diff --git a/src/message/__tests__/__snapshots__/messageActions-test.js.snap b/src/message/__tests__/__snapshots__/messageActions-test.js.snap
index 0acfe41242a..9f5243812f7 100644
--- a/src/message/__tests__/__snapshots__/messageActions-test.js.snap
+++ b/src/message/__tests__/__snapshots__/messageActions-test.js.snap
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 // Jest Snapshot v1, https://goo.gl/fbAQLP
 
+exports[`messageActions doNarrow if newNarrow stream is not valid, do nothing 1`] = `Array []`;
+
+exports[`messageActions doNarrow if newNarrow user is deactivated, do nothing 1`] = `Array []`;
+
 exports[`messageActions doNarrow when messages in new narrow, only action to switch narrow is dispatched 1`] = `
 Array [
   Object {
diff --git a/src/message/__tests__/messageActions-test.js b/src/message/__tests__/messageActions-test.js
index 520202e96bd..133a48833f9 100644
--- a/src/message/__tests__/messageActions-test.js
+++ b/src/message/__tests__/messageActions-test.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import mockStore from 'redux-mock-store'; // eslint-disable-line
 
 import { doNarrow } from '../messagesActions';
-import { streamNarrow, homeNarrow } from '../../utils/narrow';
+import { streamNarrow, homeNarrow, privateNarrow } from '../../utils/narrow';
 
 const narrow = streamNarrow('some stream');
 const streamNarrowStr = JSON.stringify(narrow);
@@ -20,6 +20,11 @@ describe('messageActions', () => {
           narrow: homeNarrow,
           messages: {},
         },
+        streams: [
+          {
+            name: 'some stream',
+          },
+        ],
       });
 
       store.dispatch(doNarrow(narrow));
@@ -38,6 +43,11 @@ describe('messageActions', () => {
           narrow: homeNarrow,
           messages: {},
         },
+        streams: [
+          {
+            name: 'some stream',
+          },
+        ],
       });
 
       store.dispatch(doNarrow(narrow));
@@ -53,10 +63,55 @@ describe('messageActions', () => {
             [streamNarrowStr]: [{ id: 1 }],
           },
         },
+        streams: [
+          {
+            name: 'some stream',
+          },
+        ],
+      });
+
+      store.dispatch(doNarrow(narrow));
+      expect(store.getActions()).toMatchSnapshot();
+    });
+
+    test('if newNarrow stream is not valid, do nothing', () => {
+      const store = mockStore({
+        caughtUp: {},
+        chat: {
+          narrow: homeNarrow,
+          messages: {
+            [streamNarrowStr]: [{ id: 1 }],
+          },
+        },
+        streams: [
+          {
+            name: 'some updated stream',
+          },
+        ],
       });
 
       store.dispatch(doNarrow(narrow));
       expect(store.getActions()).toMatchSnapshot();
     });
+
+    test('if newNarrow user is deactivated, do nothing', () => {
+      const store = mockStore({
+        caughtUp: {},
+        chat: {
+          narrow: homeNarrow,
+          messages: {
+            [streamNarrowStr]: [{ id: 1 }],
+          },
+        },
+        users: [
+          {
+            email: 'ab@a.com',
+          },
+        ],
+      });
+
+      store.dispatch(doNarrow(privateNarrow('a@a.com')));
+      expect(store.getActions()).toMatchSnapshot();
+    });
   });
 });
diff --git a/src/message/messagesActions.js b/src/message/messagesActions.js
index 2a8843e1c67..50c00433529 100644
--- a/src/message/messagesActions.js
+++ b/src/message/messagesActions.js
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 /* @flow */
 import type { Action, Narrow, Dispatch, GetState } from '../types';
 import { NULL_CAUGHTUP } from '../nullObjects';
-import { getAuth, getUsers, getAllMessages } from '../selectors';
+import { getAuth, getUsers, getAllMessages, getStreams } from '../selectors';
 import { SWITCH_NARROW } from '../actionConstants';
 import { getMessageIdFromLink, getNarrowFromLink, isUrlInAppLink, getFullUrl } from '../utils/url';
 import openLink from '../utils/openLink';
 import { fetchMessagesAtFirstUnread } from './fetchActions';
+import { validateNarrow } from '../utils/narrow';
+// import showToast from '../utils/showToast';
 
 export const switchNarrow = (narrow: Narrow): Action => ({
   type: SWITCH_NARROW,
@@ -16,6 +18,13 @@ export const doNarrow = (newNarrow: Narrow, anchor: number = Number.MAX_SAFE_INT
   dispatch: Dispatch,
   getState: GetState,
 ) => {
+  const isValidNarrow = validateNarrow(newNarrow, getStreams(getState()), getUsers(getState()));
+
+  if (!isValidNarrow) {
+    // show message to user that narrow is outdated now
+    // showToast('Invalid narrow');
+    return;
+  }
   dispatch(switchNarrow(newNarrow));
 
   const anyMessagesInNewNarrow = JSON.stringify(newNarrow) in getAllMessages(getState());
diff --git a/src/utils/narrow.js b/src/utils/narrow.js
index 6a166196c19..eea7240891a 100644
--- a/src/utils/narrow.js
+++ b/src/utils/narrow.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /* @flow */
-import type { Narrow, Message } from '../types';
+import type { Narrow, Message, Stream, User } from '../types';
 import { normalizeRecipients } from './message';
 
 export const homeNarrow: Narrow = [];
@@ -137,3 +137,14 @@ export const getNarrowFromMessage = (message: Message, email: string) => {
 
   return streamNarrow(message.display_recipient);
 };
+
+export const validateNarrow = (narrow: Narrow, streams: Stream[], users: User[]): boolean => {
+  if (isStreamOrTopicNarrow(narrow)) {
+    // check if stream is not outdated
+    return streams && streams.find(s => s.name === narrow[0].operand) !== undefined;
+  } else if (isPrivateNarrow(narrow)) {
+    // check user account is not deactivited
+    return users && users.find(u => u.email === narrow[0].operand) !== undefined;
+  }
+  return isSpecialNarrow(narrow) || isHomeNarrow(narrow);
+};