diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/adapter/MessageAdapter.java b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/adapter/MessageAdapter.java
index 4ba15d9946948bf0812dfbf79b8eadec91b85c6c..0c33e500a7bac1d81573adab3bdd123d5be49338 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/adapter/MessageAdapter.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/adapter/MessageAdapter.java
@@ -641,6 +641,8 @@ public class MessageAdapter extends ArrayAdapter<Message> {
             for (final android.text.style.QuoteSpan quote : body.getSpans(0, body.length(), android.text.style.QuoteSpan.class)) {
                 int start = body.getSpanStart(quote);
                 int end = body.getSpanEnd(quote);
+                if (start < 0 || end < 0) continue;
+
                 body.removeSpan(quote);
                 applyQuoteSpan(viewHolder.messageBody, body, start, end, bubbleColor, true);
                 if (start == 0) {