diff --git a/src/lib/components/chat/MessageInput.svelte b/src/lib/components/chat/MessageInput.svelte
index e89a51bcea..58a488f709 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/chat/MessageInput.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/chat/MessageInput.svelte
@@ -362,8 +362,8 @@
 			text = await textVariableHandler(text || '');
 
 			if ($settings?.richTextInput ?? true) {
-				chatInputElement.setText(text);
-				chatInputElement.focus();
+				chatInputElement?.setText(text);
+				chatInputElement?.focus();
 			} else {
 				chatInput.value = text;
 				prompt = text;