diff --git a/portal.go b/portal.go
index 26732a0..03075f2 100644
--- a/portal.go
+++ b/portal.go
@@ -79,6 +79,9 @@ func (bridge *Bridge) dbPortalsToPortals(dbPortals []*database.Portal) []*Portal
 	defer bridge.portalsLock.Unlock()
 	output := make([]*Portal, len(dbPortals))
 	for index, dbPortal := range dbPortals {
+		if dbPortal == nil {
+			continue
+		}
 		portal, ok := bridge.portalsByJID[dbPortal.Key]
 		if !ok {
 			portal = bridge.loadDBPortal(dbPortal, nil)
diff --git a/puppet.go b/puppet.go
index bc96eba..641e4de 100644
--- a/puppet.go
+++ b/puppet.go
@@ -107,6 +107,9 @@ func (bridge *Bridge) dbPuppetsToPuppets(dbPuppets []*database.Puppet) []*Puppet
 	defer bridge.puppetsLock.Unlock()
 	output := make([]*Puppet, len(dbPuppets))
 	for index, dbPuppet := range dbPuppets {
+		if dbPuppet == nil {
+			continue
+		}
 		puppet, ok := bridge.puppets[dbPuppet.JID]
 		if !ok {
 			puppet = bridge.NewPuppet(dbPuppet)