diff --git a/src/components/views/right_panel/EncryptionPanel.js b/src/components/views/right_panel/EncryptionPanel.js
index bc580c767b..e9f94729fa 100644
--- a/src/components/views/right_panel/EncryptionPanel.js
+++ b/src/components/views/right_panel/EncryptionPanel.js
@@ -45,9 +45,6 @@ const EncryptionPanel = (props) => {
         }
     }, [verificationRequest]);
 
-    const deviceId = request && request.channel.deviceId;
-    const device = MatrixClientPeg.get().getStoredDevice(MatrixClientPeg.get().getUserId(), deviceId);
-
     useEffect(() => {
         async function awaitPromise() {
             setRequesting(true);
@@ -143,7 +140,7 @@ const EncryptionPanel = (props) => {
                 key={request.channel.transactionId}
                 inDialog={layout === "dialog"}
                 phase={phase}
-                device={device} />
+            />
         </React.Fragment>);
     }
 };
diff --git a/src/components/views/right_panel/VerificationPanel.js b/src/components/views/right_panel/VerificationPanel.js
index 67efd29d27..ff3700e143 100644
--- a/src/components/views/right_panel/VerificationPanel.js
+++ b/src/components/views/right_panel/VerificationPanel.js
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 import React from "react";
 import PropTypes from "prop-types";
 
+import {MatrixClientPeg} from "../../../MatrixClientPeg";
 import * as sdk from '../../../index';
 import {verificationMethods} from 'matrix-js-sdk/src/crypto';
 import {SCAN_QR_CODE_METHOD} from "matrix-js-sdk/src/crypto/verification/QRCode";
@@ -161,6 +162,11 @@ export default class VerificationPanel extends React.PureComponent {
         this.state.reciprocateQREvent.cancel();
     };
 
+    _getDevice() {
+        const deviceId = this.props.request && this.props.request.channel.deviceId;
+        return MatrixClientPeg.get().getStoredDevice(MatrixClientPeg.get().getUserId(), deviceId);
+    }
+
     renderQRReciprocatePhase() {
         const {member, request} = this.props;
         let Button;
@@ -217,16 +223,26 @@ export default class VerificationPanel extends React.PureComponent {
             }
         }
 
-        const AccessibleButton = sdk.getComponent('elements.AccessibleButton');
-        const description = request.isSelfVerification ?
-            _t("You've successfully verified %(deviceName)s (%(deviceId)s)!", {
-                deviceName: this.props.device.getDisplayName(),
-                deviceId: this.props.device.deviceId,
-            }):
-            _t("You've successfully verified %(displayName)s!", {
+        let description;
+        if (request.isSelfVerification) {
+            const device = this._getDevice();
+            if (!device) {
+                // This shouldn't happen, although rageshake would indicate that it is: log a warn
+                // and leave the message slightly broken (avoid adding a translatable string for a
+                // case that shouldn't be happening).
+                console.warn("Verified device we don't know about: " + this.props.request.channel.deviceId);
+            }
+            description = _t("You've successfully verified %(deviceName)s (%(deviceId)s)!", {
+                deviceName: device ? device.getDisplayName() : '',
+                deviceId: this.props.request.channel.deviceId,
+            });
+        } else {
+            description = _t("You've successfully verified %(displayName)s!", {
                 displayName: member.displayName || member.name || member.userId,
             });
+        }
 
+        const AccessibleButton = sdk.getComponent('elements.AccessibleButton');
         return (
             <div className="mx_UserInfo_container mx_VerificationPanel_verified_section">
                 <h3>{_t("Verified")}</h3>
@@ -297,12 +313,12 @@ export default class VerificationPanel extends React.PureComponent {
                         const emojis = this.state.sasEvent ?
                             <VerificationShowSas
                                 displayName={displayName}
+                                device={this._getDevice()}
                                 sas={this.state.sasEvent.sas}
                                 onCancel={this._onSasMismatchesClick}
                                 onDone={this._onSasMatchesClick}
                                 inDialog={this.props.inDialog}
                                 isSelf={request.isSelfVerification}
-                                device={this.props.device}
                             /> : <Spinner />;
                         return <div className="mx_UserInfo_container">
                             <h3>{_t("Compare emoji")}</h3>
diff --git a/src/components/views/verification/VerificationShowSas.js b/src/components/views/verification/VerificationShowSas.js
index edf860c4c2..251c8ca04f 100644
--- a/src/components/views/verification/VerificationShowSas.js
+++ b/src/components/views/verification/VerificationShowSas.js
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ export default class VerificationShowSas extends React.Component {
     static propTypes = {
         pending: PropTypes.bool,
         displayName: PropTypes.string, // required if pending is true
+        device: PropTypes.object,
         onDone: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
         onCancel: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
         sas: PropTypes.object.isRequired,
@@ -116,9 +117,11 @@ export default class VerificationShowSas extends React.Component {
             let text;
             if (this.state.pending) {
                 if (this.props.isSelf) {
+                    // device shouldn't be null in this situation but it seems like it can be, so show
+                    // slightly broken text rather than soft-crashing (we've already logged in VerificationPanel).
                     text = _t("Waiting for your other session, %(deviceName)s (%(deviceId)s), to verify…", {
-                        deviceName: this.props.device.getDisplayName(),
-                        deviceId: this.props.device.deviceId,
+                        deviceName: this.props.device ? this.props.device.getDisplayName() : '',
+                        deviceId: this.props.device ? this.props.device.deviceId : '',
                     });
                 } else {
                     const {displayName} = this.props;