diff --git a/internal/api/client.go b/internal/api/client.go
index 06a9b5a..9b49666 100644
--- a/internal/api/client.go
+++ b/internal/api/client.go
@@ -226,13 +226,15 @@ type ClientCreationOpts struct {
 	// Required. The password for this account.
 	Password string
 
-	// Optional. If true, persistent storage will be used for the same user|device ID.
-	PersistentStorage bool
 	// Required for rust clients. The URL of the sliding sync proxy.
 	SlidingSyncURL string
 	// Optional. Set this to login with this device ID.
 	DeviceID string
 
+	// A hint to the client implementation that persistent storage is required. Clients may ignore
+	// this flag and always use persistence.
+	PersistentStorage bool
+
 	// Rust only. If set, enables the cross process refresh lock on the FFI client with the process name provided.
 	EnableCrossProcessRefreshLockProcessName string
 	// Rust only. If set with EnableCrossProcessRefreshLockProcessName=ProcessNameNSE, the client will be seeded
diff --git a/internal/api/rust/rust.go b/internal/api/rust/rust.go
index c62114d..e364c15 100644
--- a/internal/api/rust/rust.go
+++ b/internal/api/rust/rust.go
@@ -71,26 +71,21 @@ func NewRustClient(t ct.TestLike, opts api.ClientCreationOpts) (api.Client, erro
 		clientSessionDelegate = NewMemoryClientSessionDelegate()
 		ab = ab.EnableCrossProcessRefreshLock(opts.EnableCrossProcessRefreshLockProcessName, clientSessionDelegate)
 	}
-	var username string
-	if opts.PersistentStorage {
-		// @alice:hs1, FOOBAR => alice_hs1_FOOBAR
-		username = strings.Replace(opts.UserID[1:], ":", "_", -1) + "_" + opts.DeviceID
-		ab = ab.SessionPath("rust_storage/" + username).Username(username)
-	}
+	// @alice:hs1, FOOBAR => alice_hs1_FOOBAR
+	username := strings.Replace(opts.UserID[1:], ":", "_", -1) + "_" + opts.DeviceID
+	ab = ab.SessionPath("rust_storage/" + username).Username(username)
 	client, err := ab.Build()
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("ClientBuilder.Build failed: %s", err)
 	}
 	c := &RustClient{
-		userID:        opts.UserID,
-		FFIClient:     client,
-		roomsListener: NewRoomsListener(),
-		rooms:         make(map[string]*RustRoomInfo),
-		roomsMu:       &sync.RWMutex{},
-		opts:          opts,
-	}
-	if opts.PersistentStorage {
-		c.persistentStoragePath = "./rust_storage/" + username
+		userID:                opts.UserID,
+		FFIClient:             client,
+		roomsListener:         NewRoomsListener(),
+		rooms:                 make(map[string]*RustRoomInfo),
+		roomsMu:               &sync.RWMutex{},
+		opts:                  opts,
+		persistentStoragePath: "./rust_storage/" + username,
 	}
 	if opts.AccessToken != "" { // restore the session
 		session := matrix_sdk_ffi.Session{