diff --git a/src/common/connection_handlers_events.py b/src/common/connection_handlers_events.py
index b7b8cb9d38c04ba3f2a18baeb01d44493f147cd6..01a79f6c243f3f25df9b32969110e560348d5a67 100644
--- a/src/common/connection_handlers_events.py
+++ b/src/common/connection_handlers_events.py
@@ -1005,7 +1005,8 @@ class MessageReceivedEvent(nec.NetworkIncomingEvent, HelperEvent):
                 self.msgtxt = _('error while sending %(message)s ( %(error)s )'\
                     ) % {'message': self.msgtxt,
                     'error': self.stanza.getErrorMsg()}
-                self.stanza.delChild('html')
+                if self.stanza.getTag('html'):
+                    self.stanza.delChild('html')
             # message from a gc without a resource
             self.mtype = 'groupchat'