diff --git a/src/Discord.Net.WebSocket/DiscordSocketClient.cs b/src/Discord.Net.WebSocket/DiscordSocketClient.cs
index 9ef827778..bd4bec4cc 100644
--- a/src/Discord.Net.WebSocket/DiscordSocketClient.cs
+++ b/src/Discord.Net.WebSocket/DiscordSocketClient.cs
@@ -1954,7 +1954,7 @@ namespace Discord.WebSocket
                                         }
                                     }
 
-                                    var before = user.Presence.Clone();
+                                    var before = user.Presence?.Clone();
                                     user.Update(State, data.User);
                                     user.Update(data);
                                     await TimedInvokeAsync(_presenceUpdated, nameof(PresenceUpdated), user, before, user.Presence).ConfigureAwait(false);
diff --git a/src/Discord.Net.WebSocket/Entities/Users/SocketUser.cs b/src/Discord.Net.WebSocket/Entities/Users/SocketUser.cs
index 627cb6eb7..3a920c926 100644
--- a/src/Discord.Net.WebSocket/Entities/Users/SocketUser.cs
+++ b/src/Discord.Net.WebSocket/Entities/Users/SocketUser.cs
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ namespace Discord.WebSocket
         internal SocketUser(DiscordSocketClient discord, ulong id)
             : base(discord, id)
         {
+            Presence = new SocketPresence();
         }
         internal virtual bool Update(ClientState state, Model model)
         {