diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/chat_channel.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/chat_channel.ex
index 48a3553bf..ddc1d6f80 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/chat_channel.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/chat_channel.ex
@@ -14,11 +14,14 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.ChatChannel do
   end
 
   def handle_in("new_msg", %{"text" => text}, %{assigns: %{user_name: user_name}} = socket) do
-    author = User.get_cached_by_nickname(user_name)
-    author = Pleroma.Web.MastodonAPI.AccountView.render("account.json", user: author)
-    message = ChatChannelState.add_message(%{text: text, author: author})
+    text = String.trim(text)
+    if String.length(text) > 0 do
+      author = User.get_cached_by_nickname(user_name)
+      author = Pleroma.Web.MastodonAPI.AccountView.render("account.json", user: author)
+      message = ChatChannelState.add_message(%{text: text, author: author})
 
-    broadcast! socket, "new_msg", message
+      broadcast! socket, "new_msg", message
+    end
     {:noreply, socket}
   end
 end