diff --git a/node/impl/full/state.go b/node/impl/full/state.go
index de1b77b4fc4..59fdd8e2e4c 100644
--- a/node/impl/full/state.go
+++ b/node/impl/full/state.go
@@ -808,8 +808,31 @@ func (a *StateAPI) StateListMessages(ctx context.Context, match *api.MessageMatc
 
 	if match.To == address.Undef && match.From == address.Undef {
 		return nil, xerrors.Errorf("must specify at least To or From in message filter")
+	} else if match.To != address.Undef {
+		_, err := a.StateLookupID(ctx, match.To, tsk)
+
+		// if the recipient doesn't exist at the start point, we're not gonna find any matches
+		if xerrors.Is(err, types.ErrActorNotFound) {
+			return nil, nil
+		}
+
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, xerrors.Errorf("looking up match.To: %w", err)
+		}
+	} else if match.From != address.Undef {
+		_, err := a.StateLookupID(ctx, match.From, tsk)
+
+		// if the sender doesn't exist at the start point, we're not gonna find any matches
+		if xerrors.Is(err, types.ErrActorNotFound) {
+			return nil, nil
+		}
+
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, xerrors.Errorf("looking up match.From: %w", err)
+		}
 	}
 
+	// TODO: This should probably match on both ID and robust address, no?
 	matchFunc := func(msg *types.Message) bool {
 		if match.From != address.Undef && match.From != msg.From {
 			return false