diff --git a/src/components/views/avatars/MemberPresenceAvatar.js b/src/components/views/avatars/MemberPresenceAvatar.js
index 648b798b67a..49cfee2cffd 100644
--- a/src/components/views/avatars/MemberPresenceAvatar.js
+++ b/src/components/views/avatars/MemberPresenceAvatar.js
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import dispatcher from "../../../dispatcher";
 import * as ContextualMenu from "../../structures/ContextualMenu";
 import SettingsStore from "../../../settings/SettingsStore";
 
+// This is an avatar with presence information and controls on it.
 module.exports = React.createClass({
     displayName: 'MemberPresenceAvatar',
 
@@ -44,8 +45,15 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
     },
 
     getInitialState: function() {
-        const presenceState = this.props.member.user.presence;
-        const presenceMessage = this.props.member.user.presenceStatusMsg;
+        let presenceState = null;
+        let presenceMessage = null;
+
+        // RoomMembers do not necessarily have a user.
+        if (this.props.member.user) {
+            presenceState = this.props.member.user.presence;
+            presenceMessage = this.props.member.user.presenceStatusMsg;
+        }
+
         return {
             status: presenceState,
             message: presenceMessage,
@@ -109,6 +117,8 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
         });
 
         e.stopPropagation();
+
+        // XXX NB the following assumes that user is non-null, which is not valid
         // const presenceState = this.props.member.user.presence;
         // const presenceLastActiveAgo = this.props.member.user.lastActiveAgo;
         // const presenceLastTs = this.props.member.user.lastPresenceTs;
@@ -133,7 +143,8 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
         );
 
         // LABS: Disable presence management functions for now
-        if (!SettingsStore.isFeatureEnabled("feature_presence_management")) {
+        // Also disable the presence information if there's no status information
+        if (!SettingsStore.isFeatureEnabled("feature_presence_management") || !this.state.status) {
             statusNode = null;
             onClickFn = null;
         }