diff --git a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/jobmanager/migrations/RecipientIdJobMigration.java b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/jobmanager/migrations/RecipientIdJobMigration.java
index a379e06cec..f173bdcf02 100644
--- a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/jobmanager/migrations/RecipientIdJobMigration.java
+++ b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/jobmanager/migrations/RecipientIdJobMigration.java
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ public class RecipientIdJobMigration extends JobMigration {
 
   private @NonNull JobData migrateMultiDeviceContactUpdateJob(@NonNull JobData jobData) {
     String  address     = jobData.getData().getString("address");
-    Data    updatedData = new Data.Builder().putString("recipient", Recipient.external(application, address).getId().serialize())
+    Data    updatedData = new Data.Builder().putString("recipient", address != null ? Recipient.external(application, address).getId().serialize() : null)
                                             .putBoolean("force_sync", jobData.getData().getBoolean("force_sync"))
                                             .build();
 
diff --git a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/recipients/Recipient.java b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/recipients/Recipient.java
index aee90cfa53..01252d97a9 100644
--- a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/recipients/Recipient.java
+++ b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/recipients/Recipient.java
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.phonenumbers.PhoneNumberFormatter;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.util.GroupUtil;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.util.Util;
 import org.whispersystems.libsignal.util.guava.Optional;
+import org.whispersystems.libsignal.util.guava.Preconditions;
 
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Collections;
@@ -100,6 +101,8 @@ public class Recipient {
    */
   @WorkerThread
   public static @NonNull Recipient external(@NonNull Context context, @NonNull String address) {
+    Preconditions.checkNotNull(address, "Address cannot be null.");
+
     RecipientDatabase db = DatabaseFactory.getRecipientDatabase(context);
     RecipientId       id = null;