diff --git a/backend/open_webui/socket/main.py b/backend/open_webui/socket/main.py
index d59ff53277..10959b30f4 100644
--- a/backend/open_webui/socket/main.py
+++ b/backend/open_webui/socket/main.py
@@ -898,8 +898,9 @@ async def _make_channel_emitter(request_info):
 
 
 async def get_event_emitter(request_info, update_db=True):
-    # Channel mode: route pipeline output to channel message updates
-    if request_info.get('chat_id', '').startswith('channel:'):
+    # Channel mode: route pipeline output to channel message updates.
+    # `or ''` (not the .get default) because chat_id may be present as None.
+    if (request_info.get('chat_id') or '').startswith('channel:'):
         return await _make_channel_emitter(request_info)
 
     async def __event_emitter__(event_data):