diff --git a/packages/simplex-chat-nodejs/package.json b/packages/simplex-chat-nodejs/package.json
index 498d502edd..657c6e05f2 100644
--- a/packages/simplex-chat-nodejs/package.json
+++ b/packages/simplex-chat-nodejs/package.json
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
     "docs": "typedoc"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "@simplex-chat/types": "^0.3.0",
+    "@simplex-chat/types": "^0.4.0",
     "extract-zip": "^2.0.1",
     "fast-deep-equal": "^3.1.3",
     "node-addon-api": "^8.5.0"
diff --git a/packages/simplex-chat-nodejs/src/api.ts b/packages/simplex-chat-nodejs/src/api.ts
index f5d2a5168e..8bc56db41c 100644
--- a/packages/simplex-chat-nodejs/src/api.ts
+++ b/packages/simplex-chat-nodejs/src/api.ts
@@ -872,4 +872,34 @@ export class ChatApi {
     const r = await this.sendChatCmd(CC.APISetContactPrefs.cmdString({contactId, preferences}))
     if (r.type !== "contactPrefsUpdated") throw new ChatCommandError("error setting contact prefs", r)
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Create a direct message contact with a group member.
+   * Returns the created contact.
+   * Network usage: interactive.
+   */
+  async apiCreateMemberContact(groupId: number, groupMemberId: number): Promise<T.Contact> {
+    const r: any = await this.sendChatCmd(`/_create member contact #${groupId} ${groupMemberId}`)
+    if (r.type === "newMemberContact") return r.contact
+    throw new ChatCommandError("error creating member contact", r)
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Send a direct message invitation to a group member contact.
+   * The contact must have been created with {@link apiCreateMemberContact}.
+   * Network usage: interactive.
+   */
+  async apiSendMemberContactInvitation(contactId: number, message?: T.MsgContent | string): Promise<T.Contact> {
+    let cmd = `/_invite member contact @${contactId}`
+    if (message !== undefined) {
+      if (typeof message === "string") {
+        cmd += ` text ${message}`
+      } else {
+        cmd += ` json ${JSON.stringify(message)}`
+      }
+    }
+    const r: any = await this.sendChatCmd(cmd)
+    if (r.type === "newMemberContactSentInv") return r.contact
+    throw new ChatCommandError("error sending member contact invitation", r)
+  }
 }
diff --git a/packages/simplex-chat-nodejs/tests/api.test.ts b/packages/simplex-chat-nodejs/tests/api.test.ts
index 52153ecfed..7bc1a89b86 100644
--- a/packages/simplex-chat-nodejs/tests/api.test.ts
+++ b/packages/simplex-chat-nodejs/tests/api.test.ts
@@ -64,4 +64,89 @@ describe("API tests (use preset servers)", () => {
     expect(servers[0] !== servers[1]).toBe(true)
     expect(eventCount > 0).toBe(true)
   }, 30000)
+
+  it("should create member contact and send invitation", async () => {
+    // create 3 users and start chat controllers
+    const alice = await api.ChatApi.init(alicePath)
+    const bob = await api.ChatApi.init(bobPath)
+    const carolPath = path.join(tmpDir, "carol")
+    const carol = await api.ChatApi.init(carolPath)
+    const aliceUser = await alice.apiCreateActiveUser({displayName: "alice", fullName: ""})
+    await bob.apiCreateActiveUser({displayName: "bob", fullName: ""})
+    await carol.apiCreateActiveUser({displayName: "carol", fullName: ""})
+    await alice.startChat()
+    await bob.startChat()
+    await carol.startChat()
+    // connect alice <-> bob
+    const aliceLink1 = await alice.apiCreateLink(aliceUser.userId)
+    await expect(bob.apiConnectActiveUser(aliceLink1)).resolves.toBe(api.ConnReqType.Invitation)
