diff --git a/app/authorization.go b/app/authorization.go
index 2abf390722..05d32c5a81 100644
--- a/app/authorization.go
+++ b/app/authorization.go
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ func (a *App) SessionHasPermissionToChannel(session model.Session, channelId str
 		return true
 	}
 
-	if channel.TeamId != "" {
+	if appErr == nil && channel.TeamId != "" {
 		return a.SessionHasPermissionToTeam(session, channel.TeamId, permission)
 	}
 
diff --git a/app/authorization_test.go b/app/authorization_test.go
index 1adad930f4..c153110d64 100644
--- a/app/authorization_test.go
+++ b/app/authorization_test.go
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@
 package app
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
+	"github.com/mattermost/mattermost-server/v5/plugin/plugintest/mock"
+	"github.com/mattermost/mattermost-server/v5/store/storetest/mocks"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
@@ -60,6 +63,44 @@ func TestHasPermissionToTeam(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.True(t, th.App.HasPermissionToTeam(th.SystemAdminUser.Id, th.BasicTeam.Id, model.PERMISSION_LIST_TEAM_CHANNELS))
 }
 
+func TestSessionHasPermissionToChannel(t *testing.T) {
+	th := Setup(t).InitBasic()
+	defer th.TearDown()
+
+	session := model.Session{
+		UserId: th.BasicUser.Id,
+	}
+
+	t.Run("basic user can access basic channel", func(t *testing.T) {
+		assert.True(t, th.App.SessionHasPermissionToChannel(session, th.BasicChannel.Id, model.PERMISSION_ADD_REACTION))
+	})
+
+	t.Run("does not panic if fetching channel causes an error", func(t *testing.T) {
+		// Regression test for MM-29812
+		// Mock the channel store so getting the channel returns with an error, as per the bug report.
+		mockStore := mocks.Store{}
+		mockChannelStore := mocks.ChannelStore{}
+		mockChannelStore.On("Get", mock.Anything, mock.Anything).Return(nil, fmt.Errorf("arbitrary error"))
+		mockChannelStore.On("GetAllChannelMembersForUser", mock.Anything, mock.Anything, mock.Anything).Return(th.App.Srv().Store.Channel().GetAllChannelMembersForUser(th.BasicUser.Id, false, false))
+		mockChannelStore.On("ClearCaches").Return()
+		mockStore.On("Channel").Return(&mockChannelStore)
+		mockStore.On("FileInfo").Return(th.App.Srv().Store.FileInfo())
+		mockStore.On("License").Return(th.App.Srv().Store.License())
+		mockStore.On("Post").Return(th.App.Srv().Store.Post())
+		mockStore.On("Role").Return(th.App.Srv().Store.Role())
+		mockStore.On("System").Return(th.App.Srv().Store.System())
+		mockStore.On("Team").Return(th.App.Srv().Store.Team())
+		mockStore.On("User").Return(th.App.Srv().Store.User())
+		mockStore.On("Webhook").Return(th.App.Srv().Store.Webhook())
+		mockStore.On("Close").Return(nil)
+		th.App.Srv().Store = &mockStore
+
+		// If there's an error returned from the GetChannel call the code should continue to cascade and since there
+		// are no session level permissions in this test case, the permission should be denied.
+		assert.False(t, th.App.SessionHasPermissionToChannel(session, th.BasicUser.Id, model.PERMISSION_ADD_REACTION))
+	})
+}
+
 func TestHasPermissionToCategory(t *testing.T) {
 	th := Setup(t).InitBasic()
 	defer th.TearDown()