diff --git a/store/sqlstore/channel_store_categories.go b/store/sqlstore/channel_store_categories.go
index 0d6063246a..2c0a29305d 100644
--- a/store/sqlstore/channel_store_categories.go
+++ b/store/sqlstore/channel_store_categories.go
@@ -6,10 +6,9 @@ package sqlstore
 import (
 	"fmt"
 
-	"github.com/mattermost/mattermost-server/v5/store"
-
 	"github.com/mattermost/gorp"
 	"github.com/mattermost/mattermost-server/v5/model"
+	"github.com/mattermost/mattermost-server/v5/store"
 
 	sq "github.com/Masterminds/squirrel"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
@@ -843,6 +842,8 @@ func (s SqlChannelStore) addChannelToFavoritesCategoryT(transaction *gorp.Transa
 	var channel *model.Channel
 	if obj, err := transaction.Get(&model.Channel{}, preference.Name); err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrapf(err, "Failed to get favorited channel with id=%s", preference.Name)
+	} else if obj == nil {
+		return store.NewErrNotFound("Channel", preference.Name)
 	} else {
 		channel = obj.(*model.Channel)
 	}
diff --git a/store/storetest/channel_store.go b/store/storetest/channel_store.go
index 6a24e1babc..d4d7e2d3bf 100644
--- a/store/storetest/channel_store.go
+++ b/store/storetest/channel_store.go
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ func TestChannelStore(t *testing.T, ss store.Store, s SqlSupplier) {
 	t.Run("GetSidebarCategories", func(t *testing.T) { testGetSidebarCategories(t, ss) })
 	t.Run("UpdateSidebarCategories", func(t *testing.T) { testUpdateSidebarCategories(t, ss, s) })
 	t.Run("DeleteSidebarCategory", func(t *testing.T) { testDeleteSidebarCategory(t, ss, s) })
+	t.Run("UpdateSidebarChannelsByPreferences", func(t *testing.T) { testUpdateSidebarChannelsByPreferences(t, ss) })
 }
 
 func testChannelStoreSave(t *testing.T, ss store.Store) {
diff --git a/store/storetest/channel_store_categories.go b/store/storetest/channel_store_categories.go
index ded22df447..77c0ed0837 100644
--- a/store/storetest/channel_store_categories.go
+++ b/store/storetest/channel_store_categories.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ func TestChannelStoreCategories(t *testing.T, ss store.Store, s SqlSupplier) {
 	t.Run("GetSidebarCategories", func(t *testing.T) { testGetSidebarCategories(t, ss) })
 	t.Run("UpdateSidebarCategories", func(t *testing.T) { testUpdateSidebarCategories(t, ss, s) })
 	t.Run("DeleteSidebarCategory", func(t *testing.T) { testDeleteSidebarCategory(t, ss, s) })
+	t.Run("UpdateSidebarChannelsByPreferences", func(t *testing.T) { testUpdateSidebarChannelsByPreferences(t, ss) })
 }
 
 func testCreateInitialSidebarCategories(t *testing.T, ss store.Store) {
@@ -1676,3 +1677,47 @@ func testDeleteSidebarCategory(t *testing.T, ss store.Store, s SqlSupplier) {
 		assert.NotNil(t, err)
 	})
 }
+
+func testUpdateSidebarChannelsByPreferences(t *testing.T, ss store.Store) {
+	t.Run("Should be able to update sidebar channels", func(t *testing.T) {
+		userId := model.NewId()
+		teamId := model.NewId()
+
+		nErr := ss.Channel().CreateInitialSidebarCategories(userId, teamId)
+		require.Nil(t, nErr)
+
+		channel, nErr := ss.Channel().Save(&model.Channel{
+			Name:   "channel",
+			Type:   model.CHANNEL_OPEN,
+			TeamId: teamId,
+		}, 10)
+		require.Nil(t, nErr)
+
+		err := ss.Channel().UpdateSidebarChannelsByPreferences(&model.Preferences{
+			model.Preference{
+				Name:     channel.Id,
+				Category: model.PREFERENCE_CATEGORY_FAVORITE_CHANNEL,
+				Value:    "true",
+			},
+		})
+		assert.NoError(t, err)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("Should not panic if channel is not found", func(t *testing.T) {
+		userId := model.NewId()
+		teamId := model.NewId()
+
+		nErr := ss.Channel().CreateInitialSidebarCategories(userId, teamId)
+		assert.Nil(t, nErr)
+
+		require.NotPanics(t, func() {
+			_ = ss.Channel().UpdateSidebarChannelsByPreferences(&model.Preferences{
+				model.Preference{
+					Name:     "fakeid",
+					Category: model.PREFERENCE_CATEGORY_FAVORITE_CHANNEL,
+					Value:    "true",
+				},
+			})
+		})
+	})
+}