diff --git a/src/db.test.ts b/src/db.test.ts
index 32cde1e..1389c27 100644
--- a/src/db.test.ts
+++ b/src/db.test.ts
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ describe('storeMessage', () => {
     expect(messages[0].content).toBe('hello world');
   });
 
-  it('stores empty content', () => {
+  it('filters out empty content', () => {
     storeChatMetadata('group@g.us', '2024-01-01T00:00:00.000Z');
 
     store({
@@ -74,8 +74,7 @@ describe('storeMessage', () => {
     });
 
     const messages = getMessagesSince('group@g.us', '2024-01-01T00:00:00.000Z', 'Andy');
-    expect(messages).toHaveLength(1);
-    expect(messages[0].content).toBe('');
+    expect(messages).toHaveLength(0);
   });
 
   it('stores is_from_me flag', () => {
diff --git a/src/db.ts b/src/db.ts
index f140fec..92e2d14 100644
--- a/src/db.ts
+++ b/src/db.ts
@@ -295,6 +295,7 @@ export function getNewMessages(
     FROM messages
     WHERE timestamp > ? AND chat_jid IN (${placeholders})
       AND is_bot_message = 0 AND content NOT LIKE ?
+      AND content != '' AND content IS NOT NULL
     ORDER BY timestamp
   `;
 
@@ -322,6 +323,7 @@ export function getMessagesSince(
     FROM messages
     WHERE chat_jid = ? AND timestamp > ?
       AND is_bot_message = 0 AND content NOT LIKE ?
+      AND content != '' AND content IS NOT NULL
     ORDER BY timestamp
   `;
   return db