diff --git a/app/export.go b/app/export.go
index 9939bb6fb9..8ce7d50cdd 100644
--- a/app/export.go
+++ b/app/export.go
@@ -5,12 +5,15 @@ package app
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"net/http"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 
+	"github.com/mattermost/mattermost-server/store"
+
 	"github.com/mattermost/mattermost-server/mlog"
 	"github.com/mattermost/mattermost-server/model"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
@@ -410,6 +413,10 @@ func (a *App) BuildPostReactions(postId string) (*[]ReactionImportData, *model.A
 		var user *model.User
 		user, err = a.Srv.Store.User().Get(reaction.UserId)
 		if err != nil {
+			if err.Id == store.MISSING_ACCOUNT_ERROR { // this is a valid case, the user that reacted might've been deleted by now
+				mlog.Info(fmt.Sprintf("Skipping reactions by user %v, since the entity doesn't exist anymore", reaction.UserId))
+				continue
+			}
 			return nil, err
 		}
 		reactionsOfPost = append(reactionsOfPost, *ImportReactionFromPost(user, reaction))
diff --git a/app/export_test.go b/app/export_test.go
index 3bbdffd248..bd7faed3de 100644
--- a/app/export_test.go
+++ b/app/export_test.go
@@ -18,15 +18,22 @@ func TestReactionsOfPost(t *testing.T) {
 
 	post := th.BasicPost
 	post.HasReactions = true
-
+	th.BasicUser2.DeleteAt = 1234
 	reactionObject := model.Reaction{
 		UserId:    th.BasicUser.Id,
 		PostId:    post.Id,
 		EmojiName: "emoji",
 		CreateAt:  model.GetMillis(),
 	}
+	reactionObjectDeleted := model.Reaction{
+		UserId:    th.BasicUser2.Id,
+		PostId:    post.Id,
+		EmojiName: "emoji",
+		CreateAt:  model.GetMillis(),
+	}
 
 	th.App.SaveReactionForPost(&reactionObject)
+	th.App.SaveReactionForPost(&reactionObjectDeleted)
 	reactionsOfPost, err := th.App.BuildPostReactions(post.Id)
 	require.Nil(t, err)