diff --git a/addons/hr/static/src/models/employee.js b/addons/hr/static/src/models/employee.js
index 8423338d69f..ed0a8c402bd 100644
--- a/addons/hr/static/src/models/employee.js
+++ b/addons/hr/static/src/models/employee.js
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ registerModel({
          *
          * If a chat is not appropriate, a notification is displayed instead.
          *
-         * @returns {Thread|undefined}
+         * @returns {Channel|undefined}
          */
         async getChat() {
             if (!this.user && !this.hasCheckedUser) {
@@ -125,7 +125,6 @@ registerModel({
          * If a chat is not appropriate, a notification is displayed instead.
          *
          * @param {Object} [options] forwarded to @see `Thread:open()`
-         * @returns {Thread|undefined}
          */
         async openChat(options) {
             const chat = await this.getChat();
@@ -135,11 +134,10 @@ registerModel({
             if (!chat) {
                 return;
             }
-            await chat.open(options);
+            await chat.thread.open(options);
             if (!this.exists()) {
                 return;
             }
-            return chat;
         },
         /**
          * Opens the most appropriate view that is a profile for this employee.
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/src/js/m2x_avatar_user.js b/addons/mail/static/src/js/m2x_avatar_user.js
index 7eecc1045a4..500482240b0 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/src/js/m2x_avatar_user.js
+++ b/addons/mail/static/src/js/m2x_avatar_user.js
@@ -42,11 +42,10 @@ const M2XAvatarMixin = {
      *
      * @private
      * @param {Object} params
-     * @returns {Promise}
      */
     async _openChat(params) {
         const messaging = await Component.env.services.messaging.get();
-        return messaging.openChat(params);
+        messaging.openChat(params);
     },
 };
 
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/src/models/channel.js b/addons/mail/static/src/models/channel.js
index 3c407c7a0c8..0e4096542de 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/src/models/channel.js
+++ b/addons/mail/static/src/models/channel.js
@@ -6,6 +6,37 @@ import { clear } from '@mail/model/model_field_command';
 
 registerModel({
     name: 'Channel',
+    modelMethods: {
+        /**
+         * Performs the `channel_get` RPC on `mail.channel`.
+         *
+         * `openChat` is preferable in business code because it will avoid the
+         * RPC if the chat already exists.
+         *
+         * @param {Object} param0
+         * @param {integer[]} param0.partnerIds
+         * @param {boolean} [param0.pinForCurrentPartner]
+         * @returns {Channel|undefined} the created or existing chat
+         */
+        async performRpcCreateChat({ partnerIds, pinForCurrentPartner }) {
+            // TODO FIX: potential duplicate chat task-2276490
+            const data = await this.messaging.rpc({
+                model: 'mail.channel',
+                method: 'channel_get',
+                kwargs: {
+                    partners_to: partnerIds,
+                    pin: pinForCurrentPartner,
+                },
+            });
+            if (!data) {
+                return;
+            }
+            const { channel } = this.messaging.models['Thread'].insert(
+                this.messaging.models['Thread'].convertData(data)
+            );
+            return channel;
+        },
+    },
     recordMethods: {
         async fetchChannelMembers() {
             const channelData = await this.messaging.rpc({
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/src/models/chat_window.js b/addons/mail/static/src/models/chat_window.js
index 4f31d8ae7f8..db3e45acc3f 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/src/models/chat_window.js
+++ b/addons/mail/static/src/models/chat_window.js
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ registerModel({
             if (!chat) {
                 return;
             }
-            this.messaging.chatWindowManager.openThread(chat, {
+            this.messaging.chatWindowManager.openThread(chat.thread, {
                 makeActive: true,
                 replaceNewMessage: true,
             });
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/src/models/messaging.js b/addons/mail/static/src/models/messaging.js
index 8047354f869..2122ac7a157 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/src/models/messaging.js
+++ b/addons/mail/static/src/models/messaging.js
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ registerModel({
          * @param {integer} [param0.partnerId]
          * @param {integer} [param0.userId]
          * @param {Object} [options]
-         * @returns {Thread|undefined}
+         * @returns {Channel|undefined}
          */
         async getChat({ partnerId, userId }) {
             if (userId) {
@@ -86,18 +86,16 @@ registerModel({
          *
          * @param {Object} person forwarded to @see `getChat()`
          * @param {Object} [options] forwarded to @see `Thread:open()`
-         * @returns {Thread|undefined}
          */
         async openChat(person, options) {
             const chat = await this.getChat(person);
             if (!this.exists() || !chat) {
                 return;
             }
-            await chat.open(options);
+            await chat.thread.open(options);
             if (!this.exists()) {
                 return;
             }
-            return chat;
         },
         /**
          * Opens the form view of the record with provided id and model.
