diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/PublishGroupChatProfilePictureActivity.java b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/PublishGroupChatProfilePictureActivity.java
index 1e2ce6ad2c18ff629fb1c5f305e1b018f600aace..e6587203316ff49b9ff4609976e75fec302d7a19 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/PublishGroupChatProfilePictureActivity.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/PublishGroupChatProfilePictureActivity.java
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ public class PublishGroupChatProfilePictureActivity extends XmppActivity impleme
     }
 
     private void reloadAvatar() {
+        if (xmppConnectionService == null) return; // We will get called again in onBackendConnected
         final int size = (int) getResources().getDimension(R.dimen.publish_avatar_size);
         Drawable bitmap;
         if (uri == null) {