diff --git a/src/components/views/right_panel/EncryptionPanel.tsx b/src/components/views/right_panel/EncryptionPanel.tsx
index d0d6c7bf5b9..8e23668e087 100644
--- a/src/components/views/right_panel/EncryptionPanel.tsx
+++ b/src/components/views/right_panel/EncryptionPanel.tsx
@@ -111,8 +111,21 @@ const EncryptionPanel: React.FC<IProps> = (props: IProps) => {
     const onStartVerification = useCallback(async () => {
         setRequesting(true);
         const cli = MatrixClientPeg.get();
-        const roomId = await ensureDMExists(cli, member.userId);
-        const verificationRequest_ = await cli.requestVerificationDM(member.userId, roomId);
+        let verificationRequest_: VerificationRequest;
+        try {
+            const roomId = await ensureDMExists(cli, member.userId);
+            verificationRequest_ = await cli.requestVerificationDM(member.userId, roomId);
+        } catch (e) {
+            console.error("Error starting verification", e);
+            setRequesting(false);
+
+            Modal.createDialog(ErrorDialog, {
+                headerImage: require("../../../../res/img/e2e/warning.svg").default,
+                title: _t("Error starting verification"),
+                description: _t("We were unable to start a chat with the other user."),
+            });
+            return;
+        }
         setRequest(verificationRequest_);
         setPhase(verificationRequest_.phase);
         // Notify the RightPanelStore about this
diff --git a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
index c93e1a96260..4ee870bd72d 100644
--- a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
+++ b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
@@ -2152,6 +2152,8 @@
     "The homeserver the user you're verifying is connected to": "The homeserver the user you're verifying is connected to",
     "Yours, or the other users' internet connection": "Yours, or the other users' internet connection",
     "Yours, or the other users' session": "Yours, or the other users' session",
+    "Error starting verification": "Error starting verification",
+    "We were unable to start a chat with the other user.": "We were unable to start a chat with the other user.",
     "Nothing pinned, yet": "Nothing pinned, yet",
     "If you have permissions, open the menu on any message and select <b>Pin</b> to stick them here.": "If you have permissions, open the menu on any message and select <b>Pin</b> to stick them here.",
     "Pinned messages": "Pinned messages",