diff --git a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/database/RecipientDatabase.java b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/database/RecipientDatabase.java
index fda06a559c..bcb8e881f8 100644
--- a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/database/RecipientDatabase.java
+++ b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/database/RecipientDatabase.java
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ public class RecipientDatabase extends Database {
       if (cursor != null && cursor.moveToNext()) {
         return getRecipientSettings(cursor);
       } else {
-        throw new AssertionError("Couldn't find recipient! id: " + id.serialize());
+        throw new MissingRecipientError(id);
       }
     }
   }
@@ -879,4 +879,9 @@ public class RecipientDatabase extends Database {
     }
   }
 
+  public static class MissingRecipientError extends AssertionError {
+    public MissingRecipientError(@Nullable RecipientId id) {
+      super("Failed to find recipient with ID: " + id);
+    }
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/recipients/LiveRecipientCache.java b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/recipients/LiveRecipientCache.java
index 6fc3751c3c..06e3e53a50 100644
--- a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/recipients/LiveRecipientCache.java
+++ b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/recipients/LiveRecipientCache.java
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import androidx.lifecycle.MutableLiveData;
 
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.database.DatabaseFactory;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.database.RecipientDatabase;
+import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.database.RecipientDatabase.MissingRecipientError;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.util.LRUCache;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.util.TextSecurePreferences;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.util.concurrent.SignalExecutors;
@@ -44,7 +45,16 @@ public final class LiveRecipientCache {
       final LiveRecipient newLive = new LiveRecipient(context, new MutableLiveData<>(), new Recipient(id));
 
       recipients.put(id, newLive);
-      SignalExecutors.BOUNDED.execute(newLive::resolve);
+
+      MissingRecipientError prettyStackTraceError = new MissingRecipientError(newLive.getId());
+
+      SignalExecutors.BOUNDED.execute(() -> {
+        try {
+          newLive.resolve();
+        } catch (MissingRecipientError e) {
+          throw prettyStackTraceError;
+        }
+      });
 
       live = newLive;
     }