diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/messages/MessageContentProcessor.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/messages/MessageContentProcessor.kt
index f9f4c10560..1e3a2be2e7 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/messages/MessageContentProcessor.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/messages/MessageContentProcessor.kt
@@ -351,15 +351,21 @@ open class MessageContentProcessor(private val context: Context) {
         warn(timestamp, "Handling encryption error.")
 
         val threadRecipient = if (exceptionMetadata.groupId != null) Recipient.externalPossiblyMigratedGroup(exceptionMetadata.groupId) else sender
-        SignalDatabase
-          .messages
-          .insertBadDecryptMessage(
-            recipientId = sender.id,
-            senderDevice = exceptionMetadata.senderDevice,
-            sentTimestamp = timestamp,
-            receivedTimestamp = System.currentTimeMillis(),
-            threadId = SignalDatabase.threads.getOrCreateThreadIdFor(threadRecipient)
-          )
+        val threadId: Long? = SignalDatabase.threads.getThreadIdFor(threadRecipient.id)
+
+        if (threadId != null) {
+          SignalDatabase
+            .messages
+            .insertBadDecryptMessage(
+              recipientId = sender.id,
+              senderDevice = exceptionMetadata.senderDevice,
+              sentTimestamp = timestamp,
+              receivedTimestamp = System.currentTimeMillis(),
+              threadId = threadId
+            )
+        } else {
+          warn(timestamp, "Could not find a thread for the target recipient. Skipping.")
+        }
       }
 
       MessageState.INVALID_VERSION -> {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/messages/MessageDecryptor.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/messages/MessageDecryptor.kt
index baed1183f9..fe0ca69e20 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/messages/MessageDecryptor.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/messages/MessageDecryptor.kt
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import androidx.core.app.NotificationCompat
 import androidx.core.app.NotificationManagerCompat
 import com.squareup.wire.internal.toUnmodifiableList
 import org.signal.core.util.PendingIntentFlags
+import org.signal.core.util.isAbsent
 import org.signal.core.util.logging.Log
 import org.signal.core.util.roundedString
 import org.signal.libsignal.metadata.InvalidMetadataMessageException
@@ -302,11 +303,22 @@ object MessageDecryptor {
 
         followUpOperations += FollowUpOperation {
           val groupId: GroupId? = protocolException.parseGroupId(envelope)
-          val threadId: Long = if (groupId != null) {
+
+          val threadId: Long? = if (groupId != null) {
+            if (SignalDatabase.groups.getGroup(groupId).isAbsent()) {
+              Log.w(TAG, "${logPrefix(envelope)} No group found for $groupId! Not inserting a retry receipt.")
+              return@FollowUpOperation null
+            }
+
             val groupRecipient: Recipient = Recipient.externalPossiblyMigratedGroup(groupId)
-            SignalDatabase.threads.getOrCreateThreadIdFor(groupRecipient)
+            SignalDatabase.threads.getThreadIdFor(groupRecipient.id)
           } else {
-            SignalDatabase.threads.getOrCreateThreadIdFor(sender)
+            SignalDatabase.threads.getThreadIdFor(sender.id)
+          }
+
+          if (threadId == null) {
+            Log.w(TAG, "${logPrefix(envelope)} Thread does not already exist for sender ${sender.id}! We will not create one just to show a retry receipt.")
+            return@FollowUpOperation null
           }
 
           ApplicationDependencies.getPendingRetryReceiptCache().insert(sender.id, senderDevice, envelope.timestamp!!, receivedTimestamp, threadId)