diff --git a/src/HtmlUtils.js b/src/HtmlUtils.js
index c7b13bc071..b9d0ce67e8 100644
--- a/src/HtmlUtils.js
+++ b/src/HtmlUtils.js
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ export function bodyToHtml(content, highlights, opts) {
     }
 
     EMOJI_REGEX.lastIndex = 0;
-    let contentBodyTrimmed = content.body.trim();
+    let contentBodyTrimmed = content.body !== undefined ? content.body.trim() : '';
     let match = EMOJI_REGEX.exec(contentBodyTrimmed);
     let emojiBody = match && match[0] && match[0].length === contentBodyTrimmed.length;
 
diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/MessageComposerInputOld.js b/src/components/views/rooms/MessageComposerInputOld.js
index 63821b7d96..020c2238cb 100644
--- a/src/components/views/rooms/MessageComposerInputOld.js
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/MessageComposerInputOld.js
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ export default React.createClass({
                 MatrixClientPeg.get().sendHtmlMessage(this.props.room.roomId, contentText, htmlText);
         }
         else {
-            const contentText = mdown.toPlaintext();
+            if (mdown) contentText = mdown.toPlaintext();
             sendMessagePromise = isEmote ?
                 MatrixClientPeg.get().sendEmoteMessage(this.props.room.roomId, contentText) :
                 MatrixClientPeg.get().sendTextMessage(this.props.room.roomId, contentText);