diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/database/Storage.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/database/Storage.kt
index a1903cc891..67f68cb292 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/database/Storage.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/database/Storage.kt
@@ -1686,12 +1686,17 @@ open class Storage(
         val timestamp = reaction.timestamp
         val localId = reaction.localId
         val isMms = reaction.isMms
+        val messageRecord = timestamp?.let{ DatabaseComponent.get(context).mmsSmsDatabase().getMessageForTimestamp(timestamp) }
+
+        // leave if this is about a deleted messsage
+        if (messageRecord?.isDeleted == true) return
+
         val messageId = if (localId != null && localId > 0 && isMms != null) {
             MessageId(localId, isMms)
-        } else if (timestamp != null && timestamp > 0) {
-            val messageRecord = DatabaseComponent.get(context).mmsSmsDatabase().getMessageForTimestamp(timestamp) ?: return
+        } else if (messageRecord != null && timestamp > 0) {
             MessageId(messageRecord.id, messageRecord.isMms)
         } else return
+
         DatabaseComponent.get(context).reactionDatabase().addReaction(
             messageId,
             ReactionRecord(