diff --git a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/notification/people/PeopleNotificationIdentifier.kt b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/notification/people/PeopleNotificationIdentifier.kt
index 597bdb9f2e745..be3873a5fd772 100644
--- a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/notification/people/PeopleNotificationIdentifier.kt
+++ b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/notification/people/PeopleNotificationIdentifier.kt
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ class PeopleNotificationIdentifierImpl @Inject constructor(
 
     private val Ranking.personTypeInfo
         get() = when {
-            channel.isImportantConversation -> TYPE_IMPORTANT_PERSON
+            channel?.isImportantConversation == true -> TYPE_IMPORTANT_PERSON
             isConversation -> TYPE_PERSON
             else -> TYPE_NON_PERSON
         }