diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/redesign/header.tsx b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/redesign/header.tsx
index 3ea207d2b6b..aab54ebd41d 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/redesign/header.tsx
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/redesign/header.tsx
@@ -36,9 +36,17 @@ const messages = defineMessages({
     defaultMessage: 'New reply',
   },
   replyEdit: {
-    id: 'compose_form.reply.title.edit',
+    id: 'compose.reply.title.edit',
     defaultMessage: 'Edit reply',
   },
+  replyPrivateNew: {
+    id: 'compose.reply_private.title.new',
+    defaultMessage: 'New private reply',
+  },
+  replyPrivateEdit: {
+    id: 'compose.reply_private.title.edit',
+    defaultMessage: 'Edit private reply',
+  },
   messageNew: {
     id: 'compose_form.message.title.new',
     defaultMessage: 'New message',
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/redesign/index.tsx b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/redesign/index.tsx
index 2ea9bac3ca6..8220a3f1263 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/redesign/index.tsx
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/redesign/index.tsx
@@ -72,7 +72,9 @@ export const RedesignComposeForm: React.FC<
       aria-labelledby={titleId}
       className={classNames(className, classes.root)}
     >
-      {type === 'message' && <div className={classes.background} />}
+      {(type === 'message' || type === 'replyPrivate') && (
+        <div className={classes.background} />
+      )}
 
       <ComposeFormHeader id={titleId} noMinimize={noMinimize} />
 
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/redesign/selectors.ts b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/redesign/selectors.ts
index 0b9f6da112f..7fd2a47062b 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/redesign/selectors.ts
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/redesign/selectors.ts
@@ -22,15 +22,20 @@ export const selectComposeType = createAppSelector(
     (state) => state.compose.get('in_reply_to') as string | null,
     selectComposePrivacy,
   ],
-  (inReplyToId, privacy) => {
-    let type: ComposeType = 'post';
-    if (inReplyToId) {
-      type = 'reply';
-    } else if (privacy === 'direct') {
-      type = 'message';
+  (inReplyToId, privacy): ComposeType => {
+    if (inReplyToId && privacy === 'direct') {
+      return 'replyPrivate';
     }
 
-    return type;
+    if (privacy === 'direct') {
+      return 'message';
+    }
+
+    if (inReplyToId) {
+      return 'reply';
+    }
+
+    return 'post';
   },
 );
 
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/redesign/visibility.tsx b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/redesign/visibility.tsx
index 6217ede6a13..9034927a0fb 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/redesign/visibility.tsx
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/redesign/visibility.tsx
@@ -112,6 +112,8 @@ const ComposeVisibilityMenu: React.FC = () => {
   );
   const quotePolicy = currentQuotePolicy ?? defaultQuotePolicy;
 
+  const isReply = useAppSelector((state) => !!state.compose.get('in_reply_to'));
+
   const dispatch = useAppDispatch();
   const handlePrivacyChange = useCallback(
     ({ value }: { value: string }) => {
@@ -131,6 +133,7 @@ const ComposeVisibilityMenu: React.FC = () => {
     },
     [defaultPrivacy, dispatch, privacy],
   );
+
   const handleQuotePolicyChange = useCallback(
     ({ value, checked }: { value: string; checked?: boolean }) => {
       let newQuotePolicy: ApiQuotePolicy = 'nobody';
@@ -264,11 +267,18 @@ const ComposeVisibilityMenu: React.FC = () => {
       <MenuItemDivider />
 
       <MenuItem icon={ChatCircleIcon} onClick={handleSwitchToMessage}>
-        <FormattedMessage
-          id='compose.post.to_message'
-          defaultMessage='Compose a message instead'
-          description='Message refers to a direct message. For languages where this is confusing, "chat" or "direct message" can be used.'
-        />
+        {isReply ? (
+          <FormattedMessage
+            id='compose.post.to_private_reply'
+            defaultMessage='Reply privately instead'
+          />
+        ) : (
+          <FormattedMessage
+            id='compose.post.to_message'
+            defaultMessage='Compose a message instead'
+            description='Message refers to a direct message. For languages where this is confusing, "chat" or "direct message" can be used.'
+          />
+        )}
       </MenuItem>
     </MenuList>
   );
@@ -283,6 +293,8 @@ const ComposeDirectMenu: React.FC = () => {
       );
     }, [dispatch]);
 
