diff --git a/src/settings/handlers/AccountSettingsHandler.js b/src/settings/handlers/AccountSettingsHandler.js
index f738bf7971..9c39d98990 100644
--- a/src/settings/handlers/AccountSettingsHandler.js
+++ b/src/settings/handlers/AccountSettingsHandler.js
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ export default class AccountSettingsHandler extends MatrixClientBackedSettingsHa
             if (!content || !content['recent_rooms']) {
                 content = this._getSettings(BREADCRUMBS_LEGACY_EVENT_TYPE);
             }
+            if (!content) content = {}; // If we still don't have content, make some
 
             content['recent_rooms'] = newValue;
             return MatrixClientPeg.get().setAccountData(BREADCRUMBS_EVENT_TYPE, content);
@@ -167,7 +168,7 @@ export default class AccountSettingsHandler extends MatrixClientBackedSettingsHa
             // This seems fishy - try and get the event for the new rooms
             const newType = this._getSettings(BREADCRUMBS_EVENT_TYPE);
             if (newType) val = newType['recent_rooms'];
-            else val = event.getContent()['rooms'];
+            else val = event.getContent()['rooms'] || [];
         } else if (event.getType() === BREADCRUMBS_EVENT_TYPE) {
             val = event.getContent()['recent_rooms'];
         } else {