diff --git a/matrix-sdk-android/src/main/java/im/vector/matrix/android/internal/session/room/create/CreateRoomTask.kt b/matrix-sdk-android/src/main/java/im/vector/matrix/android/internal/session/room/create/CreateRoomTask.kt
index ca86765cd9..9af8434b7c 100644
--- a/matrix-sdk-android/src/main/java/im/vector/matrix/android/internal/session/room/create/CreateRoomTask.kt
+++ b/matrix-sdk-android/src/main/java/im/vector/matrix/android/internal/session/room/create/CreateRoomTask.kt
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ internal class DefaultCreateRoomTask @Inject constructor(private val roomAPI: Ro
             apiCall = roomAPI.createRoom(params)
         }
         val roomId = createRoomResponse.roomId!!
-        // Wait for room to come back from the sync (but it can maybe be in the DB is the sync response is received before)
+        // Wait for room to come back from the sync (but it can maybe be in the DB if the sync response is received before)
         val rql = RealmQueryLatch<RoomEntity>(realmConfiguration) { realm ->
             realm.where(RoomEntity::class.java)
                     .equalTo(RoomEntityFields.ROOM_ID, roomId)
diff --git a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/core/error/fatal.kt b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/core/error/fatal.kt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..800e1ea7ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/core/error/fatal.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2019 New Vector Ltd
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package im.vector.riotx.core.error
+
+import im.vector.riotx.BuildConfig
+import timber.log.Timber
+
+/**
+ * throw in debug, only log in production. As this method does not always throw, next statement should be a return
+ */
+fun fatalError(message: String) {
+    if (BuildConfig.DEBUG) {
+        error(message)
+    } else {
+        Timber.e(message)
+    }
+}
diff --git a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/features/navigation/DefaultNavigator.kt b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/features/navigation/DefaultNavigator.kt
index 19f6aece58..08ff11217d 100644
--- a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/features/navigation/DefaultNavigator.kt
+++ b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/features/navigation/DefaultNavigator.kt
@@ -19,8 +19,11 @@ package im.vector.riotx.features.navigation
 import android.app.Activity
 import android.content.Context
 import android.content.Intent
+import androidx.core.app.TaskStackBuilder
 import im.vector.matrix.android.api.session.room.model.roomdirectory.PublicRoom
 import im.vector.riotx.R
+import im.vector.riotx.core.di.ActiveSessionHolder
+import im.vector.riotx.core.error.fatalError
 import im.vector.riotx.core.platform.VectorBaseActivity
 import im.vector.riotx.core.utils.toast
 import im.vector.riotx.features.crypto.keysbackup.settings.KeysBackupManageActivity
@@ -38,12 +41,18 @@ import im.vector.riotx.features.share.SharedData
 import timber.log.Timber
 import javax.inject.Inject
 import javax.inject.Singleton
-import androidx.core.app.TaskStackBuilder
 
 @Singleton
-class DefaultNavigator @Inject constructor() : Navigator {
+class DefaultNavigator @Inject constructor(
+        private val sessionHolder: ActiveSessionHolder
+) : Navigator {
 
     override fun openRoom(context: Context, roomId: String, eventId: String?, buildTask: Boolean) {
+        if (sessionHolder.getSafeActiveSession()?.getRoom(roomId) == null) {
+            fatalError("Trying to open an unknown room $roomId")
+            return
+        }
+
         val args = RoomDetailArgs(roomId, eventId)
         val intent = RoomDetailActivity.newIntent(context, args)
         if (buildTask) {