diff --git a/abstracto-application/core/core-impl/src/main/java/dev/sheldan/abstracto/core/service/ChannelServiceBean.java b/abstracto-application/core/core-impl/src/main/java/dev/sheldan/abstracto/core/service/ChannelServiceBean.java
index 1d70b2009..b49f28e45 100644
--- a/abstracto-application/core/core-impl/src/main/java/dev/sheldan/abstracto/core/service/ChannelServiceBean.java
+++ b/abstracto-application/core/core-impl/src/main/java/dev/sheldan/abstracto/core/service/ChannelServiceBean.java
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ public class ChannelServiceBean implements ChannelService {
                 throw new IllegalArgumentException("Message to send did not contain anything to send.");
             }
         }
-        if(messageToSend.getAttachedFiles() != null && !messageToSend.getAttachedFiles().isEmpty()) {
+        if(!messageToSend.getAttachedFiles().isEmpty()) {
             List<FileUpload> files = messageToSend
                     .getAttachedFiles()
                     .stream()
diff --git a/abstracto-application/core/core-int/src/main/java/dev/sheldan/abstracto/core/templating/model/MessageToSend.java b/abstracto-application/core/core-int/src/main/java/dev/sheldan/abstracto/core/templating/model/MessageToSend.java
index 8a68db2e7..92b0121df 100644
--- a/abstracto-application/core/core-int/src/main/java/dev/sheldan/abstracto/core/templating/model/MessageToSend.java
+++ b/abstracto-application/core/core-int/src/main/java/dev/sheldan/abstracto/core/templating/model/MessageToSend.java
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@ public class MessageToSend {
     /**
      * The file handle to send attached to the message.
      */
-    private List<AttachedFile> attachedFiles;
+    @Builder.Default
+    private List<AttachedFile> attachedFiles = new ArrayList<>();
     private MessageConfig messageConfig;
     private Long referencedMessageId;
     @Builder.Default
@@ -44,7 +45,7 @@ public class MessageToSend {
     private Boolean ephemeral = false;
 
     public boolean hasFilesToSend() {
-        return attachedFiles != null && !attachedFiles.isEmpty();
+        return !attachedFiles.isEmpty();
     }
 
     @Getter