diff --git a/zerver/lib/actions.py b/zerver/lib/actions.py
index b78e62f6aa..e2b50c0ee1 100644
--- a/zerver/lib/actions.py
+++ b/zerver/lib/actions.py
@@ -1546,12 +1546,6 @@ def check_message(sender, client, addressee,
 
     if addressee.is_stream():
         stream_name = addressee.stream_name()
-        if stream_name is None:
-            if sender.default_sending_stream:
-                # Use the users default stream
-                stream_name = sender.default_sending_stream.name
-            else:
-                raise JsonableError(_('Missing stream'))
 
         stream_name = stream_name.strip()
         check_stream_name(stream_name)
diff --git a/zerver/lib/addressee.py b/zerver/lib/addressee.py
index 9a9b3da521..5da1dcad41 100644
--- a/zerver/lib/addressee.py
+++ b/zerver/lib/addressee.py
@@ -97,7 +97,11 @@ class Addressee(object):
                 # This is a hack to deal with the fact that we still support
                 # default streams (and the None will be converted later in the
                 # callpath).
-                stream_name = None
+                if sender.default_sending_stream:
+                    # Use the users default stream
+                    stream_name = sender.default_sending_stream.name
+                else:
+                    raise JsonableError(_('Missing stream'))
 
             return Addressee.for_stream(stream_name, topic_name)
         elif message_type_name == 'private':