diff --git a/lib/utils/message-ops-utils.js b/lib/utils/message-ops-utils.js
--- a/lib/utils/message-ops-utils.js
+++ b/lib/utils/message-ops-utils.js
@@ -107,7 +107,10 @@
       translateClientDBMediaInfoToImage,
     );
   }
-  if (!clientDBMessageInfo.media_infos) {
+  if (
+    !clientDBMessageInfo.media_infos ||
+    clientDBMessageInfo.media_infos.length === 0
+  ) {
     return [];
   }
   const mediaInfos: $ReadOnlyArray<ClientDBMediaInfo> =
@@ -319,7 +322,7 @@
   const { media_infos } = clientDBMessageInfo;
 
   let pinnedContent;
-  if (!media_infos) {
+  if (!media_infos || media_infos.length === 0) {
     pinnedContent = 'a message';
   } else {
     const media = translateClientDBMediaInfosToMedia(clientDBMessageInfo);