diff --git a/packages/stream_chat_flutter/lib/src/message_list_view.dart b/packages/stream_chat_flutter/lib/src/message_list_view.dart
index d53cc716..bc903a1c 100644
--- a/packages/stream_chat_flutter/lib/src/message_list_view.dart
+++ b/packages/stream_chat_flutter/lib/src/message_list_view.dart
@@ -969,7 +969,7 @@ class _MessageListViewState extends State<MessageListView> {
     }
 
     final userId = StreamChat.of(context).currentUser!.id;
-    final isMyMessage = message.user!.id == userId;
+    final isMyMessage = message.user?.id == userId;
     final nextMessage = index - 1 >= 0 ? messages[index - 1] : null;
     final isNextUserSame =
         nextMessage != null && message.user!.id == nextMessage.user!.id;
diff --git a/packages/stream_chat_flutter/lib/src/message_widget.dart b/packages/stream_chat_flutter/lib/src/message_widget.dart
index 45ea8122..5ba78a26 100644
--- a/packages/stream_chat_flutter/lib/src/message_widget.dart
+++ b/packages/stream_chat_flutter/lib/src/message_widget.dart
@@ -987,7 +987,7 @@ class _MessageWidgetState extends State<MessageWidget>
       return widget.usernameBuilder!(context, widget.message);
     }
     return Text(
-      widget.message.user!.name,
+      widget.message.user?.name ?? '',
       maxLines: 1,
       key: usernameKey,
       style: widget.messageTheme.messageAuthorStyle,
diff --git a/packages/stream_chat_flutter/test/src/message_list_view_test.dart b/packages/stream_chat_flutter/test/src/message_list_view_test.dart
index 1148d6ca..ae3910c1 100644
--- a/packages/stream_chat_flutter/test/src/message_list_view_test.dart
+++ b/packages/stream_chat_flutter/test/src/message_list_view_test.dart
@@ -12,21 +12,38 @@ import 'mocks.dart';
 void main() {
   late StreamChatClient client;
   late Channel channel;
+  late ChannelClientState channelClientState;
+  late ClientState clientState;
 
   setUp(() {
     client = MockClient();
+    clientState = MockClientState();
+    when(() => client.state).thenAnswer((_) => clientState);
+    when(() => clientState.currentUser).thenReturn(OwnUser(id: 'testid'));
+    when(() => clientState.currentUserStream)
+        .thenAnswer((_) => Stream.value(OwnUser(id: 'testid')));
     channel = MockChannel();
     when(() => channel.on(any(), any(), any(), any()))
         .thenAnswer((_) => const Stream.empty());
-    final channelClientState = MockChannelState();
+    channelClientState = MockChannelState();
     when(() => channel.state).thenReturn(channelClientState);
     when(() => channelClientState.threadsStream)
         .thenAnswer((_) => const Stream.empty());
     when(() => channelClientState.messagesStream)
         .thenAnswer((_) => const Stream.empty());
-    when(() => channelClientState.messages)
-        .thenReturn([Message(text: 'Hello World!')]);
+    when(() => channelClientState.messages).thenReturn([]);
+    when(() => channelClientState.isUpToDateStream)
+        .thenAnswer((_) => Stream.value(true));
     when(() => channelClientState.isUpToDate).thenReturn(true);
+    when(() => channelClientState.unreadCountStream)
+        .thenAnswer((_) => Stream.value(0));
+    when(() => channelClientState.unreadCount).thenReturn(0);
+    when(() => channelClientState.readStream)
+        .thenAnswer((_) => const Stream.empty());
+    when(() => channelClientState.read).thenReturn([]);
+    when(() => channelClientState.membersStream)
+        .thenAnswer((_) => const Stream.empty());
+    when(() => channelClientState.members).thenReturn([]);
   });
 
   // https://github.com/GetStream/stream-chat-flutter/issues/674
@@ -54,6 +71,11 @@ void main() {
 
   testWidgets('renders empty message list view with custom background',
       (tester) async {
+    when(() => channelClientState.messagesStream)
+        .thenAnswer((_) => Stream.value([Message(text: 'Hello world!')]));
+    when(() => channelClientState.messages)
+        .thenReturn([Message(text: 'Hello world!')]);
+
     const emptyWidgetKey = Key('empty_widget');
 
     await tester.pumpWidget(
@@ -63,12 +85,14 @@ void main() {
           child: StreamChat(
             client: client,
             streamChatThemeData: StreamChatThemeData.light().copyWith(
-                messageListViewTheme: const MessageListViewThemeData(
-                    backgroundColor: Colors.grey,
-                    backgroundImage: DecorationImage(
-                      image: AssetImage('assets/background.png'),
-                      fit: BoxFit.cover,
-                    ))),
+              messageListViewTheme: const MessageListViewThemeData(
+                backgroundColor: Colors.grey,
+                backgroundImage: DecorationImage(
+                  image: AssetImage('assets/background.png'),
+                  fit: BoxFit.cover,
+                ),
+              ),
+            ),
             child: StreamChannel(
               channel: channel,
               child: MessageListView(
@@ -82,7 +106,7 @@ void main() {
     await tester.pumpAndSettle();
 
     expect(find.byType(MessageListView), findsOneWidget);
-    expect(find.byKey(emptyWidgetKey), findsOneWidget);
+    expect(find.byKey(emptyWidgetKey), findsNothing);
     expect(find.byType(DecorationImage, skipOffstage: false), findsOneWidget);
   });
 }
diff --git a/packages/stream_chat_flutter/test/src/mocks.dart b/packages/stream_chat_flutter/test/src/mocks.dart
index 28e00e4b..443f770c 100644
--- a/packages/stream_chat_flutter/test/src/mocks.dart
+++ b/packages/stream_chat_flutter/test/src/mocks.dart
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import 'package:stream_chat_flutter_core/stream_chat_flutter_core.dart';
 class MockClient extends Mock implements StreamChatClient {
   MockClient() {
     when(() => wsConnectionStatus).thenReturn(ConnectionStatus.connected);
+    when(() => wsConnectionStatusStream)
+        .thenAnswer((_) => Stream.value(ConnectionStatus.connected));
   }
 }