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/src/models/messaging_notification_handler.js b/addons/mail/static/src/models/messaging_notification_handler.js
index ede8847a0b7..6222e9434b9 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/src/models/messaging_notification_handler.js
+++ b/addons/mail/static/src/models/messaging_notification_handler.js
@@ -617,7 +617,7 @@ registerModel({
             if (!this.exists() || !chat || this.messaging.device.isSmall) {
                 return;
             }
-            this.messaging.chatWindowManager.openThread(chat);
+            this.messaging.chatWindowManager.openThread(chat.thread);
         },
         /**
          * @private
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/src/models/partner.js b/addons/mail/static/src/models/partner.js
index 5a05b9aa874..f44637db065 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/src/models/partner.js
+++ b/addons/mail/static/src/models/partner.js
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ registerModel({
          *
          * If a chat is not appropriate, a notification is displayed instead.
          *
-         * @returns {Thread|undefined}
+         * @returns {Channel|undefined}
          */
         async getChat() {
             if (!this.user && !this.hasCheckedUser) {
@@ -309,18 +309,16 @@ registerModel({
          * If a chat is not appropriate, a notification is displayed instead.
          *
          * @param {Object} [options] forwarded to @see `Thread:open()`
-         * @returns {Thread|undefined}
          */
         async openChat(options) {
             const chat = await this.getChat();
             if (!this.exists() || !chat) {
                 return;
             }
-            await chat.open(options);
+            await chat.thread.open(options);
             if (!this.exists()) {
                 return;
             }
-            return chat;
         },
         /**
          * Opens the most appropriate view that is a profile for this partner.
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/src/models/thread.js b/addons/mail/static/src/models/thread.js
index 125b6d7b58e..45b4d2b7505 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/src/models/thread.js
+++ b/addons/mail/static/src/models/thread.js
@@ -361,34 +361,6 @@ registerModel({
                 this.messaging.models['Thread'].convertData(data)
             );
         },
-        /**
-         * Performs the `channel_get` RPC on `mail.channel`.
-         *
-         * `openChat` is preferable in business code because it will avoid the
-         * RPC if the chat already exists.
-         *
-         * @param {Object} param0
-         * @param {integer[]} param0.partnerIds
-         * @param {boolean} [param0.pinForCurrentPartner]
-         * @returns {Thread|undefined} the created or existing chat
-         */
-        async performRpcCreateChat({ partnerIds, pinForCurrentPartner }) {
-            // TODO FIX: potential duplicate chat task-2276490
-            const data = await this.messaging.rpc({
-                model: 'mail.channel',
-                method: 'channel_get',
-                kwargs: {
-                    partners_to: partnerIds,
-                    pin: pinForCurrentPartner,
-                },
-            });
-            if (!data) {
-                return;
-            }
-            return this.messaging.models['Thread'].insert(
-                this.messaging.models['Thread'].convertData(data)
-            );
-        },
         /**
          * Search for thread matching `searchTerm`.
          *
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/src/models/user.js b/addons/mail/static/src/models/user.js
index d690e41023d..864ccf93b71 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/src/models/user.js
+++ b/addons/mail/static/src/models/user.js
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ registerModel({
          *
          * If a chat is not appropriate, a notification is displayed instead.
          *
-         * @returns {Thread|undefined}
+         * @returns {Channel|undefined}
          */
         async getChat() {
             if (!this.partner) {
@@ -90,11 +90,11 @@ registerModel({
                 return;
             }
             // in other cases a chat would be valid, find it or try to create it
-            let chat = this.partner.dmChatWithCurrentPartner && this.partner.dmChatWithCurrentPartner.thread;
-            if (!chat || !chat.isPinned) {
+            let chat = this.partner.dmChatWithCurrentPartner;
+            if (!chat || !chat.thread.isPinned) {
                 // if chat is not pinned then it has to be pinned client-side
                 // and server-side, which is a side effect of following rpc
-                chat = await this.messaging.models['Thread'].performRpcCreateChat({
+                chat = await this.messaging.models['Channel'].performRpcCreateChat({
                     partnerIds: [this.partner.id],
                 });
                 if (!this.exists()) {
@@ -116,18 +116,16 @@ registerModel({
          * If a chat is not appropriate, a notification is displayed instead.
          *
          * @param {Object} [options] forwarded to @see `Thread:open()`
-         * @returns {Thread|undefined}
          */
         async openChat(options) {
             const chat = await this.getChat();
             if (!this.exists() || !chat) {
                 return;
             }
-            await chat.open(options);
+            await chat.thread.open(options);
             if (!this.exists() || !chat.exists()) {
                 return;
             }
-            return chat;
         },
         /**
          * Opens the most appropriate view that is a profile for this user.