diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/ConversationFragment.java b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/ConversationFragment.java
index 7615f82d002c275aadf2a9a0bbb86df249f3207d..c2ab957fbc19977dbf0c4de021cd8dd341c5d72e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/ConversationFragment.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/ConversationFragment.java
@@ -2658,7 +2658,7 @@ public class ConversationFragment extends XmppFragment
                     }
                 }
                 if (message != null) {
-                    while (message.next() != null && message.next().wasMergedIntoPrevious(activity.xmppConnectionService)) {
+                    while (message.next() != null && message.next().wasMergedIntoPrevious(activity == null ? null : activity.xmppConnectionService)) {
                         message = message.next();
                     }
                     return message;