diff --git a/app/controllers/api/v1/statuses_controller.rb b/app/controllers/api/v1/statuses_controller.rb
index bfcf1934adb29e..3621e8ca265cbc 100644
--- a/app/controllers/api/v1/statuses_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/api/v1/statuses_controller.rb
@@ -78,17 +78,7 @@ def set_thread
   end
 
   def set_circle
-    @circle = begin
-      if status_params[:circle_id].blank?
-        nil
-      elsif status_params[:circle_id] == 'thread' && @thread.present?
-        Account.where(id: (@thread.ancestors(CONTEXT_LIMIT, current_account).pluck(:account_id) + [@thread.account_id]).uniq - [current_user.account_id])
-      elsif status_params[:circle_id] == 'reply' && @thread.present?
-        Account.where(id: [@thread.account_id] - [current_user.account_id])
-      else
-        current_account.owned_circles.find(status_params[:circle_id])
-      end
-    end
+    @circle = status_params[:circle_id].blank? ? nil : current_account.owned_circles.find(status_params[:circle_id])
   rescue ActiveRecord::RecordNotFound
     render json: { error: I18n.t('statuses.errors.circle_not_found') }, status: 404
   end
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/actions/compose.js b/app/javascript/mastodon/actions/compose.js
index f27e4497e61bff..4f5d71683e0039 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/actions/compose.js
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/actions/compose.js
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ export function submitCompose(routerHistory) {
       sensitive: getState().getIn(['compose', 'sensitive']),
       spoiler_text: getState().getIn(['compose', 'spoiler']) ? getState().getIn(['compose', 'spoiler_text'], '') : '',
       visibility: getState().getIn(['compose', 'privacy']),
-      circle_id: getState().getIn(['compose', 'privacy']) === 'limited' ? getState().getIn(['compose', 'circle_id']) : null,
+      circle_id: getState().getIn(['compose', 'circle_id']),
       poll: getState().getIn(['compose', 'poll'], null),
     }, {
       headers: {
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/actions/statuses.js b/app/javascript/mastodon/actions/statuses.js
index e565e0b0ab59d5..45d82dadfeaf04 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/actions/statuses.js
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/actions/statuses.js
@@ -133,10 +133,11 @@ export function fetchStatusFail(id, error, skipLoading) {
   };
 };
 
-export function redraft(status, raw_text) {
+export function redraft(status, replyStatus, raw_text) {
   return {
     type: REDRAFT,
     status,
+    replyStatus,
     raw_text,
   };
 };
@@ -144,6 +145,7 @@ export function redraft(status, raw_text) {
 export function deleteStatus(id, routerHistory, withRedraft = false) {
   return (dispatch, getState) => {
     let status = getState().getIn(['statuses', id]);
+    const replyStatus = status.get('in_reply_to_id') ? getState().getIn(['statuses', status.get('in_reply_to_id')]) : null;
 
     if (status.get('poll')) {
       status = status.set('poll', getState().getIn(['polls', status.get('poll')]));
@@ -158,7 +160,7 @@ export function deleteStatus(id, routerHistory, withRedraft = false) {
       dispatch(importFetchedAccount(response.data.account));
 
       if (withRedraft) {
-        dispatch(redraft(status, response.data.text));
+        dispatch(redraft(status, replyStatus, response.data.text));
         ensureComposeIsVisible(getState, routerHistory);
       }
     }).catch(error => {
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/components/circle_dropdown.js b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/components/circle_dropdown.js
index 59a0720fa5f42e..3b1bfdf5943a1f 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/components/circle_dropdown.js
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/components/circle_dropdown.js
@@ -8,11 +8,7 @@ import IconButton from 'mastodon/components/icon_button';
 import { createSelector } from 'reselect';
 
