diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/voice/VoiceNoteMediaDescriptionCompatFactory.java b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/voice/VoiceNoteMediaDescriptionCompatFactory.java
index e2ce0260a..67903ab3c 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/voice/VoiceNoteMediaDescriptionCompatFactory.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/voice/VoiceNoteMediaDescriptionCompatFactory.java
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.database.DatabaseFactory;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.database.model.MessageRecord;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.database.model.MmsMessageRecord;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.keyvalue.SignalStore;
+import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.mms.AudioSlide;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.preferences.widgets.NotificationPrivacyPreference;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.recipients.Recipient;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.util.DateUtils;
@@ -70,8 +71,8 @@ class VoiceNoteMediaDescriptionCompatFactory {
    * @return A MediaDescriptionCompat with all the details the service expects.
    */
   @WorkerThread
-  static MediaDescriptionCompat buildMediaDescription(@NonNull Context context,
-                                                      @NonNull MessageRecord messageRecord)
+  @Nullable static MediaDescriptionCompat buildMediaDescription(@NonNull Context context,
+                                                                @NonNull MessageRecord messageRecord)
   {
     int startingPosition = DatabaseFactory.getMmsSmsDatabase(context)
                                           .getMessagePositionInConversation(messageRecord.getThreadId(),
@@ -79,9 +80,20 @@ class VoiceNoteMediaDescriptionCompatFactory {
 
     Recipient threadRecipient = Objects.requireNonNull(DatabaseFactory.getThreadDatabase(context)
                                                                       .getRecipientForThreadId(messageRecord.getThreadId()));
-    Recipient sender          = messageRecord.isOutgoing() ? Recipient.self() : messageRecord.getIndividualRecipient();
-    Recipient avatarRecipient = threadRecipient.isGroup() ? threadRecipient : sender;
-    Uri       uri             = Objects.requireNonNull(((MmsMessageRecord) messageRecord).getSlideDeck().getAudioSlide().getUri());
+    Recipient  sender          = messageRecord.isOutgoing() ? Recipient.self() : messageRecord.getIndividualRecipient();
+    Recipient  avatarRecipient = threadRecipient.isGroup() ? threadRecipient : sender;
+    AudioSlide audioSlide      = ((MmsMessageRecord) messageRecord).getSlideDeck().getAudioSlide();
+
+    if (audioSlide == null) {
+      Log.w(TAG, "Message does not have an audio slide. Can't play this voice note.");
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    Uri uri = audioSlide.getUri();
+    if (uri == null) {
+      Log.w(TAG, "Audio slide does not have a URI. Can't play this voice note.");
+      return null;
+    }
 
     return buildMediaDescription(context,
                                  threadRecipient,
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/voice/VoiceNotePlaybackPreparer.java b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/voice/VoiceNotePlaybackPreparer.java
index dc3efe442..bc97372d6 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/voice/VoiceNotePlaybackPreparer.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/voice/VoiceNotePlaybackPreparer.java
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import android.os.Bundle;
 import android.os.ResultReceiver;
 import android.support.v4.media.MediaDescriptionCompat;
 import android.support.v4.media.session.PlaybackStateCompat;
+import android.widget.Toast;
 
 import androidx.annotation.MainThread;
 import androidx.annotation.NonNull;
@@ -19,7 +20,9 @@ import com.google.android.exoplayer2.Timeline;
 import com.google.android.exoplayer2.ext.mediasession.MediaSessionConnector;
 import com.google.android.exoplayer2.source.ConcatenatingMediaSource;
 
+import org.signal.core.util.ThreadUtil;
 import org.signal.core.util.logging.Log;
+import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.R;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.database.DatabaseFactory;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.database.NoSuchMessageException;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.database.model.MessageRecord;
@@ -35,6 +38,7 @@ import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Objects;
 import java.util.concurrent.Executor;
 import java.util.concurrent.Executors;
+import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 
 /**
  * ExoPlayer Preparer for Voice Notes. This only supports ACTION_PLAY_FROM_URI
@@ -140,6 +144,10 @@ final class VoiceNotePlaybackPreparer implements MediaSessionConnector.PlaybackP
 
                        player.prepare(dataSource);
                        canLoadMore = !singlePlayback;
+                     } else if (Objects.equals(latestUri, uri)) {
+                       Log.w(TAG, "Requested playback but no voice notes could be found.");
+                       ThreadUtil.postToMain(() -> Toast.makeText(context, R.string.VoiceNotePlaybackPreparer__failed_to_play_voice_message, Toast.LENGTH_SHORT)
+                                                        .show());
                      }
                    });
   }
@@ -262,7 +270,12 @@ final class VoiceNotePlaybackPreparer implements MediaSessionConnector.PlaybackP
         return Collections.emptyList();
       }
 
-      return Collections.singletonList(VoiceNoteMediaDescriptionCompatFactory.buildMediaDescription(context ,messageRecord));
+      MediaDescriptionCompat mediaDescriptionCompat = VoiceNoteMediaDescriptionCompatFactory.buildMediaDescription(context ,messageRecord);
+      if (mediaDescriptionCompat == null) {
+        return Collections.emptyList();
+      } else {
+        return Collections.singletonList(mediaDescriptionCompat);
+      }
     } catch (NoSuchMessageException e) {
       Log.w(TAG, "Could not find message.", e);
       return Collections.emptyList();
@@ -278,9 +291,10 @@ final class VoiceNotePlaybackPreparer implements MediaSessionConnector.PlaybackP
     try {
       List<MessageRecord> recordsAfter  = DatabaseFactory.getMmsSmsDatabase(context).getMessagesAfterVoiceNoteInclusive(messageId, LIMIT);
 
-      return Stream.of(buildFilteredMessageRecordList(recordsAfter))
-                   .map(record -> VoiceNoteMediaDescriptionCompatFactory.buildMediaDescription(context, record))
-                   .toList();
+      return buildFilteredMessageRecordList(recordsAfter).stream()
+                                                         .map(record -> VoiceNoteMediaDescriptionCompatFactory.buildMediaDescription(context, record))
+                                                         .filter(Objects::nonNull)
+                                                         .collect(Collectors.toList());
     } catch (NoSuchMessageException e) {
       Log.w(TAG, "Could not find message.", e);
       return Collections.emptyList();
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index db7d1a609..bda7cef3d 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -3169,6 +3169,7 @@
     <string name="GroupLinkBottomSheet_the_link_is_not_currently_active">The link is not currently active</string>
 
     <!-- VoiceNotePlaybackPreparer -->
+    <string name="VoiceNotePlaybackPreparer__failed_to_play_voice_message">Failed to play voice message</string>
 
     <!-- VoiceNoteMediaDescriptionCompatFactory -->
     <string name="VoiceNoteMediaDescriptionCompatFactory__voice_message">Voice message &#183; %1$s</string>