diff --git a/lib/shared/dm-ops/create-thread-spec.js b/lib/shared/dm-ops/create-thread-spec.js
index effd2f7e9..ebe70bc33 100644
--- a/lib/shared/dm-ops/create-thread-spec.js
+++ b/lib/shared/dm-ops/create-thread-spec.js
@@ -1,225 +1,225 @@
 // @flow
 
 import uuid from 'uuid';
 
 import type {
   DMOperationSpec,
   ProcessDMOperationUtilities,
 } from './dm-op-spec.js';
 import { specialRoles } from '../../permissions/special-roles.js';
 import {
   getAllThreadPermissions,
   makePermissionsBlob,
   getThickThreadRolePermissionsBlob,
 } from '../../permissions/thread-permissions.js';
 import type {
   CreateThickRawThreadInfoInput,
   DMCreateThreadOperation,
 } from '../../types/dm-ops.js';
 import { messageTypes } from '../../types/message-types-enum.js';
 import { messageTruncationStatus } from '../../types/message-types.js';
 import {
   type ThickRawThreadInfo,
   type RoleInfo,
   minimallyEncodeMemberInfo,
   minimallyEncodeRoleInfo,
   minimallyEncodeThreadCurrentUserInfo,
 } from '../../types/minimally-encoded-thread-permissions-types.js';
 import { joinThreadSubscription } from '../../types/subscription-types.js';
 import type { ThreadPermissionsInfo } from '../../types/thread-permission-types.js';
 import type { ThickThreadType } from '../../types/thread-types-enum.js';
 import type { ThickMemberInfo } from '../../types/thread-types.js';
 import { updateTypes } from '../../types/update-types-enum.js';
 import { generatePendingThreadColor } from '../color-utils.js';
 import { rawMessageInfoFromMessageData } from '../message-utils.js';
 import { createThreadTimestamps } from '../thread-utils.js';
 
 function createRoleAndPermissionForThickThreads(
   threadType: ThickThreadType,
   threadID: string,
   roleID: string,
 ): { +role: RoleInfo, +membershipPermissions: ThreadPermissionsInfo } {
   const rolePermissions = getThickThreadRolePermissionsBlob(threadType);
   const membershipPermissions = getAllThreadPermissions(
     makePermissionsBlob(rolePermissions, null, threadID, threadType),
     threadID,
   );
   const role: RoleInfo = {
     ...minimallyEncodeRoleInfo({
       id: roleID,
       name: 'Members',
       permissions: rolePermissions,
       isDefault: true,
     }),
     specialRole: specialRoles.DEFAULT_ROLE,
   };
   return {
     membershipPermissions,
     role,
   };
 }
 
 type MutableThickRawThreadInfo = { ...ThickRawThreadInfo };
 function createThickRawThreadInfo(
   input: CreateThickRawThreadInfoInput,
   viewerID: string,
 ): MutableThickRawThreadInfo {
   const {
     threadID,
     threadType,
     creationTime,
     parentThreadID,
     allMemberIDsWithSubscriptions,
     roleID,
     unread,
     name,
     avatar,
     description,
     color,
     containingThreadID,
     sourceMessageID,
     repliesCount,
     pinnedCount,
     timestamps,
   } = input;
 
   const memberIDs = allMemberIDsWithSubscriptions.map(({ id }) => id);
   const threadColor = color ?? generatePendingThreadColor(memberIDs);
 
   const { membershipPermissions, role } =
     createRoleAndPermissionForThickThreads(threadType, threadID, roleID);
 
   const newThread: MutableThickRawThreadInfo = {
     thick: true,
     minimallyEncoded: true,
     id: threadID,
     type: threadType,
     color: threadColor,
     creationTime,
     parentThreadID,
     members: allMemberIDsWithSubscriptions.map(
       ({ id: memberID, subscription }) =>
         minimallyEncodeMemberInfo<ThickMemberInfo>({
           id: memberID,
           role: role.id,
           permissions: membershipPermissions,
           isSender: memberID === viewerID,
           subscription,
         }),
     ),
     roles: {
       [role.id]: role,
     },
     currentUser: minimallyEncodeThreadCurrentUserInfo({
       role: role.id,
       permissions: membershipPermissions,
       subscription: joinThreadSubscription,
       unread,
     }),
     repliesCount: repliesCount ?? 0,
     name,
     avatar,
-    description,
+    description: description ?? '',
     containingThreadID,
     timestamps,
   };
   if (sourceMessageID) {
     newThread.sourceMessageID = sourceMessageID;
   }
   if (pinnedCount) {
     newThread.pinnedCount = pinnedCount;
   }
   return newThread;
 }
 
