diff --git a/packages/api/routes/conversations.ts b/packages/api/routes/conversations.ts
index 1b592b8..8d80330 100644
--- a/packages/api/routes/conversations.ts
+++ b/packages/api/routes/conversations.ts
@@ -38,27 +38,15 @@ const createConversation = async (req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunctio
   const createRequest = req.body as CreateConversationRequest;
   const userInfo = res.locals.userInfo as JwtClaims;
 
-  console.log('other members', createRequest.otherMemberIds);
-
-  if (!createRequest.otherMemberIds || createRequest.otherMemberIds.length === 0) {
+  if (!createRequest.otherUsers) {
     return next(new Error('must provide who you want to talk to'));
   }
 
   // process of creating other conversation user members with their user objects
   // for cached data purposes
-  const otherUserMembers = await UserService.getUsersByIds(createRequest.otherMemberIds);
-  if (!otherUserMembers) {
-    return next(new Error('unable to find other conversation members'));
-  }
   const conversationUserMembers: ConversationUserMember[] = [];
 
-  createRequest.otherMemberIds.forEach(async (memberId) => {
-    const userObject = otherUserMembers.find((userObj) => userObj._id?.equals(memberId));
-
-    if (!userObject) {
-      return next(new Error('unable to find a user that was passed in'));
-    }
-
+  createRequest.otherUsers.forEach((userObject) => {
     const newConversationMember = new ConversationMember(MemberRole.regular, MemberState.inbox);
 
     conversationUserMembers.push({
@@ -89,6 +77,8 @@ const createConversation = async (req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunctio
     return next(Error('unable to create a conversation'));
   }
 
+  // todo: send updates to other users if they are connected through sockets
+
   const responseObj = new NirvanaResponse<CreateConversationResponse>(
     new CreateConversationResponse(insertResult.insertedId),
     undefined,
diff --git a/packages/core/requests/CreateConversationRequest.request.ts b/packages/core/requests/CreateConversationRequest.request.ts
index ba8ac7d..d49a3c6 100644
--- a/packages/core/requests/CreateConversationRequest.request.ts
+++ b/packages/core/requests/CreateConversationRequest.request.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import Conversation from '@nirvana/core/models/conversation.model';
 import { ObjectId } from 'mongodb';
+import User from '../models/user.model';
 
 export default class CreateConversationRequest {
-  constructor(public otherMemberIds: ObjectId[], public conversationName?: string) {}
+  constructor(public otherUsers: User[], public conversationName?: string) {}
 }
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/api/NirvanaApi.tsx b/packages/desktop/src/api/NirvanaApi.tsx
index e79fcbe..fae3709 100644
--- a/packages/desktop/src/api/NirvanaApi.tsx
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/api/NirvanaApi.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 import axios, { AxiosRequestConfig, AxiosResponse, Method } from 'axios';
 
+import CreateConversationRequest from '../../../core/requests/CreateConversationRequest.request';
+import CreateConversationResponse from '../../../core/responses/CreateConversationResponse.response';
 import LoginResponse from '@nirvana/core/responses/login.response';
+import NirvanaResponse from '../../../core/responses/nirvanaResponse';
 import UserDetailsResponse from '@nirvana/core/responses/userDetails.response';
 import UserSearchResponse from '@nirvana/core/responses/userSearch.response';
 
@@ -71,3 +74,9 @@ export async function getUserDetails(): Promise<UserDetailsResponse> {
 export async function userSearch(searchQuery: string): Promise<UserSearchResponse> {
   return await NirvanaApi.fetch(`/search/users?query=${searchQuery}`, 'GET', true);
 }
+
+export async function createConversation(
+  req: CreateConversationRequest,
+): Promise<NirvanaResponse<CreateConversationResponse>> {
+  return await NirvanaApi.fetch(`/conversations`, 'POST', true, req);
+}
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/tree/NewConversationDialog.tsx b/packages/desktop/src/tree/NewConversationDialog.tsx
index adc14f0..543b54b 100644
--- a/packages/desktop/src/tree/NewConversationDialog.tsx
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/tree/NewConversationDialog.tsx
@@ -20,11 +20,13 @@ import React, { HTMLAttributes, useCallback, useEffect, useState } from 'react';
 import { useDebounce, useKeyPressEvent, useToggle } from 'react-use';
 
 import CircularProgress from '@mui/material/CircularProgress';
+import CreateConversationRequest from '../../../core/requests/CreateConversationRequest.request';
 import { FiX } from 'react-icons/fi';
 import { NirvanaRules } from '../util/rules';
 import User from '@nirvana/core/models/user.model';
 import UserDetailRow from '../subcomponents/UserDetailRow';
 import { blueGrey } from '@mui/material/colors';
+import { createConversation } from '../api/NirvanaApi';
 import toast from 'react-hot-toast';
 import useAuth from '../providers/AuthProvider';
 import useRouter from '../providers/RouterProvider';
@@ -92,12 +94,23 @@ export default function NewConversationDialog() {
 
     setIsSubmitting(true);
 
-    // await handleSubmit(selectedUsers, conversationName);
-    toast('submitting');
+    try {
+      // if it's just one other person, then call quick dial master function which would do all of the checking
 
-    // clear form for next time
-    setSelectedUsers([]);
-    setConversationName('');
+      // if more than one person, then just create conversation
+
+      const createResult = await createConversation(
+        new CreateConversationRequest(selectedUsers, conversationName),
+      );
+
+      // clear form for next time
+      setSelectedUsers([]);
+      setConversationName('');
+
+      // todo: select conversation Id that was created
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.error(error);
+    }
 
     setIsSubmitting(false);
   }, [selectedUsers, setConversationName, conversationName, setSelectedUsers, setIsSubmitting]);