diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/components/compose_form.jsx b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/components/compose_form.jsx
index 2cd88aab41..75f4720fb3 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/components/compose_form.jsx
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/components/compose_form.jsx
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ class ComposeForm extends ImmutablePureComponent {
       return;
     }
 
-    this.props.onSubmit(missingAltTextModal && this.props.missingAltText);
+    this.props.onSubmit(missingAltTextModal && this.props.missingAltText && this.props.privacy !== 'direct');
 
     if (e) {
       e.preventDefault();