diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/ConversationFragment.java b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/ConversationFragment.java
index fdd6e18815ef4810e41a12ced8a1820aa6130f83..7eb5e9fe9129efc1afea0b86300be02bbf437719 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/ConversationFragment.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/ConversationFragment.java
@@ -767,7 +767,7 @@ public class ConversationFragment extends XmppFragment
                 return i;
             } else {
                 Message next = messages.get(i);
-                while (next != null && next.wasMergedIntoPrevious(activity.xmppConnectionService)) {
+                while (next != null && next.wasMergedIntoPrevious(activity == null ? null : activity.xmppConnectionService)) {
                     if (uuid.equals(next.getUuid())) {
                         return i;
                     }