diff --git a/libtextsecure/message_receiver.js b/libtextsecure/message_receiver.js
index 94b14fc7b..631a92f94 100644
--- a/libtextsecure/message_receiver.js
+++ b/libtextsecure/message_receiver.js
@@ -1250,6 +1250,13 @@ MessageReceiver.prototype.extend({
           return this.removeFromCache(envelope);
         }
 
+        if (!friendRequest && this.isMessageEmpty(message)) {
+          window.log.warn(
+            `Message ${this.getEnvelopeId(envelope)} ignored; it was empty`
+          );
+          return this.removeFromCache(envelope);
+        }
+
         const ev = new Event('message');
         ev.confirm = this.removeFromCache.bind(this, envelope);
         ev.data = {
@@ -1265,6 +1272,27 @@ MessageReceiver.prototype.extend({
       })
     );
   },
+  isMessageEmpty({
+    body,
+    attachments,
+    group,
+    flags,
+    quote,
+    contact,
+    preview,
+    groupInvitation,
+  }) {
+    return (
+      !flags &&
+      _.isEmpty(body) &&
+      _.isEmpty(attachments) &&
+      _.isEmpty(group) &&
+      _.isEmpty(quote) &&
+      _.isEmpty(contact) &&
+      _.isEmpty(preview) &&
+      _.isEmpty(groupInvitation)
+    );
+  },
   handleLegacyMessage(envelope) {
     return this.decrypt(envelope, envelope.legacyMessage).then(plaintext => {
       if (!plaintext) {