diff --git a/plugins/chat/app/services/chat/list_channel_messages.rb b/plugins/chat/app/services/chat/list_channel_messages.rb
index 7fd4f2093f5..e5faca0095e 100644
--- a/plugins/chat/app/services/chat/list_channel_messages.rb
+++ b/plugins/chat/app/services/chat/list_channel_messages.rb
@@ -84,11 +84,18 @@ module Chat
 
     def target_message_exists(channel:, guardian:, **)
       return true if context.target_message_id.blank?
+
       target_message =
         Chat::Message.with_deleted.find_by(id: context.target_message_id, chat_channel: channel)
       return false if target_message.blank?
+
       return true if !target_message.trashed?
-      target_message.user_id == guardian.user.id || guardian.is_staff?
+      if target_message.trashed? && target_message.user_id == guardian.user.id || guardian.is_staff?
+        return true
+      end
+
+      context.target_message_id = nil
+      true
     end
 
     def fetch_messages(channel:, contract:, guardian:, enabled_threads:, **)
diff --git a/plugins/chat/spec/services/chat/list_channel_messages_spec.rb b/plugins/chat/spec/services/chat/list_channel_messages_spec.rb
index e8dbb97dfcf..794519c502f 100644
--- a/plugins/chat/spec/services/chat/list_channel_messages_spec.rb
+++ b/plugins/chat/spec/services/chat/list_channel_messages_spec.rb
@@ -109,7 +109,9 @@ RSpec.describe Chat::ListChannelMessages do
       before { target_message.trash! }
 
       context "when user is regular" do
-        it { is_expected.to fail_a_policy(:target_message_exists) }
+        it "nullifies target_message_id" do
+          expect(result.target_message_id).to be_blank
+        end
       end
 
       context "when user is the message creator" do