diff --git a/libraries/wellknown/impl/src/main/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/wellknown/impl/Mapper.kt b/libraries/wellknown/impl/src/main/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/wellknown/impl/Mapper.kt
index 61899578d7..2353017be8 100644
--- a/libraries/wellknown/impl/src/main/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/wellknown/impl/Mapper.kt
+++ b/libraries/wellknown/impl/src/main/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/wellknown/impl/Mapper.kt
@@ -15,6 +15,13 @@ import timber.log.Timber
 
 private val loggerTag = LoggerTag("Wellknown")
 
+/**
+ * Floor for the recovery passphrase minimum length. A value of 1 guarantees the derived passphrase is
+ * never empty (an empty passphrase derives a recoverable but effectively unprotected secret-storage
+ * key). Anything stronger than non-empty is left to the homeserver operator's configuration.
+ */
+private const val MINIMUM_PASSPHRASE_CHARACTER_COUNT = 1
+
 internal fun InternalElementWellKnown.map() = ElementWellKnown(
     registrationHelperUrl = registrationHelperUrl,
     enforceElementPro = enforceElementPro,
@@ -25,14 +32,17 @@ internal fun InternalElementWellKnown.map() = ElementWellKnown(
     customRecoveryPassphraseRequirements = customRecoveryPassphraseRequirements?.toPublic(),
 )
 
-private fun InternalCustomRecoveryPassphraseRequirements.toPublic(): CustomRecoveryPassphraseRequirements? {
-    val min = minCharacterCount ?: run {
-        Timber.tag(loggerTag.value).w("custom_recovery_passphrase_settings missing min_character_count; ignoring spec")
-        return null
-    }
-    if (min <= 0) {
-        Timber.tag(loggerTag.value).w("custom_recovery_passphrase_settings.min_character_count must be > 0; ignoring spec")
-        return null
+private fun InternalCustomRecoveryPassphraseRequirements.toPublic(): CustomRecoveryPassphraseRequirements {
+    // Whenever the homeserver advertises the settings block we run the custom passphrase flow, flooring
+    // the minimum at 1 so the passphrase can never be empty even if the server omits min_character_count
+    // or advertises a non-positive value. The operator owns any stronger minimum.
+    val min = (minCharacterCount ?: MINIMUM_PASSPHRASE_CHARACTER_COUNT).coerceAtLeast(MINIMUM_PASSPHRASE_CHARACTER_COUNT)
+    if (min != minCharacterCount) {
+        Timber.tag(loggerTag.value).w(
+            "custom_recovery_passphrase_settings.min_character_count was %s; flooring to %d",
+            minCharacterCount,
+            min,
+        )
     }
     return CustomRecoveryPassphraseRequirements(minCharacterCount = min)
 }
diff --git a/libraries/wellknown/impl/src/test/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/wellknown/impl/DefaultSessionWellknownRetrieverTest.kt b/libraries/wellknown/impl/src/test/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/wellknown/impl/DefaultSessionWellknownRetrieverTest.kt
index 68d4d818c2..bdd25aa80b 100644
--- a/libraries/wellknown/impl/src/test/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/wellknown/impl/DefaultSessionWellknownRetrieverTest.kt
+++ b/libraries/wellknown/impl/src/test/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/wellknown/impl/DefaultSessionWellknownRetrieverTest.kt
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ class DefaultSessionWellknownRetrieverTest {
     }
 
     @Test
-    fun `get element wellknown with custom recovery passphrase requirements missing min character count maps to null`() = runTest {
+    fun `get element wellknown with custom recovery passphrase requirements missing min character count floors to 1`() = runTest {
         val sut = createDefaultSessionWellknownRetriever(
             getUrlLambda = {
                 Result.success(
@@ -148,12 +148,16 @@ class DefaultSessionWellknownRetrieverTest {
             },
         )
         assertThat(sut.getElementWellKnown()).isEqualTo(
-            WellknownRetrieverResult.Success(anElementWellKnown())
+            WellknownRetrieverResult.Success(
+                anElementWellKnown(
+                    customRecoveryPassphraseRequirements = CustomRecoveryPassphraseRequirements(minCharacterCount = 1)
+                )
+            )
         )
     }
 
     @Test
-    fun `get element wellknown with non-positive min character count maps to null`() = runTest {
+    fun `get element wellknown with zero min character count floors to 1`() = runTest {
         val sut = createDefaultSessionWellknownRetriever(
             getUrlLambda = {
                 Result.success(
@@ -166,12 +170,16 @@ class DefaultSessionWellknownRetrieverTest {
             },
         )
         assertThat(sut.getElementWellKnown()).isEqualTo(
-            WellknownRetrieverResult.Success(anElementWellKnown())
+            WellknownRetrieverResult.Success(
+                anElementWellKnown(
+                    customRecoveryPassphraseRequirements = CustomRecoveryPassphraseRequirements(minCharacterCount = 1)
+                )
+            )
         )
     }
 
     @Test
-    fun `get element wellknown with negative min character count maps to null`() = runTest {
+    fun `get element wellknown with negative min character count floors to 1`() = runTest {
         val sut = createDefaultSessionWellknownRetriever(
             getUrlLambda = {
                 Result.success(
@@ -184,7 +192,11 @@ class DefaultSessionWellknownRetrieverTest {
             },
         )
         assertThat(sut.getElementWellKnown()).isEqualTo(
-            WellknownRetrieverResult.Success(anElementWellKnown())
+            WellknownRetrieverResult.Success(
+                anElementWellKnown(
+                    customRecoveryPassphraseRequirements = CustomRecoveryPassphraseRequirements(minCharacterCount = 1)
+                )
+            )
         )
     }