diff --git a/changelog.d/1949.bugfix b/changelog.d/1949.bugfix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a49aff7545
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/1949.bugfix
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Make sure the media viewer tries the main url first (if not empty) then the thumbnail url and then not open if both are missing instead of failing with an error dialog
diff --git a/features/messages/impl/src/main/kotlin/io/element/android/features/messages/impl/MessagesFlowNode.kt b/features/messages/impl/src/main/kotlin/io/element/android/features/messages/impl/MessagesFlowNode.kt
index 9f0a91fa52..7343e56529 100644
--- a/features/messages/impl/src/main/kotlin/io/element/android/features/messages/impl/MessagesFlowNode.kt
+++ b/features/messages/impl/src/main/kotlin/io/element/android/features/messages/impl/MessagesFlowNode.kt
@@ -255,17 +255,21 @@ class MessagesFlowNode @AssistedInject constructor(
                 overlay.show(navTarget)
             }
             is TimelineItemStickerContent -> {
-                val navTarget = NavTarget.MediaViewer(
-                    mediaInfo = MediaInfo(
-                        name = event.content.body,
-                        mimeType = event.content.mimeType,
-                        formattedFileSize = event.content.formattedFileSize,
-                        fileExtension = event.content.fileExtension
-                    ),
-                    mediaSource = event.content.mediaSource,
-                    thumbnailSource = event.content.thumbnailSource,
-                )
-                overlay.show(navTarget)
+                /* Sticker may have an empty url and no thumbnail
+                   if encrypted on certain bridges */
+                if (event.content.preferredMediaSource != null) {
+                    val navTarget = NavTarget.MediaViewer(
+                        mediaInfo = MediaInfo(
+                            name = event.content.body,
+                            mimeType = event.content.mimeType,
+                            formattedFileSize = event.content.formattedFileSize,
+                            fileExtension = event.content.fileExtension
+                        ),
+                        mediaSource = event.content.preferredMediaSource,
+                        thumbnailSource = event.content.thumbnailSource,
+                    )
+                    overlay.show(navTarget)
+                }
             }
             is TimelineItemVideoContent -> {
                 val navTarget = NavTarget.MediaViewer(
diff --git a/features/messages/impl/src/main/kotlin/io/element/android/features/messages/impl/timeline/model/event/TimelineItemStickerContent.kt b/features/messages/impl/src/main/kotlin/io/element/android/features/messages/impl/timeline/model/event/TimelineItemStickerContent.kt
index e608ed824a..9c8070ecc9 100644
--- a/features/messages/impl/src/main/kotlin/io/element/android/features/messages/impl/timeline/model/event/TimelineItemStickerContent.kt
+++ b/features/messages/impl/src/main/kotlin/io/element/android/features/messages/impl/timeline/model/event/TimelineItemStickerContent.kt
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 
 package io.element.android.features.messages.impl.timeline.model.event
 
-import io.element.android.libraries.core.mimetype.MimeTypes
 import io.element.android.libraries.matrix.api.media.MediaSource
 
 data class TimelineItemStickerContent(
@@ -33,9 +32,7 @@ data class TimelineItemStickerContent(
 ) : TimelineItemEventContent {
     override val type: String = "TimelineItemStickerContent"
 
-    val preferredMediaSource = if (mimeType == MimeTypes.Gif) {
-        mediaSource
-    } else {
-        thumbnailSource ?: mediaSource
-    }
+    /* Stickers are supposed to be small images so
+       we allow using the mediaSource (unless the url is empty) */
+    val preferredMediaSource = if (mediaSource.url.isEmpty()) thumbnailSource else mediaSource
 }