+    const [bobContact] = await Promise.all([
+      (await alice.wait("contactConnected")).contact,
+      (await bob.wait("contactConnected")).contact
+    ])
+    // connect alice <-> carol
+    const aliceLink2 = await alice.apiCreateLink(aliceUser.userId)
+    await expect(carol.apiConnectActiveUser(aliceLink2)).resolves.toBe(api.ConnReqType.Invitation)
+    const [carolContact] = await Promise.all([
+      (await alice.wait("contactConnected")).contact,
+      (await carol.wait("contactConnected")).contact
+    ])
+    // create group with direct messages enabled
+    const group = await alice.apiNewGroup(aliceUser.userId, {
+      displayName: "test-group",
+      fullName: "",
+      groupPreferences: {
+        directMessages: {enable: T.GroupFeatureEnabled.On},
+      },
+    })
+    const groupId = group.groupId
+    // add bob to the group
+    const bobInvP = bob.wait("receivedGroupInvitation", 15000)
+    await alice.apiAddMember(groupId, bobContact.contactId, T.GroupMemberRole.Member)
+    const bobInvEvt = await bobInvP
+    expect(bobInvEvt).toBeDefined()
+    const aliceBobConnP = alice.wait("connectedToGroupMember", 15000)
+    const bobAliceConnP = bob.wait("connectedToGroupMember", 15000)
+    await bob.apiJoinGroup(bobInvEvt!.groupInfo.groupId)
+    await Promise.all([aliceBobConnP, bobAliceConnP])
+    // add carol to the group
+    const carolInvP = carol.wait("receivedGroupInvitation", 30000)
+    await alice.apiAddMember(groupId, carolContact.contactId, T.GroupMemberRole.Member)
+    const carolInvEvt = await carolInvP
+    expect(carolInvEvt).toBeDefined()
+    // wait for carol to connect to both alice and bob (and vice versa)
+    const bobCarolConnP = bob.wait("connectedToGroupMember",
+      (evt: CEvt.ConnectedToGroupMember) => evt.member.memberProfile.displayName === "carol", 30000)
+    const carolAliceConnP = carol.wait("connectedToGroupMember",
+      (evt: CEvt.ConnectedToGroupMember) => evt.member.memberProfile.displayName === "alice", 30000)
+    const carolBobConnP = carol.wait("connectedToGroupMember",
+      (evt: CEvt.ConnectedToGroupMember) => evt.member.memberProfile.displayName === "bob", 30000)
+    const aliceCarolConnP = alice.wait("connectedToGroupMember",
+      (evt: CEvt.ConnectedToGroupMember) => evt.member.memberProfile.displayName === "carol", 30000)
+    await carol.apiJoinGroup(carolInvEvt!.groupInfo.groupId)
+    await Promise.all([bobCarolConnP, carolAliceConnP, carolBobConnP, aliceCarolConnP])
+    // find carol's memberId from bob's perspective
+    const members = await bob.apiListMembers(groupId)
+    const carolMember = members.find(m => m.memberProfile.displayName === "carol")
+    expect(carolMember).toBeDefined()
+    // test apiCreateMemberContact
+    const dmContact = await bob.apiCreateMemberContact(groupId, carolMember!.groupMemberId)
+    expect(dmContact).toBeDefined()
+    expect(dmContact.contactId).toBeDefined()
+    // test apiSendMemberContactInvitation
+    const carolDmP = carol.wait("newMemberContactReceivedInv" as CEvt.Tag, 30000)
+    const invContact = await bob.apiSendMemberContactInvitation(dmContact.contactId, "hello from bob")
+    expect(invContact).toBeDefined()
+    // carol should receive the member contact invitation
+    const carolDmEvt = await carolDmP
+    expect(carolDmEvt).toBeDefined()
+    expect((carolDmEvt as any).contact).toBeDefined()
+    // cleanup
+    await alice.stopChat()
+    await bob.stopChat()
+    await carol.stopChat()
+    await alice.close()
+    await bob.close()
+    await carol.close()
+  }, 90000)
 })