diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/conversation/ConversationReactionOverlay.java b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/conversation/ConversationReactionOverlay.java
index f71e20e10b..72a4dd4e0f 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/conversation/ConversationReactionOverlay.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/conversation/ConversationReactionOverlay.java
@@ -654,7 +654,7 @@ public final class ConversationReactionOverlay extends FrameLayout {
   }
 
   private void handleUpEvent() {
-    if (selected != -1 && onReactionSelectedListener != null) {
+    if (selected != -1 && onReactionSelectedListener != null && backgroundView.getVisibility() == View.VISIBLE) {
       if (selected == customEmojiIndex) {
         onReactionSelectedListener.onCustomReactionSelected(messageRecord, emojiViews[selected].getTag() != null);
       } else {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/jobs/ReactionSendJob.java b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/jobs/ReactionSendJob.java
index 2ce73edef0..d4f709e941 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/jobs/ReactionSendJob.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/jobs/ReactionSendJob.java
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.groups.GroupId;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.jobmanager.Data;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.jobmanager.Job;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.jobmanager.impl.NetworkConstraint;
+import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.keyvalue.SignalStore;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.messages.GroupSendUtil;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.net.NotPushRegisteredException;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.recipients.Recipient;
@@ -150,6 +151,10 @@ public class ReactionSendJob extends BaseJob {
     Recipient targetAuthor        = message.isOutgoing() ? Recipient.self() : message.getIndividualRecipient();
     long      targetSentTimestamp = message.getDateSent();
 
+    if (targetAuthor.getId().equals(SignalStore.releaseChannelValues().getReleaseChannelRecipientId())) {
+      return;
+    }
+
     if (!remove && !reactionDatabase.hasReaction(messageId, reaction)) {
       Log.w(TAG, "Went to add a reaction, but it's no longer present on the message!");
       return;