diff --git a/src/components/views/messages/RedactedBody.tsx b/src/components/views/messages/RedactedBody.tsx
index e347e879a3..5dada64b52 100644
--- a/src/components/views/messages/RedactedBody.tsx
+++ b/src/components/views/messages/RedactedBody.tsx
@@ -28,8 +28,9 @@ const RedactedBody = React.forwardRef<any, IProps>(({mxEvent}, ref) => {
     const cli: MatrixClient = useContext(MatrixClientContext);
 
     let text = _t("Message deleted");
-    const redactedBecauseUserId = mxEvent.getUnsigned().redacted_because.sender;
-    if (redactedBecauseUserId && redactedBecauseUserId !== cli.getUserId()) {
+    const unsigned = mxEvent.getUnsigned();
+    const redactedBecauseUserId = unsigned && unsigned.redacted_because && unsigned.redacted_because.sender;
+    if (redactedBecauseUserId && redactedBecauseUserId !== mxEvent.getSender()) {
         const room = cli.getRoom(mxEvent.getRoomId());
         const sender = room && room.getMember(redactedBecauseUserId);
         text = _t("Message deleted by %(name)s", { name: sender ? sender.name : redactedBecauseUserId });