 const messages = defineMessages({
-  circle_system: { id: 'circle.system_definition', defaultMessage: 'System definition' },
-  circle_user: { id: 'circle.user_definition', defaultMessage: 'User definition' },
   circle_unselect: { id: 'circle.unselect', defaultMessage: '(Select circle)' },
-  circle_reply_to_poster: { id: 'circle.reply-to_poster', defaultMessage: 'Reply-to poster' },
-  circle_thread_posters: { id: 'circle.thread_posters', defaultMessage: 'Thread posters' },
   circle_open_circle_column: { id: 'circle.open_circle_column', defaultMessage: 'Open circle column' },
   circle_select: { id: 'circle.select', defaultMessage: 'Select circle' },
 });
@@ -43,7 +39,6 @@ class CircleDropdown extends React.PureComponent {
     circles: ImmutablePropTypes.list,
     value: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
     visible: PropTypes.bool.isRequired,
-    reply: PropTypes.bool.isRequired,
     onChange: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
     onOpenCircleColumn: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
     intl: PropTypes.object.isRequired,
@@ -58,7 +53,7 @@ class CircleDropdown extends React.PureComponent {
   };
 
   render () {
-    const { circles, value, visible, reply, intl } = this.props;
+    const { circles, value, visible, intl } = this.props;
 
     return (
       <div className={classNames('circle-dropdown', { 'circle-dropdown--visible': visible })}>
@@ -67,16 +62,9 @@ class CircleDropdown extends React.PureComponent {
         {/* eslint-disable-next-line jsx-a11y/no-onchange */}
         <select className='circle-dropdown__menu' title={intl.formatMessage(messages.circle_select)} value={value} onChange={this.handleChange}>
           <option value='' key='unselect'>{intl.formatMessage(messages.circle_unselect)}</option>
-          {reply &&
-          <optgroup label={intl.formatMessage(messages.circle_system)}>
-            <option value='reply' key='reply'>{intl.formatMessage(messages.circle_reply_to_poster)}</option>
-            <option value='thread' key='thread'>{intl.formatMessage(messages.circle_thread_posters)}</option>
-          </optgroup>}
-          <optgroup label={intl.formatMessage(messages.circle_user)}>
-            {circles.map(circle =>
-              <option value={circle.get('id')} key={circle.get('id')}>{circle.get('title')}</option>,
-            )}
-          </optgroup>
+          {circles.map(circle =>
+            <option value={circle.get('id')} key={circle.get('id')}>{circle.get('title')}</option>,
+          )}
         </select>
       </div>
     );
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/components/privacy_dropdown.js b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/components/privacy_dropdown.js
index 8b7130567a06bb..5d6957e8b07111 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/components/privacy_dropdown.js
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/components/privacy_dropdown.js
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ class PrivacyDropdownMenu extends React.PureComponent {
     style: PropTypes.object,
     items: PropTypes.array.isRequired,
     value: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
+    enableValues: PropTypes.array.isRequired,
     placement: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
     onClose: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
     onChange: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
@@ -121,7 +122,7 @@ class PrivacyDropdownMenu extends React.PureComponent {
 
   render () {
     const { mounted } = this.state;
-    const { style, items, placement, value } = this.props;
+    const { style, items, placement, value, enableValues } = this.props;
 
     return (
       <Motion defaultStyle={{ opacity: 0, scaleX: 0.85, scaleY: 0.75 }} style={{ opacity: spring(1, { damping: 35, stiffness: 400 }), scaleX: spring(1, { damping: 35, stiffness: 400 }), scaleY: spring(1, { damping: 35, stiffness: 400 }) }}>
@@ -131,6 +132,7 @@ class PrivacyDropdownMenu extends React.PureComponent {
           // react-overlays
           <div className={`privacy-dropdown__dropdown ${placement}`} style={{ ...style, opacity: opacity, transform: mounted ? `scale(${scaleX}, ${scaleY})` : null, zIndex: 2 }} role='listbox' ref={this.setRef}>
             {items.map(item => (
+              enableValues.includes(item.value) &&
               <div role='option' tabIndex='0' key={item.value} data-index={item.value} onKeyDown={this.handleKeyDown} onClick={this.handleClick} className={classNames('privacy-dropdown__option', { active: item.value === value })} aria-selected={item.value === value} ref={item.value === value ? this.setFocusRef : null}>
                 <div className='privacy-dropdown__option__icon'>
                   <Icon id={item.icon} fixedWidth />
@@ -159,6 +161,7 @@ class PrivacyDropdown extends React.PureComponent {
     onModalOpen: PropTypes.func,
     onModalClose: PropTypes.func,
     value: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
+    limitedReply: PropTypes.bool.isRequired,
     onChange: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
     intl: PropTypes.object.isRequired,
   };
@@ -244,10 +247,11 @@ class PrivacyDropdown extends React.PureComponent {
   }
 
