diff --git a/changelog.d/4769.bugfix b/changelog.d/4769.bugfix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ec4fc96994
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/4769.bugfix
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fixing emoji related crashes on android 8.1.1 and below
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/html/SpanUtils.kt b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/html/SpanUtils.kt
index e668f29a6a..6e2485071a 100644
--- a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/html/SpanUtils.kt
+++ b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/html/SpanUtils.kt
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 
 package im.vector.app.features.html
 
-import android.os.Build
 import android.text.Spanned
 import android.text.style.MetricAffectingSpan
 import android.text.style.StrikethroughSpan
@@ -41,13 +40,11 @@ class SpanUtils @Inject constructor(
         )
     }
 
-    // Workaround for https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/188454876
+    /**
+     * TextFutures do not support StrikethroughSpan, UnderlineSpan or MetricAffectingSpan
+     * Workaround for https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/188454876
+     */
     private fun canUseTextFuture(spanned: Spanned): Boolean {
-        if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT < Build.VERSION_CODES.P) {
-            // On old devices, it works correctly
-            return true
-        }
-
         return spanned
                 .getSpans(0, spanned.length, Any::class.java)
                 .all { it !is StrikethroughSpan && it !is UnderlineSpan && it !is MetricAffectingSpan }