 function createMessageDataWithInfoFromDMOperation(
   dmOperation: DMCreateThreadOperation,
 ) {
   const { threadID, creatorID, time, threadType, memberIDs, newMessageID } =
     dmOperation;
   const allMemberIDs = [creatorID, ...memberIDs];
   const color = generatePendingThreadColor(allMemberIDs);
   const messageData = {
     type: messageTypes.CREATE_THREAD,
     threadID,
     creatorID,
     time,
     initialThreadState: {
       type: threadType,
       color,
       memberIDs: allMemberIDs,
     },
   };
   const rawMessageInfo = rawMessageInfoFromMessageData(
     messageData,
     newMessageID,
   );
   return { messageData, rawMessageInfo };
 }
 
 const createThreadSpec: DMOperationSpec<DMCreateThreadOperation> =
   Object.freeze({
     notificationsCreationData: async (dmOperation: DMCreateThreadOperation) => {
       return {
         messageDatasWithMessageInfos: [
           createMessageDataWithInfoFromDMOperation(dmOperation),
         ],
       };
     },
     processDMOperation: async (
       dmOperation: DMCreateThreadOperation,
       utilities: ProcessDMOperationUtilities,
     ) => {
       const { threadID, creatorID, time, threadType, memberIDs, roleID } =
         dmOperation;
       const { viewerID } = utilities;
       const allMemberIDs = [creatorID, ...memberIDs];
       const allMemberIDsWithSubscriptions = allMemberIDs.map(id => ({
         id,
         subscription: joinThreadSubscription,
       }));
 
       const rawThreadInfo = createThickRawThreadInfo(
         {
           threadID,
           threadType,
           creationTime: time,
           allMemberIDsWithSubscriptions,
           roleID,
           unread: creatorID !== viewerID,
           timestamps: createThreadTimestamps(time, allMemberIDs),
         },
         viewerID,
       );
 
       const { rawMessageInfo } =
         createMessageDataWithInfoFromDMOperation(dmOperation);
       const rawMessageInfos = [rawMessageInfo];
 
       const threadJoinUpdateInfo = {
         type: updateTypes.JOIN_THREAD,
         id: uuid.v4(),
         time,
         threadInfo: rawThreadInfo,
         rawMessageInfos,
         truncationStatus: messageTruncationStatus.EXHAUSTIVE,
         rawEntryInfos: [],
       };
 
       return {
         rawMessageInfos: [], // included in updateInfos below
         updateInfos: [threadJoinUpdateInfo],
         blobOps: [],
       };
     },
     canBeProcessed: async () => {
       return { isProcessingPossible: true };
     },
     supportsAutoRetry: true,
   });
 
 export {
   createThickRawThreadInfo,
   createThreadSpec,
   createRoleAndPermissionForThickThreads,
 };
diff --git a/native/chat/settings/thread-settings-description.react.js b/native/chat/settings/thread-settings-description.react.js
index 63dd9ad21..7a4eee394 100644
--- a/native/chat/settings/thread-settings-description.react.js
+++ b/native/chat/settings/thread-settings-description.react.js
@@ -1,340 +1,340 @@
 // @flow
 
 import invariant from 'invariant';
 import * as React from 'react';
 import {
   ActivityIndicator,
   Text,
   TextInput as BaseTextInput,
   View,
 } from 'react-native';
 
 import {
   changeThreadSettingsActionTypes,
   useChangeThreadSettings,
   type UseChangeThreadSettingsInput,
 } from 'lib/actions/thread-actions.js';
 import { createLoadingStatusSelector } from 'lib/selectors/loading-selectors.js';
 import { useThreadHasPermission } from 'lib/shared/thread-utils.js';
 import type { LoadingStatus } from 'lib/types/loading-types.js';
 import type { ThreadInfo } from 'lib/types/minimally-encoded-thread-permissions-types.js';
 import { threadPermissions } from 'lib/types/thread-permission-types.js';
 import { threadTypeIsThick } from 'lib/types/thread-types-enum.js';
 import { type ChangeThreadSettingsPayload } from 'lib/types/thread-types.js';
 import {
   type DispatchActionPromise,
   useDispatchActionPromise,
 } from 'lib/utils/redux-promise-utils.js';
 
 import SaveSettingButton from './save-setting-button.react.js';
 import {
   ThreadSettingsCategoryFooter,
   ThreadSettingsCategoryHeader,
 } from './thread-settings-category.react.js';
 import Button from '../../components/button.react.js';
 import EditSettingButton from '../../components/edit-setting-button.react.js';
 import SWMansionIcon from '../../components/swmansion-icon.react.js';
 import TextInput from '../../components/text-input.react.js';
 import { useSelector } from '../../redux/redux-utils.js';
 import { type Colors, useColors, useStyles } from '../../themes/colors.js';
 import type {
   ContentSizeChangeEvent,
   LayoutEvent,
 } from '../../types/react-native.js';
 import { unknownErrorAlertDetails } from '../../utils/alert-messages.js';
 import Alert from '../../utils/alert.js';
 
