diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index ae2c3ac5..f9360c50 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/).
 
 ### ✅ Added
 - Open `ChatChannelInfoViewModel.leaveButtonTitle` and `ChatChannelInfoViewModel.leaveConversationDescription` [#1018](https://github.com/GetStream/stream-chat-swiftui/pull/1018)
+- Open `ChatThreadListViewModel.preselectThreadIfNeeded()` [#1069](https://github.com/GetStream/stream-chat-swiftui/pull/1069)
 ### 🐞 Fixed
 - Use `muteChannel` capability for showing mute channel button in the `ChatChannelInfoView` [#1018](https://github.com/GetStream/stream-chat-swiftui/pull/1018)
 - Fix `PollOptionAllVotesViewModel` not loading more votes [#1067](https://github.com/GetStream/stream-chat-swiftui/pull/1067)
diff --git a/Sources/StreamChatSwiftUI/ChatThreadList/ChatThreadListViewModel.swift b/Sources/StreamChatSwiftUI/ChatThreadList/ChatThreadListViewModel.swift
index a466da38..bc88697c 100644
--- a/Sources/StreamChatSwiftUI/ChatThreadList/ChatThreadListViewModel.swift
+++ b/Sources/StreamChatSwiftUI/ChatThreadList/ChatThreadListViewModel.swift
@@ -155,6 +155,15 @@ open class ChatThreadListViewModel: ObservableObject, ChatThreadListControllerDe
         }
     }
 
+    /// Preselects the the thread if needed, for example, when inside an iPad Split View.
+    open func preselectThreadIfNeeded() {
+        guard isIPad else { return }
+        guard let firstThread = threads.first else { return }
+        guard selectedThread == nil else { return }
+
+        selectedThread = .init(thread: firstThread)
+    }
+
     public func controller(
         _ controller: ChatThreadListController,
         didChangeThreads changes: [ListChange<ChatThread>]
@@ -184,12 +193,4 @@ open class ChatThreadListViewModel: ObservableObject, ChatThreadListControllerDe
     private func makeDefaultEventsController() {
         eventsController = chatClient.eventsController()
     }
-
-    private func preselectThreadIfNeeded() {
-        guard isIPad else { return }
-        guard let firstThread = threads.first else { return }
-        guard selectedThread == nil else { return }
-
-        selectedThread = .init(thread: firstThread)
-    }
 }