diff --git a/js/models/messages.js b/js/models/messages.js
index 16c13167b1..cf3b021fbb 100644
--- a/js/models/messages.js
+++ b/js/models/messages.js
@@ -199,13 +199,15 @@
         fromContact.isMe = true;
       }
 
-      const conversation = this.getConversation();
-      let to = this.findAndFormatContact(conversation.get('id'));
-      if (conversation.isMe()) {
+      const convo = this.getConversation();
+
+      let to = convo ? this.findAndFormatContact(convo.get('id')) : {};
+
+      if (convo && convo.isMe()) {
         to.isMe = true;
       } else if (
-        sourceE164 === conversation.get('e164') ||
-        sourceUuid === conversation.get('uuid')
+        (sourceE164 && convo && sourceE164 === convo.get('e164')) ||
+        (sourceUuid && convo && sourceUuid === convo.get('uuid'))
       ) {
         to = {
           isMe: true,
@@ -213,7 +215,7 @@
       }
 
       return {
-        from: fromContact,
+        from: fromContact || {},
         to,
 
         isSelected: this.isSelected,
diff --git a/ts/components/MessageSearchResult.md b/ts/components/MessageSearchResult.md
index 1ad50030e7..3829ad7053 100644
--- a/ts/components/MessageSearchResult.md
+++ b/ts/components/MessageSearchResult.md
@@ -230,3 +230,20 @@
   />
 </util.LeftPaneContext>
 ```
+
+#### Empty
+
+```jsx
+<util.LeftPaneContext theme={util.theme}>
+  <MessageSearchResult
+    from={{}}
+    to={{}}
+    snippet="What's <<left>>going<<right>> on?"
+    id="messageId1"
+    conversationId="conversationId1"
+    sentAt={Date.now() - 24 * 60 * 1000}
+    onClick={result => console.log('onClick', result)}
+    i18n={util.i18n}
+  />
+</util.LeftPaneContext>
+```
diff --git a/ts/components/conversation/ContactName.tsx b/ts/components/conversation/ContactName.tsx
index 1a88c146cc..2e82a7bb83 100644
--- a/ts/components/conversation/ContactName.tsx
+++ b/ts/components/conversation/ContactName.tsx
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ export class ContactName extends React.Component<Props> {
 
     return (
       <span className={prefix} dir="auto">
-        <Emojify text={title} />
+        <Emojify text={title || ''} />
         {shouldShowProfile ? ' ' : null}
         {profileElement}
       </span>