diff --git a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/EmojiCompatHelper.kt b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/EmojiCompatHelper.kt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9e4a6087
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/EmojiCompatHelper.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2019 New Vector Ltd
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ * http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package im.vector.riotx
+
+import android.content.Context
+import androidx.core.provider.FontRequest
+import androidx.emoji.text.EmojiCompat
+import androidx.emoji.text.FontRequestEmojiCompatConfig
+import timber.log.Timber
+
+object EmojiCompatHelper {
+
+    var initialized = false
+
+    fun init(context: Context) {
+        val fontRequest = FontRequest(
+                "com.google.android.gms.fonts",
+                "com.google.android.gms",
+                "Noto Color Emoji Compat",
+                R.array.com_google_android_gms_fonts_certs
+        )
+        //Use emoji compat for the benefit of emoji spans
+        val config = FontRequestEmojiCompatConfig(context, fontRequest)
+                // we want to replace all emojis with selected font
+                .setReplaceAll(true)
+        //Debug options
+//                .setEmojiSpanIndicatorEnabled(true)
+//                .setEmojiSpanIndicatorColor(Color.GREEN)
+        EmojiCompat.init(config)
+                .registerInitCallback(object : EmojiCompat.InitCallback() {
+                    override fun onInitialized() {
+                        Timber.v("Emoji compat onInitialized success ")
+                        initialized = true
+                    }
+
+                    override fun onFailed(throwable: Throwable?) {
+                        Timber.e(throwable, "Failed to init EmojiCompat")
+                    }
+                })
+    }
+
+    fun safeEmojiSpanify(sequence: CharSequence): CharSequence {
+        if (initialized) {
+            try {
+                return EmojiCompat.get().process(sequence)
+            } catch (throwable: Throwable) {
+                //Defensive coding against error (should not happend as it is initialized)
+                Timber.e(throwable, "Failed to init EmojiCompat")
+                return sequence
+            }
+        } else {
+            return sequence
+        }
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/VectorApplication.kt b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/VectorApplication.kt
index 4e09d790..36b4d589 100644
--- a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/VectorApplication.kt
+++ b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/VectorApplication.kt
@@ -109,21 +109,7 @@ class VectorApplication : Application(), HasVectorInjector, MatrixConfiguration.
         FontsContractCompat.requestFont(this, fontRequest, emojiCompatFontProvider, getFontThreadHandler())
         vectorConfiguration.initConfiguration()
 
-        //Use emoji compat for the benefit of emoji spans
-        val config = FontRequestEmojiCompatConfig(this, fontRequest)
-                .setReplaceAll(true) // we want to replace all emojis with selected font
-//                .setEmojiSpanIndicatorEnabled(true)
-//                .setEmojiSpanIndicatorColor(Color.GREEN)
-        EmojiCompat.init(config)
-                .registerInitCallback(object : EmojiCompat.InitCallback() {
-            override fun onInitialized() {
-                Timber.v("Emoji compat onInitialized success ")
-            }
-
-            override fun onFailed(throwable: Throwable?) {
-                Timber.e(throwable,"Failed to init EmojiCompat")
-            }
-        })
+        EmojiCompatHelper.init(this)
 
         NotificationUtils.createNotificationChannels(applicationContext)
         if (authenticator.hasAuthenticatedSessions() && !activeSessionHolder.hasActiveSession()) {
diff --git a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/features/home/room/detail/timeline/action/ViewReactionsEpoxyController.kt b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/features/home/room/detail/timeline/action/ViewReactionsEpoxyController.kt
index 33e1d4df..3c2ff93e 100644
--- a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/features/home/room/detail/timeline/action/ViewReactionsEpoxyController.kt
+++ b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/features/home/room/detail/timeline/action/ViewReactionsEpoxyController.kt
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import com.airbnb.epoxy.TypedEpoxyController
 import com.airbnb.mvrx.Fail
 import com.airbnb.mvrx.Incomplete
 import com.airbnb.mvrx.Success
+import im.vector.riotx.EmojiCompatHelper
 import im.vector.riotx.R
 import im.vector.riotx.core.ui.list.genericFooterItem
 import im.vector.riotx.core.ui.list.genericLoaderItem
@@ -52,7 +53,7 @@ class ViewReactionsEpoxyController(private val context: Context)
                     reactionInfoSimpleItem {
                         id(it.eventId)
                         timeStamp(it.timestamp)
-                        reactionKey(EmojiCompat.get().process(it.reactionKey))
+                        reactionKey(EmojiCompatHelper.safeEmojiSpanify(it.reactionKey))
                         authorDisplayName(it.authorName ?: it.authorId)
                     }
                 }
diff --git a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/features/reactions/widget/ReactionButton.kt b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/features/reactions/widget/ReactionButton.kt
index 0644e962..c9bfa2df 100644
--- a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/features/reactions/widget/ReactionButton.kt
+++ b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/features/reactions/widget/ReactionButton.kt
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ import android.animation.AnimatorSet
 import android.animation.ObjectAnimator
 import android.content.Context
 import android.content.res.TypedArray
-import android.graphics.Typeface
 import android.graphics.drawable.Drawable
 import android.util.AttributeSet
 import android.view.LayoutInflater
@@ -35,7 +34,7 @@ import android.widget.TextView
 import androidx.annotation.ColorInt
 import androidx.annotation.ColorRes
 import androidx.core.content.ContextCompat
-import androidx.emoji.text.EmojiCompat
+import im.vector.riotx.EmojiCompatHelper
 import im.vector.riotx.R
 import im.vector.riotx.core.utils.TextUtils
 
@@ -78,7 +77,7 @@ class ReactionButton @JvmOverloads constructor(context: Context, attrs: Attribut
         set(value) {
             field = value
             //maybe cache this for performances?
-            val emojiSpanned = EmojiCompat.get().process(value)
+            val emojiSpanned = EmojiCompatHelper.safeEmojiSpanify(value)
             emojiView?.text = emojiSpanned
         }