diff --git a/src/eu/siacs/conversations/utils/MessageParser.java b/src/eu/siacs/conversations/utils/MessageParser.java
index 4bdb2539d..936d0e9a5 100644
--- a/src/eu/siacs/conversations/utils/MessageParser.java
+++ b/src/eu/siacs/conversations/utils/MessageParser.java
@@ -133,6 +133,9 @@ public class MessageParser {
 		} else {
 			return null;
 		}
+		if (forwarded==null) {
+			return null;
+		}
 		Element message = forwarded.findChild("message");
 		if ((message == null) || (!message.hasChild("body")))
 			return null; // either malformed or boring