    updateThreadgate([{type: 'everybody'}])
   }
 
   const onPressNobody = () => {
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ function DialogContent({
         <View style={[a.flex_row, a.gap_sm]}>
           <Selectable
             label={_(msg`Everybody`)}
-            isSelected={draft.length === 0}
+            isSelected={!!draft.find(v => v.type === 'everybody')}
             onPress={onPressEverybody}
             style={{flex: 1}}
           />
diff --git a/src/state/queries/threadgate/index.ts b/src/state/queries/threadgate/index.ts
index ed0643a482..cb63fcce2f 100644
--- a/src/state/queries/threadgate/index.ts
+++ b/src/state/queries/threadgate/index.ts
@@ -133,8 +133,6 @@ export async function upsertThreadgate(
 
 /**
  * Update the allow list for a threadgate record.
- *
- * Note: to allow everyone to reply, pass `allow: []`.
  */
 export async function updateThreadgateAllow({
   agent,
diff --git a/src/state/queries/threadgate/types.ts b/src/state/queries/threadgate/types.ts
index 1fed138d37..0cbea311cb 100644
--- a/src/state/queries/threadgate/types.ts
+++ b/src/state/queries/threadgate/types.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 export type ThreadgateAllowUISetting =
+  | {type: 'everybody'}
   | {type: 'nobody'}
   | {type: 'mention'}
   | {type: 'following'}
diff --git a/src/state/queries/threadgate/util.ts b/src/state/queries/threadgate/util.ts
index 590c1cdb80..f2b6cff2a2 100644
--- a/src/state/queries/threadgate/util.ts
+++ b/src/state/queries/threadgate/util.ts
@@ -50,14 +50,16 @@ export function threadgateViewToAllowUISetting(
  * Converts an array of {@link ThreadgateAllowUISetting} to the `allow` prop on
  * {@link AppBskyFeedThreadgate.Record}.
  *
- * If the array passed is empty, we infer that to mean anyone can reply, and
- * return undefined. An undefined value in the record is interpretted as anyone
- * can reply, whereas an empty array means no on can reply.
+ * If the `allow` property on the record is undefined, we infer that to mean
+ * that everyone can reply. If it's an empty array, we infer that to mean that
+ * no one can reply.
  */
 export function threadgateAllowUISettingToAllowRecordValue(
   threadgate: ThreadgateAllowUISetting[],
 ): AppBskyFeedThreadgate.Record['allow'] {
-  if (threadgate.length === 0) return undefined
+  if (threadgate.find(v => v.type === 'everybody')) {
+    return undefined
+  }
 
   let allow: (
     | AppBskyFeedThreadgate.MentionRule
@@ -108,10 +110,6 @@ export function mergeThreadgateRecords(
 /**
  * Create a new {@link AppBskyFeedThreadgate.Record} object with the given
  * properties.
- *
- * Note: setting `allow` to `undefined` resets and allows everyone to reply. An
- * empty array means that no one can reply. This is a bit of a hack bc of how
- * these were designed, but should be fine as long as we're careful.
  */
 export function createThreadgateRecord(
   threadgate: Partial<AppBskyFeedThreadgate.Record>,