diff --git a/routes/_components/compose/ComposeBox.html b/routes/_components/compose/ComposeBox.html
index 2f6ec31..e72bbc5 100644
--- a/routes/_components/compose/ComposeBox.html
+++ b/routes/_components/compose/ComposeBox.html
@@ -102,6 +102,13 @@
   import { importDialogs } from '../../_utils/asyncModules'
   import { classname } from '../../_utils/classname'
 
+  const PRIVACY_LEVEL = {
+    'direct': 1,
+    'private': 2,
+    'unlisted': 3,
+    'public': 4
+  }
+
   export default {
     oncreate() {
       let realm = this.get('realm')
@@ -156,7 +163,16 @@
       text: (composeData) => composeData.text || '',
       media: (composeData) => composeData.media || [],
       postPrivacy: (postPrivacyKey) => POST_PRIVACY_OPTIONS.find(_ => _.key === postPrivacyKey),
-      defaultPostPrivacyKey: ($currentVerifyCredentials) => $currentVerifyCredentials.source.privacy,
+      defaultPostPrivacyKey: ($currentVerifyCredentials, replyVisibility) => {
+        let defaultVisibility = $currentVerifyCredentials.source.privacy
+        // return the most private between the user's preferred default privacy
+        // and the privacy of the status they're replying to
+        if (replyVisibility &&
+            PRIVACY_LEVEL[replyVisibility] < PRIVACY_LEVEL[defaultVisibility]) {
+          return replyVisibility
+        }
+        return defaultVisibility
+      },
       postPrivacyKey: (composeData, defaultPostPrivacyKey) => composeData.postPrivacy || defaultPostPrivacyKey,
       textLength: (text) => measureText(text),
       contentWarningLength: (contentWarning) => measureText(contentWarning),
diff --git a/routes/_components/status/Status.html b/routes/_components/status/Status.html
index a3c7c37..24846c9 100644
--- a/routes/_components/status/Status.html
+++ b/routes/_components/status/Status.html
@@ -38,7 +38,9 @@
                  :isStatusInOwnThread :uuid :visibility :replyShown
                  on:recalculateHeight />
   {{#if replyShown}}
-    <StatusComposeBox :originalStatusId :uuid on:recalculateHeight />
+    <StatusComposeBox :originalStatusId :uuid
+                      :replyVisibility :visibility
+                      on:recalculateHeight />
   {{/if}}
 </article>
 
diff --git a/routes/_components/status/StatusComposeBox.html b/routes/_components/status/StatusComposeBox.html
index 2af3b87..f1ca12c 100644
--- a/routes/_components/status/StatusComposeBox.html
+++ b/routes/_components/status/StatusComposeBox.html
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
               size="slim"
               autoFocus="true"
               hideBottomBorder="true"
+              replyVisibility="{{visibility}}"
               on:postedStatus="onPostedStatus()"
   />
 </div>
@@ -44,7 +45,7 @@
     },
     store: () => store,
     computed: {
-      composeData: ($currentComposeData, originalStatusId) => $currentComposeData[originalStatusId] || {},
+      composeData: ($currentComposeData, originalStatusId) => $currentComposeData[originalStatusId] || {}
     },
     methods: {
       onPostedStatus() {
diff --git a/tests/spec/017-compose-reply.js b/tests/spec/017-compose-reply.js
index 603d900..c2b5ea5 100644
--- a/tests/spec/017-compose-reply.js
+++ b/tests/spec/017-compose-reply.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import {
   composeInput,
-  getNthComposeReplyInput, getNthReplyButton,
+  getNthComposeReplyInput, getNthPostPrivacyButton, getNthReplyButton,
   getNthStatus, getUrl, goBack, homeNavButton, notificationsNavButton
 } from '../utils'
 import { foobarRole } from '../roles'
@@ -34,3 +34,27 @@ test('replying to posts with mentions', async t => {
     .click(getNthReplyButton(0))
     .expect(getNthComposeReplyInput(0).value).eql('@ExternalLinks @admin @quux ')
 })
+
+test('replies have same privacy as replied-to status by default', async t => {
+  await t.useRole(foobarRole)
+    .hover(getNthStatus(0))
+    .hover(getNthStatus(1))
+    .click(getNthReplyButton(1))
+    .expect(getNthPostPrivacyButton(1).getAttribute('aria-label')).eql('Adjust privacy (currently Unlisted)')
+    .click(getNthReplyButton(1))
+    .hover(getNthStatus(2))
+    .click(getNthReplyButton(2))
+    .expect(getNthPostPrivacyButton(2).getAttribute('aria-label')).eql('Adjust privacy (currently Followers-only)')
+    .click(getNthReplyButton(2))
+    .hover(getNthStatus(3))
+    .click(getNthReplyButton(3))
+    .expect(getNthPostPrivacyButton(3).getAttribute('aria-label')).eql('Adjust privacy (currently Direct)')
+    .click(getNthReplyButton(3))
+    .hover(getNthStatus(4))
+    .hover(getNthStatus(5))
+    .hover(getNthStatus(6))
+    .hover(getNthStatus(7))
+    .click(getNthReplyButton(7))
+    .expect(getNthPostPrivacyButton(7).getAttribute('aria-label')).eql('Adjust privacy (currently Public)')
+    .click(getNthReplyButton(7))
+})
diff --git a/tests/utils.js b/tests/utils.js
index 3448e89..d444e4f 100644
--- a/tests/utils.js
+++ b/tests/utils.js
@@ -104,6 +104,10 @@ export function getNthComposeReplyButton (n) {
   return getNthStatus(n).find('.compose-box-button')
 }
 
+export function getNthPostPrivacyButton (n) {
+  return getNthStatus(n).find('.compose-box-toolbar button:nth-child(3)')
+}
+
 export function getNthAutosuggestionResult (n) {
   return $(`.compose-autosuggest-list-item:nth-child(${n}) button`)
 }