diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index ba05daa7e..13cdfc7e3 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 ### Changes
 
 ### Fixes
+- set a default error if NDN does not provide an error
 
 
 ## 1.86.0
diff --git a/src/chat.rs b/src/chat.rs
index dc47e5849..c4a3efbe2 100644
--- a/src/chat.rs
+++ b/src/chat.rs
@@ -2068,7 +2068,7 @@ async fn create_send_msg_job(context: &Context, msg_id: MsgId) -> Result<Option<
     let rendered_msg = match mimefactory.render(context).await {
         Ok(res) => Ok(res),
         Err(err) => {
-            message::set_msg_failed(context, msg_id, Some(err.to_string())).await;
+            message::set_msg_failed(context, msg_id, &err.to_string()).await;
             Err(err)
         }
     }?;
@@ -2078,7 +2078,7 @@ async fn create_send_msg_job(context: &Context, msg_id: MsgId) -> Result<Option<
         message::set_msg_failed(
             context,
             msg_id,
-            Some("End-to-end-encryption unavailable unexpectedly."),
+            "End-to-end-encryption unavailable unexpectedly.",
         )
         .await;
         bail!(
diff --git a/src/dc_receive_imf.rs b/src/dc_receive_imf.rs
index 9b20fe764..7d9a62310 100644
--- a/src/dc_receive_imf.rs
+++ b/src/dc_receive_imf.rs
@@ -2650,7 +2650,7 @@ mod tests {
             "shenauithz@testrun.org",
             "Mr.un2NYERi1RM.lbQ5F9q-QyJ@tiscali.it",
             include_bytes!("../test-data/message/tiscali_ndn.eml"),
-            None,
+            Some("Non-Delivery-Notification without further details."),
         )
         .await;
     }
diff --git a/src/message.rs b/src/message.rs
index 9e7dbcdb6..92e74ffb3 100644
--- a/src/message.rs
+++ b/src/message.rs
@@ -1424,9 +1424,8 @@ pub async fn exists(context: &Context, msg_id: MsgId) -> Result<bool> {
     }
 }
 
-pub async fn set_msg_failed(context: &Context, msg_id: MsgId, error: Option<impl AsRef<str>>) {
+pub async fn set_msg_failed(context: &Context, msg_id: MsgId, error: &str) {
     if let Ok(mut msg) = Message::load_from_db(context, msg_id).await {
-        let error = error.map(|e| e.as_ref().to_string()).unwrap_or_default();
         if msg.state.can_fail() {
             msg.state = MessageState::OutFailed;
             warn!(context, "{} failed: {}", msg_id, error);
@@ -1541,7 +1540,7 @@ pub async fn handle_mdn(
 pub(crate) async fn handle_ndn(
     context: &Context,
     failed: &FailureReport,
-    error: Option<impl AsRef<str>>,
+    error: &str,
 ) -> Result<()> {
     if failed.rfc724_mid.is_empty() {
         return Ok(());
@@ -1575,7 +1574,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn handle_ndn(
     let mut first = true;
     for msg in msgs.into_iter() {
         let (msg_id, chat_id, chat_type) = msg?;
-        set_msg_failed(context, msg_id, error.as_ref()).await;
+        set_msg_failed(context, msg_id, error).await;
         if first {
             // Add only one info msg for all failed messages
             ndn_maybe_add_info_msg(context, failed, chat_id, chat_type).await?;
@@ -2218,7 +2217,7 @@ mod tests {
         update_msg_state(&alice, alice_msg.id, MessageState::OutMdnRcvd).await?;
         assert_state(&alice, alice_msg.id, MessageState::OutMdnRcvd).await;
 
-        set_msg_failed(&alice, alice_msg.id, Some("badly failed")).await;
+        set_msg_failed(&alice, alice_msg.id, "badly failed").await;
         assert_state(&alice, alice_msg.id, MessageState::OutFailed).await;
 
         // check incoming message states on receiver side
diff --git a/src/mimeparser.rs b/src/mimeparser.rs
index 3fcefa561..5d3c8c2b5 100644
--- a/src/mimeparser.rs
+++ b/src/mimeparser.rs
@@ -1398,11 +1398,11 @@ impl MimeMessage {
         }
 
         if let Some(failure_report) = &self.failure_report {
-            let error = parts
-                .iter()
-                .find(|p| p.typ == Viewtype::Text)
-                .map(|p| p.msg.clone());
-            if let Err(e) = message::handle_ndn(context, failure_report, error).await {
+            let error = parts.iter().find(|p| p.typ == Viewtype::Text).map_or_else(
+                || "Non-Delivery-Notification without further details.".to_string(),
+                |p| p.msg.clone(),
+            );
+            if let Err(e) = message::handle_ndn(context, failure_report, &error).await {
                 warn!(context, "Could not handle ndn: {}", e);
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/smtp.rs b/src/smtp.rs
index 1c1ce9d8b..99fa90a0c 100644
--- a/src/smtp.rs
+++ b/src/smtp.rs
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn smtp_send(
 
     if let SendResult::Failure(err) = &status {
         // We couldn't send the message, so mark it as failed
-        message::set_msg_failed(context, msg_id, Some(err.to_string())).await;
+        message::set_msg_failed(context, msg_id, &err.to_string()).await;
     }
     status
 }
@@ -410,12 +410,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn send_msg_to_smtp(
         )
         .await?;
     if retries > 6 {
-        message::set_msg_failed(
-            context,
-            msg_id,
-            Some("Number of retries exceeded the limit."),
-        )
-        .await;
+        message::set_msg_failed(context, msg_id, "Number of retries exceeded the limit.").await;
         context
             .sql
             .execute("DELETE FROM smtp WHERE id=?", paramsv![rowid])