   render () {
-    const { value, intl } = this.props;
+    const { value, limitedReply, intl } = this.props;
     const { open, placement } = this.state;
 
     const valueOption = this.options.find(item => item.value === value);
+    const enableValues = limitedReply ? ['limited', 'direct'] : ['public', 'unlisted', 'private', 'limited', 'direct'];
 
     return (
       <div className={classNames('privacy-dropdown', placement, { active: open })} onKeyDown={this.handleKeyDown}>
@@ -271,6 +275,7 @@ class PrivacyDropdown extends React.PureComponent {
           <PrivacyDropdownMenu
             items={this.options}
             value={value}
+            enableValues={enableValues}
             onClose={this.handleClose}
             onChange={this.handleChange}
             placement={placement}
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/containers/circle_dropdown_container.js b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/containers/circle_dropdown_container.js
index b3bdd1f44e389e..68a8137fb5eff6 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/containers/circle_dropdown_container.js
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/containers/circle_dropdown_container.js
@@ -8,8 +8,7 @@ const mapStateToProps = state => {
 
   return {
     value: value,
-    visible: state.getIn(['compose', 'privacy']) === 'limited',
-    reply: state.getIn(['compose', 'in_reply_to']) !== null,
+    visible: state.getIn(['compose', 'privacy']) === 'limited' && state.getIn(['compose', 'reply_status', 'visibility']) !== 'limited',
   };
 };
 
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/containers/compose_form_container.js b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/containers/compose_form_container.js
index 0df22e8ca000bc..c195245ee0ee27 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/containers/compose_form_container.js
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/containers/compose_form_container.js
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ const mapStateToProps = state => ({
   isSubmitting: state.getIn(['compose', 'is_submitting']),
   isChangingUpload: state.getIn(['compose', 'is_changing_upload']),
   isUploading: state.getIn(['compose', 'is_uploading']),
-  isCircleUnselected: state.getIn(['compose', 'privacy']) === 'limited' && !state.getIn(['compose', 'circle_id']),
+  isCircleUnselected: state.getIn(['compose', 'privacy']) === 'limited' && state.getIn(['compose', 'reply_status', 'visibility']) !== 'limited' && !state.getIn(['compose', 'circle_id']),
   showSearch: state.getIn(['search', 'submitted']) && !state.getIn(['search', 'hidden']),
   anyMedia: state.getIn(['compose', 'media_attachments']).size > 0,
 });
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/containers/privacy_dropdown_container.js b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/containers/privacy_dropdown_container.js
index 0ddf531d3173f1..5afb6d89c7306d 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/containers/privacy_dropdown_container.js
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/compose/containers/privacy_dropdown_container.js
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { isUserTouching } from '../../../is_mobile';
 const mapStateToProps = state => ({
   isModalOpen: state.get('modal').modalType === 'ACTIONS',
   value: state.getIn(['compose', 'privacy']),
+  limitedReply: state.getIn(['compose', 'reply_status', 'visibility']) === 'limited',
 });
 