 const unboundStyles = {
   addDescriptionButton: {
     flexDirection: 'row',
     paddingHorizontal: 24,
     paddingVertical: 10,
   },
   addDescriptionText: {
     color: 'panelForegroundTertiaryLabel',
     flex: 1,
     fontSize: 16,
   },
   editIcon: {
     color: 'panelForegroundTertiaryLabel',
     paddingLeft: 10,
     textAlign: 'right',
   },
   outlineCategory: {
     backgroundColor: 'panelForeground',
     borderColor: 'panelForegroundBorder',
     borderRadius: 1,
     borderStyle: 'dashed',
     borderWidth: 1,
     marginLeft: -1,
     marginRight: -1,
   },
   row: {
     backgroundColor: 'panelForeground',
     flexDirection: 'row',
     paddingHorizontal: 24,
     paddingVertical: 4,
   },
   text: {
     color: 'panelForegroundSecondaryLabel',
     flex: 1,
     fontFamily: 'Arial',
     fontSize: 16,
     margin: 0,
     padding: 0,
     borderBottomColor: 'transparent',
   },
 };
 
 type BaseProps = {
   +threadInfo: ThreadInfo,
   +descriptionEditValue: ?string,
   +setDescriptionEditValue: (value: ?string, callback?: () => void) => void,
   +descriptionTextHeight: ?number,
   +setDescriptionTextHeight: (number: number) => void,
   +canChangeSettings: boolean,
 };
 type Props = {
   ...BaseProps,
   // Redux state
   +loadingStatus: LoadingStatus,
   +colors: Colors,
   +styles: $ReadOnly<typeof unboundStyles>,
   // Redux dispatch functions
   +dispatchActionPromise: DispatchActionPromise,
   // async functions that hit server APIs
   +changeThreadSettings: (
     input: UseChangeThreadSettingsInput,
   ) => Promise<ChangeThreadSettingsPayload>,
   +canEditThreadDescription: boolean,
 };
 class ThreadSettingsDescription extends React.PureComponent<Props> {
   textInput: ?React.ElementRef<typeof BaseTextInput>;
 
   render(): React.Node {
     if (
       this.props.descriptionEditValue !== null &&
       this.props.descriptionEditValue !== undefined
     ) {
       const textInputStyle: { height?: number } = {};
       if (
         this.props.descriptionTextHeight !== undefined &&
         this.props.descriptionTextHeight !== null
       ) {
         textInputStyle.height = this.props.descriptionTextHeight;
       }
       return (
         <View>
           <ThreadSettingsCategoryHeader type="full" title="Description" />
           <View style={this.props.styles.row}>
             <TextInput
               style={[this.props.styles.text, textInputStyle]}
               value={this.props.descriptionEditValue}
               onChangeText={this.props.setDescriptionEditValue}
               multiline={true}
               autoFocus={true}
               selectTextOnFocus={true}
               onBlur={this.onSubmit}
               editable={this.props.loadingStatus !== 'loading'}
               onContentSizeChange={this.onTextInputContentSizeChange}
               ref={this.textInputRef}
               selectionColor={`#${this.props.threadInfo.color}`}
             />
             {this.renderButton()}
           </View>
           <ThreadSettingsCategoryFooter type="full" />
         </View>
       );
     }
 
     if (this.props.threadInfo.description) {
       return (
         <View>
           <ThreadSettingsCategoryHeader type="full" title="Description" />
           <View style={this.props.styles.row}>
             <Text style={this.props.styles.text} onLayout={this.onLayoutText}>
               {this.props.threadInfo.description}
             </Text>
             {this.renderButton()}
           </View>
           <ThreadSettingsCategoryFooter type="full" />
         </View>
       );
     }
 
     const { panelIosHighlightUnderlay } = this.props.colors;
     if (this.props.canEditThreadDescription) {
       return (
         <View>
           <ThreadSettingsCategoryHeader type="outline" title="Description" />
           <View style={this.props.styles.outlineCategory}>
             <Button
               onPress={this.onPressEdit}
               style={this.props.styles.addDescriptionButton}
               iosFormat="highlight"
               iosHighlightUnderlayColor={panelIosHighlightUnderlay}
               iosActiveOpacity={0.85}
             >
               <Text style={this.props.styles.addDescriptionText}>
                 Add a description...
               </Text>
               <SWMansionIcon
                 name="edit-1"
                 size={20}
                 style={this.props.styles.editIcon}
               />
             </Button>
           </View>
           <ThreadSettingsCategoryFooter type="outline" />
         </View>
       );
     }
 
