diff --git a/native/chat/chat-context-provider.react.js b/native/chat/chat-context-provider.react.js
--- a/native/chat/chat-context-provider.react.js
+++ b/native/chat/chat-context-provider.react.js
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 
   const measureMessages = React.useCallback(
     (
-      messages: $ReadOnlyArray<ChatMessageItem>,
+      messages: ?$ReadOnlyArray<ChatMessageItem>,
       threadInfo: ?ThreadInfo,
       onMessagesMeasured: ($ReadOnlyArray<ChatMessageItemWithHeight>) => mixed,
       measurerID: number,
@@ -48,6 +48,10 @@
         return;
       }
 
+      if (!messages) {
+        return;
+      }
+
       const measureCallback = (
         messagesWithHeight: $ReadOnlyArray<ChatMessageItemWithHeight>,
         newMeasuredHeights: $ReadOnlyMap<string, number>,
@@ -88,7 +92,7 @@
     const measurerID = nextMeasurerID.current++;
     return {
       measure: (
-        messages: $ReadOnlyArray<ChatMessageItem>,
+        messages: ?$ReadOnlyArray<ChatMessageItem>,
         threadInfo: ?ThreadInfo,
         onMessagesMeasured: (
           $ReadOnlyArray<ChatMessageItemWithHeight>,
diff --git a/native/chat/chat-context.js b/native/chat/chat-context.js
--- a/native/chat/chat-context.js
+++ b/native/chat/chat-context.js
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 import type { ChatMessageItemWithHeight } from '../types/chat-types';
 
 export type MessagesMeasurer = (
-  $ReadOnlyArray<ChatMessageItem>,
+  ?$ReadOnlyArray<ChatMessageItem>,
   ?ThreadInfo,
   ($ReadOnlyArray<ChatMessageItemWithHeight>) => mixed,
 ) => void;
diff --git a/native/chat/message-list-container.react.js b/native/chat/message-list-container.react.js
--- a/native/chat/message-list-container.react.js
+++ b/native/chat/message-list-container.react.js
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
   +userSearchResults: $ReadOnlyArray<UserListItem>,
   +threadInfo: ThreadInfo,
   +genesisThreadInfo: ?ThreadInfo,
-  +messageListData: $ReadOnlyArray<ChatMessageItem>,
+  +messageListData: ?$ReadOnlyArray<ChatMessageItem>,
   +colors: Colors,
   +styles: typeof unboundStyles,
   // withOverlayContext
@@ -327,10 +327,6 @@
       userInfoInputArray,
       threadInfo,
     });
-    invariant(
-      messageListData,
-      'messageListData must be specified in messageListContainer',
-    );
     const colors = useColors();
     const styles = useStyles(unboundStyles);
     const overlayContext = React.useContext(OverlayContext);