diff --git a/src/headless/plugins/chat/model.js b/src/headless/plugins/chat/model.js
index 9a721b3f4..f6354ce39 100644
--- a/src/headless/plugins/chat/model.js
+++ b/src/headless/plugins/chat/model.js
@@ -460,7 +460,7 @@ const ChatBox = ModelWithContact.extend({
                 error_type: undefined,
                 is_archived: attrs.is_archived,
                 is_ephemeral: false,
-                is_error: undefined,
+                is_error: false,
             });
         } else {
             return { is_archived: attrs.is_archived };
diff --git a/src/plugins/omemo/tests/omemo.js b/src/plugins/omemo/tests/omemo.js
index 86e58cda1..6e87317fd 100644
--- a/src/plugins/omemo/tests/omemo.js
+++ b/src/plugins/omemo/tests/omemo.js
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ describe("The OMEMO module", function() {
         const msg = view.model.messages.at(0);
         expect(msg.get('is_ephemeral')).toBe(false)
         expect(msg.getDisplayName()).toBe('Mercutio');
-        expect(msg.get('is_error')).toBe(undefined);
+        expect(msg.get('is_error')).toBe(false);
     }));
 
     it("will create a new device based on a received carbon message",