diff --git a/src/domain/session/rightpanel/MemberDetailsViewModel.js b/src/domain/session/rightpanel/MemberDetailsViewModel.js
index 6effb90c..b0573bfa 100644
--- a/src/domain/session/rightpanel/MemberDetailsViewModel.js
+++ b/src/domain/session/rightpanel/MemberDetailsViewModel.js
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ export class MemberDetailsViewModel extends ViewModel {
     }
 
     async openDirectMessage() {
-        const localId = await this._session.createRoom(RoomType.DirectMessage, undefined, undefined, undefined, [this.userId]);
-        this.navigation.push("room", localId);
+        const roomBeingCreated = await this._session.createRoom(RoomType.DirectMessage, undefined, undefined, undefined, [this.userId]);
+        this.navigation.push("room", roomBeingCreated.localId);
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/matrix/Session.js b/src/matrix/Session.js
index 4a9b0bad..02635855 100644
--- a/src/matrix/Session.js
+++ b/src/matrix/Session.js
@@ -594,13 +594,13 @@ export class Session {
 
     createRoom(type, isEncrypted, explicitName, topic, invites, log = undefined) {
         return this._platform.logger.wrapOrRun(log, "create room", log => {
-            const localId = `room-being-created-${this._platform.random()}`;
+            const localId = `local-${Math.round(this._platform.random() * Math.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER)}`;
             const roomBeingCreated = new RoomBeingCreated(localId, type, isEncrypted, explicitName, topic, invites, this._roomsBeingCreatedUpdateCallback, this._mediaRepository, log);
             this._roomsBeingCreated.set(localId, roomBeingCreated);
-            log.wrapDetached("create room network", async log => {
-                roomBeingCreated.start(this._hsApi, log);
+            log.wrapDetached("create room network", log => {
+                return roomBeingCreated.start(this._hsApi, log);
             });
-            return localId;
+            return roomBeingCreated;
         });
     }
 
@@ -691,10 +691,9 @@ export class Session {
             if (roomBeingCreated.roomId === roomId) {
                 const observableStatus = this._observedRoomStatus.get(roomBeingCreated.localId);
                 if (observableStatus) {
-                    this._platform.logger.wrapOrRun(log, `replacing room being created`, log => {
-                        log.set("localId", roomBeingCreated.localId)
-                           .set("roomId", roomBeingCreated.roomId);
-                    });
+                    log.log(`replacing room being created`)
+                       .set("localId", roomBeingCreated.localId)
+                       .set("roomId", roomBeingCreated.roomId);
                     observableStatus.set(observableStatus.get() | RoomStatus.Replaced);
                 }
                 this._roomsBeingCreated.remove(roomBeingCreated.localId);
@@ -737,10 +736,12 @@ export class Session {
             for (const is of inviteStates) {
                 const statusObservable = this._observedRoomStatus.get(is.id);
                 if (statusObservable) {
+                    const withInvited = statusObservable.get() | RoomStatus.Invited;
                     if (is.shouldAdd) {
-                        statusObservable.set(statusObservable.get().withInvited());
+                        statusObservable.set(withInvited);
                     } else if (is.shouldRemove) {
-                        statusObservable.set(statusObservable.get().withoutInvited());
+                        const withoutInvited = withInvited ^ RoomStatus.Invited;
+                        statusObservable.set(withoutInvited);
                     }
                 }
             }
@@ -750,7 +751,7 @@ export class Session {
     _forgetArchivedRoom(roomId) {
         const statusObservable = this._observedRoomStatus.get(roomId);
         if (statusObservable) {
-            statusObservable.set(statusObservable.get() ^ RoomStatus.Archived);
+            statusObservable.set((statusObservable.get() | RoomStatus.Archived) ^ RoomStatus.Archived);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/matrix/room/create.ts b/src/matrix/room/create.ts
index c42da436..83b68d3f 100644
--- a/src/matrix/room/create.ts
+++ b/src/matrix/room/create.ts
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ export class RoomBeingCreated extends EventEmitter<{change: never}> {
 
     public readonly isEncrypted: boolean;
     private _name: string;
+    private _error?: Error;
 
     constructor(
         public readonly localId: string,
@@ -115,12 +116,12 @@ export class RoomBeingCreated extends EventEmitter<{change: never}> {
         if (this.isEncrypted) {
             options.initial_state = [createRoomEncryptionEvent()];
         }
-        console.log("going to create the room now");
-        const response = await hsApi.createRoom(options, {log}).response();
-        this._roomId = response["room_id"];
-        console.log("done creating the room now", this._roomId);
-        // TODO: somehow check in Session if we need to replace this with a joined room
-        // in case the room appears first in sync, and this request returns later
+        try {
+            const response = await hsApi.createRoom(options, {log}).response();
+            this._roomId = response["room_id"];
+        } catch (err) {
+            this._error = err;
+        }
         this.emitChange(undefined, log);
     }
 
@@ -128,39 +129,30 @@ export class RoomBeingCreated extends EventEmitter<{change: never}> {
         // only load profiles if we need it for the room name and avatar
         if (!this.explicitName && this.inviteUserIds) {
             this.profiles = await loadProfiles(this.inviteUserIds, hsApi, log);
-            console.log("loaded the profiles", this.profiles);
             const summaryData = {
                 joinCount: 1, // ourselves
                 inviteCount: this.inviteUserIds.length
             };
             this._name = calculateRoomName(this.profiles, summaryData, log);
-            console.log("loaded the profiles and the new name", this.name);
             this.emitChange();
         }
     }
 
-    private emitChange(params?, log?) {
+    private emitChange(params?, log?: ILogItem) {
         this.updateCallback(this, params, log);
         this.emit("change");
     }
 
-    get avatarColorId(): string {
-        return this.inviteUserIds?.[0] ?? this._roomId ?? this.localId;
-    }
-
-    get avatarUrl(): string | undefined {
-        const result = this.profiles[0]?.avatarUrl;
-        console.log("RoomBeingCreated.avatarUrl", this.profiles, result);
-        return result;
-    }
-
-    get roomId(): string | undefined {
-        return this._roomId;
-    }
-
+    get avatarColorId(): string { return this.inviteUserIds?.[0] ?? this._roomId ?? this.localId; }
+    get avatarUrl(): string | undefined { return this.profiles[0]?.avatarUrl; }
+    get roomId(): string | undefined { return this._roomId; }
     get name() { return this._name; }
-
     get isBeingCreated(): boolean { return true; }
+    get error(): Error | undefined { return this._error; }
+
+    cancel() {
+        // remove from collection somehow
+    }
 }
 
 export async function loadProfiles(userIds: string[], hsApi: HomeServerApi, log: ILogItem): Promise<Profile[]> {
@@ -194,5 +186,4 @@ class UserIdProfile implements IProfile {
     get displayName() { return undefined; }
     get name() { return this.userId; }
     get avatarUrl() { return undefined; }
-
 }