diff --git a/src/components/views/messages/RedactedBody.tsx b/src/components/views/messages/RedactedBody.tsx
index 654f1622b1..e347e879a3 100644
--- a/src/components/views/messages/RedactedBody.tsx
+++ b/src/components/views/messages/RedactedBody.tsx
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ const RedactedBody = React.forwardRef<any, IProps>(({mxEvent}, ref) => {
 
     let text = _t("Message deleted");
     const redactedBecauseUserId = mxEvent.getUnsigned().redacted_because.sender;
-    if (redactedBecauseUserId !== cli.getUserId()) {
+    if (redactedBecauseUserId && redactedBecauseUserId !== cli.getUserId()) {
         const room = cli.getRoom(mxEvent.getRoomId());
         const sender = room && room.getMember(redactedBecauseUserId);
         text = _t("Message deleted by %(name)s", { name: sender ? sender.name : redactedBecauseUserId });