diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/settings/conversation/sounds/custom/CustomNotificationsSettingsRepository.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/settings/conversation/sounds/custom/CustomNotificationsSettingsRepository.kt
index 93d6f620146..6d987737d80 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/settings/conversation/sounds/custom/CustomNotificationsSettingsRepository.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/settings/conversation/sounds/custom/CustomNotificationsSettingsRepository.kt
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@ class CustomNotificationsSettingsRepository(context: Context) {
         val recipient = Recipient.resolved(recipientId)
         val database = SignalDatabase.recipients
         if (recipient.notificationChannel != null) {
-          database.setMessageRingtone(recipient.id, NotificationChannels.getMessageRingtone(context, recipient))
+          val ringtoneUri: Uri? = NotificationChannels.getMessageRingtone(context, recipient)
+          database.setMessageRingtone(recipient.id, if (ringtoneUri == Uri.EMPTY) null else ringtoneUri)
           database.setMessageVibrate(recipient.id, RecipientDatabase.VibrateState.fromBoolean(NotificationChannels.getMessageVibrate(context, recipient)))
         }
       }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/notifications/NotificationChannels.java b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/notifications/NotificationChannels.java
index 053f904a29f..c4125c3870a 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/notifications/NotificationChannels.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/notifications/NotificationChannels.java
@@ -296,7 +296,8 @@ public static synchronized void updateMessagesLedColor(@NonNull Context context,
       return null;
     }
 
-    return channel.getSound();
+    Uri channelSound = channel.getSound();
+    return channelSound != null ? channelSound : Uri.EMPTY;
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/notifications/v2/NotificationFactory.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/notifications/v2/NotificationFactory.kt
index a77f884d4d1..4fcd0d33651 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/notifications/v2/NotificationFactory.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/notifications/v2/NotificationFactory.kt
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ object NotificationFactory {
       recipient.messageRingtone ?: SignalStore.settings().messageNotificationSound
     }
 
-    if (uri.toString().isEmpty()) {
+    if (uri == Uri.EMPTY || uri.toString().isEmpty()) {
       Log.d(TAG, "ringtone uri is empty")
       return
     }