diff --git a/src/data/threads.js b/src/data/threads.js
index c4429d6..240fd12 100644
--- a/src/data/threads.js
+++ b/src/data/threads.js
@@ -198,17 +198,6 @@ async function createNewThreadForUser(user, opts = {}) {
         allowedMentions: utils.getInboxMentionAllowedMentions(),
       });
     }
-
-    // Send auto-reply to the user
-    if (config.responseMessage) {
-      const responseMessage = utils.readMultilineConfigValue(config.responseMessage);
-
-      try {
-        await newThread.sendSystemMessageToUser(responseMessage);
-      } catch (err) {
-        responseMessageError = err;
-      }
-    }
   }
 
   // Post some info to the beginning of the new thread
@@ -276,11 +265,6 @@ async function createNewThreadForUser(user, opts = {}) {
     }
   }
 
-  // If there were errors sending a response to the user, note that
-  if (responseMessageError) {
-    await newThread.postSystemMessage(`**NOTE:** Could not send auto-response to the user. The error given was: \`${responseMessageError.message}\``);
-  }
-
   // Return the thread
   return newThread;
 }
diff --git a/src/main.js b/src/main.js
index 384b02a..788d0ef 100644
--- a/src/main.js
+++ b/src/main.js
@@ -147,9 +147,10 @@ function initBaseMessageHandlers() {
     // Private message handling is queued so e.g. multiple message in quick succession don't result in multiple channels being created
     messageQueue.add(async () => {
       let thread = await threads.findOpenThreadByUserId(msg.author.id);
+      const createNewThread = (thread == null);
 
       // New thread
-      if (! thread) {
+      if (createNewThread) {
         // Ignore messages that shouldn't usually open new threads, such as "ok", "thanks", etc.
         if (config.ignoreAccidentalThreads && msg.content && ACCIDENTAL_THREAD_MESSAGES.includes(msg.content.trim().toLowerCase())) return;
 
@@ -161,6 +162,19 @@ function initBaseMessageHandlers() {
 
       if (thread) {
         await thread.receiveUserReply(msg);
+
+        if (createNewThread) {
+          // Send auto-reply to the user
+          if (config.responseMessage) {
+            const responseMessage = utils.readMultilineConfigValue(config.responseMessage);
+
+            try {
+              await thread.sendSystemMessageToUser(responseMessage);
+            } catch (err) {
+              await thread.postSystemMessage(`**NOTE:** Could not send auto-response to the user. The error given was: \`${err.message}\``);
+            }
+          }
+        }
       }
     });
   });