diff --git a/src/models/messagecontentmodel.cpp b/src/models/messagecontentmodel.cpp
index 8d399cb46..53ee573a3 100644
--- a/src/models/messagecontentmodel.cpp
+++ b/src/models/messagecontentmodel.cpp
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ void MessageContentModel::initializeModel()
     });
 
     if (m_event == nullptr) {
-        m_room->getEvent(m_eventId);
+        intiializeEvent(m_room->getEvent(m_eventId));
         if (m_event == nullptr) {
             m_room->downloadEventFromServer(m_eventId);
         }
@@ -189,6 +189,10 @@ void MessageContentModel::intiializeEvent(const QString &eventId)
 
 void MessageContentModel::intiializeEvent(const Quotient::RoomEvent *event)
 {
+    if (event == nullptr) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     m_event = loadEvent<RoomEvent>(event->fullJson());
     // a pending event may not previously have had an event ID so update.
     m_eventId = EventHandler::id(m_event.get());
diff --git a/src/models/threadmodel.cpp b/src/models/threadmodel.cpp
index e5100c2c3..a5aa2e553 100644
--- a/src/models/threadmodel.cpp
+++ b/src/models/threadmodel.cpp
@@ -117,6 +117,9 @@ void ThreadModel::addModels()
         addSourceModel(*it);
     }
     addSourceModel(m_threadChatBarModel);
+
+    beginResetModel();
+    endResetModel();
 }
 
 void ThreadModel::clearModels()