diff --git a/app/models/status_message.rb b/app/models/status_message.rb
index b8f7e0973..28eab528d 100644
--- a/app/models/status_message.rb
+++ b/app/models/status_message.rb
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ class StatusMessage < Post
   end
 
   def raw_message
-    read_attribute(:text)
+    read_attribute(:text) || ""
   end
 
   def raw_message=(text)
diff --git a/spec/models/status_message_spec.rb b/spec/models/status_message_spec.rb
index dffeff841..dac72238c 100644
--- a/spec/models/status_message_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/status_message_spec.rb
@@ -113,6 +113,9 @@ describe StatusMessage, type: :model do
 
       post.photos << photo
       expect(post).to be_valid
+      expect(post.message.to_s).to be_empty
+      expect(post.raw_message).to eq ""
+      expect(post.nsfw).to be_falsy
       expect(post.errors.full_messages).to eq([])
     end