diff --git a/zerver/lib/email_mirror.py b/zerver/lib/email_mirror.py
index 8ccd36d6b7..98908c45ba 100644
--- a/zerver/lib/email_mirror.py
+++ b/zerver/lib/email_mirror.py
@@ -90,6 +90,9 @@ def get_missed_message_token_from_address(address):
     # type: (text_type) -> text_type
     msg_string = get_email_gateway_message_string_from_address(address)
 
+    if msg_string is None:
+        raise ZulipEmailForwardError('Address not recognized by gateway.')
+
     if not is_mm_32_format(msg_string):
         raise ZulipEmailForwardError('Could not parse missed message address')
 
diff --git a/zerver/tests/test_email_mirror.py b/zerver/tests/test_email_mirror.py
index b91413fb74..b6f28358c5 100644
--- a/zerver/tests/test_email_mirror.py
+++ b/zerver/tests/test_email_mirror.py
@@ -65,6 +65,14 @@ class TestEmailMirrorLibrary(ZulipTestCase):
         with self.assertRaises(ZulipEmailForwardError):
             get_token(address)
 
+        # Now test the case where we our address does not match the
+        # EMAIL_GATEWAY_PATTERN.
+        # This used to crash in an ugly way; we want to throw a proper
+        # exception.
+        address = 'alice@not-the-domain-we-were-expecting.com'
+        with self.assertRaises(ZulipEmailForwardError):
+            get_token(address)
+
 class TestStreamEmailMessagesSuccess(ZulipTestCase):
     def test_receive_stream_email_messages_success(self):