diff --git a/react/features/virtual-background/components/UploadImageButton.tsx b/react/features/virtual-background/components/UploadImageButton.tsx
index 917dd55ee6a2..ceffe02873a1 100644
--- a/react/features/virtual-background/components/UploadImageButton.tsx
+++ b/react/features/virtual-background/components/UploadImageButton.tsx
@@ -89,9 +89,14 @@ function UploadImageButton({
 
 
     const uploadImage = useCallback(async e => {
-        const reader = new FileReader();
         const imageFile = e.target.files;
 
+        if (!imageFile) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        const reader = new FileReader();
+
         reader.readAsDataURL(imageFile[0]);
         reader.onload = async () => {
             const url = await resizeImage(reader.result);