diff --git a/src/xmpp/message.c b/src/xmpp/message.c
index bb7b6d18..5ccabdf4 100644
--- a/src/xmpp/message.c
+++ b/src/xmpp/message.c
@@ -681,52 +681,69 @@ _handle_carbons(xmpp_stanza_t *const stanza)
     }
 
     const char *name = xmpp_stanza_get_name(carbons);
-    if ((g_strcmp0(name, "received") == 0) || (g_strcmp0(name, "sent")) == 0) {
-        xmpp_stanza_t *forwarded = xmpp_stanza_get_child_by_ns(carbons, STANZA_NS_FORWARD);
-        xmpp_stanza_t *message = xmpp_stanza_get_child_by_name(forwarded, STANZA_NAME_MESSAGE);
-
-        xmpp_ctx_t *ctx = connection_get_ctx();
-
-        const gchar *to = xmpp_stanza_get_to(message);
-        const gchar *from = xmpp_stanza_get_from(message);
-
-        // happens when receive a carbon of a self sent message
-        if (!to) to = from;
-
-        Jid *jid_from = jid_create(from);
-        Jid *jid_to = jid_create(to);
-        Jid *my_jid = jid_create(connection_get_fulljid());
-
-        // check for and deal with message
-        char *message_txt = xmpp_message_get_body(message);
-        if (message_txt) {
-            // check for pgp encrypted message
-            char *enc_message = NULL;
-            xmpp_stanza_t *x = xmpp_stanza_get_child_by_ns(message, STANZA_NS_ENCRYPTED);
-            if (x) {
-                enc_message = xmpp_stanza_get_text(x);
-            }
-
-            // if we are the recipient, treat as standard incoming message
-            if(g_strcmp0(my_jid->barejid, jid_to->barejid) == 0){
-                sv_ev_incoming_carbon(jid_from->barejid, jid_from->resourcepart, message_txt, enc_message);
-
-            // else treat as a sent message
-            } else {
-                sv_ev_outgoing_carbon(jid_to->barejid, message_txt, enc_message);
-            }
-            xmpp_free(ctx, message_txt);
-            xmpp_free(ctx, enc_message);
-        }
-
-        jid_destroy(jid_from);
-        jid_destroy(jid_to);
-        jid_destroy(my_jid);
-
+    if (!name) {
+        log_error("Unable to retrieve stanza name for Carbon");
         return TRUE;
     }
 
-    return FALSE;
+    if ((g_strcmp0(name, "received") != 0) && (g_strcmp0(name, "sent") != 0)) {
+        log_warning("Carbon received with unrecognised stanza name: %s", name);
+        return TRUE;
+    }
+
+    xmpp_stanza_t *forwarded = xmpp_stanza_get_child_by_ns(carbons, STANZA_NS_FORWARD);
+    if (!forwarded) {
+        log_warning("Carbon received with no forwarded element");
+        return TRUE;
+    }
+
+    xmpp_stanza_t *message = xmpp_stanza_get_child_by_name(forwarded, STANZA_NAME_MESSAGE);
+    if (!message) {
+        log_warning("Carbon received with no message element");
+        return TRUE;
+    }
+
+    char *message_txt = xmpp_message_get_body(message);
+    if (!message_txt) {
+        log_warning("Carbon received with no message.");
+        return TRUE;
+    }
+
+    const gchar *to = xmpp_stanza_get_to(message);
+    const gchar *from = xmpp_stanza_get_from(message);
+
+    // happens when receive a carbon of a self sent message
+    if (!to) to = from;
+
+    Jid *jid_from = jid_create(from);
+    Jid *jid_to = jid_create(to);
+    Jid *my_jid = jid_create(connection_get_fulljid());
+
+    // check for pgp encrypted message
+    char *enc_message = NULL;
+    xmpp_stanza_t *x = xmpp_stanza_get_child_by_ns(message, STANZA_NS_ENCRYPTED);
+    if (x) {
+        enc_message = xmpp_stanza_get_text(x);
+    }
+
+    // if we are the recipient, treat as standard incoming message
+    if (g_strcmp0(my_jid->barejid, jid_to->barejid) == 0) {
+        sv_ev_incoming_carbon(jid_from->barejid, jid_from->resourcepart, message_txt, enc_message);
+
+    // else treat as a sent message
+    } else {
+        sv_ev_outgoing_carbon(jid_to->barejid, message_txt, enc_message);
+    }
+
+    xmpp_ctx_t *ctx = connection_get_ctx();
+    xmpp_free(ctx, message_txt);
+    xmpp_free(ctx, enc_message);
+
+    jid_destroy(jid_from);
+    jid_destroy(jid_to);
+    jid_destroy(my_jid);
+
+    return TRUE;
 }
 
 static void