 const mapDispatchToProps = dispatch => ({
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/locales/en.json b/app/javascript/mastodon/locales/en.json
index 799ed997256935..99b5a4c8448e25 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/locales/en.json
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/locales/en.json
@@ -58,12 +58,8 @@
   "bundle_modal_error.message": "Something went wrong while loading this component.",
   "bundle_modal_error.retry": "Try again",
   "circle.open_circle_column": "Open circle column",
-  "circle.reply-to_poster": "Reply-to poster",
-  "circle.thread_posters": "Thread posters",
   "circle.select": "Select circle",
-  "circle.system_definition": "System definition",
   "circle.unselect": "(Select circle)",
-  "circle.user_definition": "User definition",
   "column.blocks": "Blocked users",
   "column.bookmarks": "Bookmarks",
   "column.community": "Local timeline",
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/reducers/compose.js b/app/javascript/mastodon/reducers/compose.js
index fd07cd903492b9..acba91990fea54 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/reducers/compose.js
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/reducers/compose.js
@@ -303,11 +303,7 @@ export default function compose(state = initialState, action) {
       map.set('text', statusToTextMentions(state.get('text'), action.value, state.get('reply_status')));
       map.set('privacy', action.value);
       map.set('idempotencyKey', uuid());
-      if(action.value === 'limited' && map.get('in_reply_to')) {
-        map.set('circle_id', state.getIn(['reply_status', 'in_reply_to_id']) ? 'thread' : 'reply');
-      } else {
-        map.set('circle_id', null);
-      }
+      map.set('circle_id', null);
     });
   case COMPOSE_CIRCLE_CHANGE:
     return state
@@ -327,13 +323,7 @@ export default function compose(state = initialState, action) {
       map.set('reply_status', action.status);
       map.set('text', statusToTextMentions('', privacy, action.status));
       map.set('privacy', privacy);
-      if(action.status.get('circle_id')) {
-        map.set('circle_id', action.status.get('circle_id'));
-      } else if(action.status.get('visibility') === 'limited'){
-        map.set('circle_id', action.status.get('in_reply_to_id') ? 'thread' : 'reply');
-      } else {
-        map.set('circle_id', null);
-      }
+      map.set('circle_id', null);
       map.set('focusDate', new Date());
       map.set('caretPosition', null);
       map.set('preselectDate', new Date());
@@ -444,7 +434,7 @@ export default function compose(state = initialState, action) {
     return state.withMutations(map => {
       map.set('text', action.raw_text || unescapeHTML(expandMentions(action.status)));
       map.set('in_reply_to', action.status.get('in_reply_to_id'));
-      map.set('reply_status', action.status);
+      map.set('reply_status', action.replyStatus);
       map.set('privacy', action.status.get('visibility'));
       map.set('circle_id', action.status.get('circle_id'));
       map.set('media_attachments', action.status.get('media_attachments'));
diff --git a/app/serializers/rest/status_serializer.rb b/app/serializers/rest/status_serializer.rb
index 51aa4fcbcc7721..66c577e515dd28 100644
--- a/app/serializers/rest/status_serializer.rb
+++ b/app/serializers/rest/status_serializer.rb
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ def limited
   end
 
   def limited_owned_status?
-    object.limited_visibility? && owned_status?
+    object.limited_visibility? && owned_status? && object.in_reply_to_id.nil?
   end
 
   def circle_id
diff --git a/app/services/post_status_service.rb b/app/services/post_status_service.rb
index 467cc4d7b87c21..be880c4a3d3cac 100644
--- a/app/services/post_status_service.rb
+++ b/app/services/post_status_service.rb
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ def process_status!
 
     process_hashtags_service.call(@status)
     process_mentions_service.call(@status)
-    redis.setex(circle_id_key, 3.days.seconds, @circle.id) if @circle.present? && @circle.respond_to?(:id)
+    redis.setex(circle_id_key, 3.days.seconds, @circle.id) if @circle.present?
   end
 
   def schedule_status!
diff --git a/app/services/process_mentions_service.rb b/app/services/process_mentions_service.rb
index 3590ed4cd76829..e3719eea6438b9 100644
--- a/app/services/process_mentions_service.rb
+++ b/app/services/process_mentions_service.rb
@@ -43,11 +43,8 @@ def call(status)
     end
 
     if circle.present?
-      accounts = circle.respond_to?(:accounts) ? circle.accounts : circle
-
-      accounts.find_each do |target_account|
-        mention = target_account.mentions.new(status: status, silent: true)
-        mentions << mention if mention.save!
+      circle.accounts.find_each do |target_account|
+        status.mentions.create(silent: true, account: target_account)
       end
     end