diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/EventTile.tsx b/src/components/views/rooms/EventTile.tsx
index b560209d14..d2c6bf0ab9 100644
--- a/src/components/views/rooms/EventTile.tsx
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/EventTile.tsx
@@ -1182,7 +1182,7 @@ export default class EventTile extends React.Component<IProps, IState> {
                     this.props.alwaysShowTimestamps || this.state.hover,
                 );
 
-                const isOwnEvent = this.props.mxEvent.sender.userId === MatrixClientPeg.get().getUserId();
+                const isOwnEvent = this.props.mxEvent?.sender?.userId === MatrixClientPeg.get().getUserId();
 
                 // tab-index=-1 to allow it to be focusable but do not add tab stop for it, primarily for screen readers
                 return (