diff --git a/android/app/src/main/java/com/mattermost/rnbeta/NotificationPreferencesModule.java b/android/app/src/main/java/com/mattermost/rnbeta/NotificationPreferencesModule.java
index 160b9c478..cf4a1010d 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/java/com/mattermost/rnbeta/NotificationPreferencesModule.java
+++ b/android/app/src/main/java/com/mattermost/rnbeta/NotificationPreferencesModule.java
@@ -69,7 +69,9 @@ public class NotificationPreferencesModule extends ReactContextBaseJavaModule {
             }
 
             Uri defaultUri = RingtoneManager.getActualDefaultRingtoneUri(context, RingtoneManager.TYPE_NOTIFICATION);
-            result.putString("defaultUri", Uri.decode(defaultUri.toString()));
+            if (defaultUri != null) {
+                result.putString("defaultUri", Uri.decode(defaultUri.toString()));
+            }
             result.putString("selectedUri", mNotificationPreference.getNotificationSound());
             result.putBoolean("shouldVibrate", mNotificationPreference.getShouldVibrate());
             result.putBoolean("shouldBlink", mNotificationPreference.getShouldBlink());
diff --git a/app/notification_preferences/notification_preferences.android.js b/app/notification_preferences/notification_preferences.android.js
index 50671d158..e5fd35538 100644
--- a/app/notification_preferences/notification_preferences.android.js
+++ b/app/notification_preferences/notification_preferences.android.js
@@ -1,12 +1,36 @@
 // Copyright (c) 2017-present Mattermost, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
 // See License.txt for license information.
 
-import {NativeModules} from 'react-native';
+import {NativeModules, PermissionsAndroid} from 'react-native';
 
 const {NotificationPreferences} = NativeModules;
 
+const defaultPreferences = {
+    sounds: [],
+    shouldBlink: false,
+    shouldVibrate: true
+};
+
 export default {
-    getPreferences: NotificationPreferences.getPreferences,
+    getPreferences: async () => {
+        try {
+            const hasPermission = await PermissionsAndroid.check(PermissionsAndroid.PERMISSIONS.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE);
+            let granted;
+            if (!hasPermission) {
+                granted = await PermissionsAndroid.request(
+                    PermissionsAndroid.PERMISSIONS.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE
+                );
+            }
+
+            if (hasPermission || granted === PermissionsAndroid.RESULTS.GRANTED) {
+                return await NotificationPreferences.getPreferences();
+            }
+
+            return defaultPreferences;
+        } catch (error) {
+            return defaultPreferences;
+        }
+    },
     setNotificationSound: NotificationPreferences.setNotificationSound,
     setShouldVibrate: NotificationPreferences.setShouldVibrate,
     setShouldBlink: NotificationPreferences.setShouldBlink,
diff --git a/app/screens/settings/notification_settings/notification_settings.js b/app/screens/settings/notification_settings/notification_settings.js
index 3eba4d71c..5389a8af3 100644
--- a/app/screens/settings/notification_settings/notification_settings.js
+++ b/app/screens/settings/notification_settings/notification_settings.js
@@ -119,22 +119,24 @@ class NotificationSettings extends PureComponent {
         const {currentUser, intl, navigator, theme} = this.props;
 
         NotificationPreferences.getPreferences().then((notificationPreferences) => {
-            navigator.push({
-                backButtonTitle: '',
-                screen: 'NotificationSettingsMobile',
-                title: intl.formatMessage({id: 'mobile.notification_settings.mobile_title', defaultMessage: 'Mobile Notifications'}),
-                animated: true,
-                navigatorStyle: {
-                    navBarTextColor: theme.sidebarHeaderTextColor,
-                    navBarBackgroundColor: theme.sidebarHeaderBg,
-                    navBarButtonColor: theme.sidebarHeaderTextColor,
-                    screenBackgroundColor: theme.centerChannelBg
-                },
-                passProps: {
-                    currentUser,
-                    onBack: this.saveNotificationProps,
-                    notificationPreferences
-                }
+            requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+                navigator.push({
+                    backButtonTitle: '',
+                    screen: 'NotificationSettingsMobile',
+                    title: intl.formatMessage({id: 'mobile.notification_settings.mobile_title', defaultMessage: 'Mobile Notifications'}),
+                    animated: true,
+                    navigatorStyle: {
+                        navBarTextColor: theme.sidebarHeaderTextColor,
+                        navBarBackgroundColor: theme.sidebarHeaderBg,
+                        navBarButtonColor: theme.sidebarHeaderTextColor,
+                        screenBackgroundColor: theme.centerChannelBg
+                    },
+                    passProps: {
+                        currentUser,
+                        onBack: this.saveNotificationProps,
+                        notificationPreferences
+                    }
+                });
             });
         }).catch((e) => {
             Alert.alert('There was a problem getting the device preferences', e.message);