diff --git a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/providers/PersistentBlobProvider.java b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/providers/PersistentBlobProvider.java
index 4bc5b56c5..358666838 100644
--- a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/providers/PersistentBlobProvider.java
+++ b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/providers/PersistentBlobProvider.java
@@ -201,8 +201,13 @@ public class PersistentBlobProvider {
   }
 
   private static @NonNull File getExternalDir(Context context) throws IOException {
-    final File externalDir = context.getExternalCacheDir();
-    if (externalDir == null) throw new IOException("no external files directory");
+    File externalDir = context.getExternalCacheDir();
+    if (externalDir==null) {
+      externalDir = context.getCacheDir();
+    }
+    if (externalDir == null) {
+      throw new IOException("no external files directory");
+    }
     return externalDir;
   }