     return null;
   }
 
   renderButton(): React.Node {
     if (this.props.loadingStatus === 'loading') {
       return (
         <ActivityIndicator
           size="small"
           color={this.props.colors.panelForegroundSecondaryLabel}
         />
       );
     } else if (
       this.props.descriptionEditValue === null ||
       this.props.descriptionEditValue === undefined
     ) {
       return (
         <EditSettingButton
           onPress={this.onPressEdit}
           canChangeSettings={this.props.canChangeSettings}
         />
       );
     }
     return <SaveSettingButton onPress={this.onSubmit} />;
   }
 
   textInputRef = (textInput: ?React.ElementRef<typeof BaseTextInput>) => {
     this.textInput = textInput;
   };
 
   onLayoutText = (event: LayoutEvent) => {
     this.props.setDescriptionTextHeight(event.nativeEvent.layout.height);
   };
 
   onTextInputContentSizeChange = (event: ContentSizeChangeEvent) => {
     this.props.setDescriptionTextHeight(event.nativeEvent.contentSize.height);
   };
 
   onPressEdit = () => {
-    this.props.setDescriptionEditValue(this.props.threadInfo.description);
+    this.props.setDescriptionEditValue(this.props.threadInfo.description ?? '');
   };
 
   onSubmit = () => {
     invariant(
       this.props.descriptionEditValue !== null &&
         this.props.descriptionEditValue !== undefined,
       'should be set',
     );
     const description = this.props.descriptionEditValue.trim();
 
     if (description === this.props.threadInfo.description) {
       this.props.setDescriptionEditValue(null);
       return;
     }
 
     const editDescriptionPromise = this.editDescription(description);
     const action = changeThreadSettingsActionTypes.started;
     const threadID = this.props.threadInfo.id;
 
     void this.props.dispatchActionPromise(
       changeThreadSettingsActionTypes,
       editDescriptionPromise,
       {
         customKeyName: `${action}:${threadID}:description`,
       },
     );
     void editDescriptionPromise.then(() => {
       this.props.setDescriptionEditValue(null);
     });
   };
 
   async editDescription(
     newDescription: string,
   ): Promise<ChangeThreadSettingsPayload> {
     try {
       const changeThreadSettingsRequest = {
         threadID: this.props.threadInfo.id,
         changes: { description: newDescription },
       };
 
       const changeThreadSettingsInput = threadTypeIsThick(
         this.props.threadInfo.type,
       )
         ? {
             thick: true,
             threadInfo: this.props.threadInfo,
             ...changeThreadSettingsRequest,
           }
         : { thick: false, ...changeThreadSettingsRequest };
 
       return await this.props.changeThreadSettings(changeThreadSettingsInput);
     } catch (e) {
       Alert.alert(
         unknownErrorAlertDetails.title,
         unknownErrorAlertDetails.message,
         [{ text: 'OK', onPress: this.onErrorAcknowledged }],
         { cancelable: false },
       );
       throw e;
     }
   }
 
   onErrorAcknowledged = () => {
     this.props.setDescriptionEditValue(
       this.props.threadInfo.description,
       () => {
         invariant(this.textInput, 'textInput should be set');
         this.textInput.focus();
       },
     );
   };
 }
 
 const ConnectedThreadSettingsDescription: React.ComponentType<BaseProps> =
   React.memo<BaseProps>(function ConnectedThreadSettingsDescription(
     props: BaseProps,
   ) {
     const threadID = props.threadInfo.id;
     const loadingStatus = useSelector(
       createLoadingStatusSelector(
         changeThreadSettingsActionTypes,
         `${changeThreadSettingsActionTypes.started}:${threadID}:description`,
       ),
     );
     const colors = useColors();
     const styles = useStyles(unboundStyles);
 
     const dispatchActionPromise = useDispatchActionPromise();
     const callChangeThreadSettings = useChangeThreadSettings();
 
     const canEditThreadDescription = useThreadHasPermission(
       props.threadInfo,
       threadPermissions.EDIT_THREAD_DESCRIPTION,
     );
 
     return (
       <ThreadSettingsDescription
         {...props}
         loadingStatus={loadingStatus}
         colors={colors}
         styles={styles}
         dispatchActionPromise={dispatchActionPromise}
         changeThreadSettings={callChangeThreadSettings}
         canEditThreadDescription={canEditThreadDescription}
       />
     );
   });
 
 export default ConnectedThreadSettingsDescription;