diff --git a/lib/hooks/message-hooks.js b/lib/hooks/message-hooks.js
--- a/lib/hooks/message-hooks.js
+++ b/lib/hooks/message-hooks.js
@@ -130,6 +130,11 @@
           };
         }
       }
+
+      if (thread.startReached) {
+        return emptyMessageInfoForPreview;
+      }
+
       const numOlderMessagesToFetch = Math.max(
         defaultNumberPerThread - thread.messageIDs.length,
         0,