diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/org/briarproject/briar/desktop/conversation/ConversationViewModel.kt b/src/main/kotlin/org/briarproject/briar/desktop/conversation/ConversationViewModel.kt
index ac6638a5ce86f1f424ed7686c9940206cac3fe36..cddd2bf08e7fbba7ccc084036356caa929135e15 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/org/briarproject/briar/desktop/conversation/ConversationViewModel.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/org/briarproject/briar/desktop/conversation/ConversationViewModel.kt
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ constructor(
             runOnDbThreadWithTransaction(false) { txn ->
                 try {
                     val start = LogUtils.now()
-                    val m = createMessage(txn, contactId, groupId, trimmed, headers)
+                    val m = createMessage(txn, contactId, groupId, trimmed.ifBlank { null }, headers)
                     messagingManager.addLocalMessage(txn, m)
                     LOG.logDuration("Storing message", start)
 
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ constructor(
         txn: Transaction,
         contactId: ContactId,
         groupId: GroupId,
-        text: String,
+        text: String?,
         headers: List<AttachmentHeader>,
     ): PrivateMessage {
         val timestamp = conversationManager.getTimestampForOutgoingMessage(txn, contactId)