+  const isReply = useAppSelector((state) => !!state.compose.get('in_reply_to'));
+
   return (
     <MenuList placement='bottom-start' offset={4} maxWidth={280}>
       <MenuItemGroup
@@ -304,10 +316,17 @@ const ComposeDirectMenu: React.FC = () => {
       <MenuItemDivider />
 
       <MenuItem icon={NewspaperIcon} onClick={handleSwitchToPost}>
-        <FormattedMessage
-          id='compose.visibility.to_post'
-          defaultMessage='Compose a post instead'
-        />
+        {isReply ? (
+          <FormattedMessage
+            id='compose.visibility.to_reply'
+            defaultMessage='Reply publicly instead'
+          />
+        ) : (
+          <FormattedMessage
+            id='compose.visibility.to_post'
+            defaultMessage='Compose a post instead'
+          />
+        )}
       </MenuItem>
     </MenuList>
   );
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/locales/en.json b/app/javascript/mastodon/locales/en.json
index eafe7d98635..9c4c4990a3e 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/locales/en.json
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/locales/en.json
@@ -537,6 +537,7 @@
   "compose.post.title.new": "New post",
   "compose.post.to": "To:",
   "compose.post.to_message": "Compose a message instead",
+  "compose.post.to_private_reply": "Reply privately instead",
   "compose.publish": "Publish",
   "compose.published.body": "Post published.",
   "compose.published.open": "Open",
@@ -554,7 +555,10 @@
   "compose.rearrange_modal.handle": "Drag attachment at position {index, number}",
   "compose.rearrange_modal.save": "Save",
   "compose.rearrange_modal.title": "Rearrange media",
+  "compose.reply.title.edit": "Edit reply",
   "compose.reply.title.new": "New reply",
+  "compose.reply_private.title.edit": "Edit private reply",
+  "compose.reply_private.title.new": "New private reply",
   "compose.saved.body": "Post saved.",
   "compose.sensitive": "Sensitive",
   "compose.sensitive.text": "Sensitive content description",
@@ -575,6 +579,7 @@
   "compose.visibility.quote_policy.followers": "Followers",
   "compose.visibility.title": "Visibility",
   "compose.visibility.to_post": "Compose a post instead",
+  "compose.visibility.to_reply": "Reply publicly instead",
   "compose_form.direct_message_warning_learn_more": "Learn more",
   "compose_form.encryption_warning": "Posts on Mastodon are not end-to-end encrypted. Do not share any sensitive information over Mastodon.",
   "compose_form.hashtag_warning": "This post won't be listed under any hashtag as it is not public. Only public posts can be searched by hashtag.",
@@ -592,7 +597,6 @@
   "compose_form.poll.type": "Style",
   "compose_form.publish": "Post",
   "compose_form.reply": "Reply",
-  "compose_form.reply.title.edit": "Edit reply",
   "compose_form.save_changes": "Update",
   "compose_form.spoiler.marked": "Remove content warning",
   "compose_form.spoiler.unmarked": "Add content warning",
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/reducers/slices/composer.ts b/app/javascript/mastodon/reducers/slices/composer.ts
index 04d180844b4..8bbf318996f 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/reducers/slices/composer.ts
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/reducers/slices/composer.ts
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ export function focusComposerTextarea(defer = false) {
 
 type DisplayState = 'hidden' | 'showing' | 'minimized';
 
-export type ComposeType = 'post' | 'message' | 'reply';
+export type ComposeType = 'post' | 'message' | 'reply' | 'replyPrivate';
 
 interface ComposerState {
   displayState: DisplayState;