diff --git a/Tusker/Views/Profile Header/ProfileHeaderView.swift b/Tusker/Views/Profile Header/ProfileHeaderView.swift
index 15c79041..dbda8d9d 100644
--- a/Tusker/Views/Profile Header/ProfileHeaderView.swift	
+++ b/Tusker/Views/Profile Header/ProfileHeaderView.swift	
@@ -182,12 +182,12 @@ class ProfileHeaderView: UIView {
     
     @objc private func updateUIForPreferences() {
         // todo: mastodonController should never be nil, but ProfileHeaderViews are getting leaked
-        guard let mastodonController = mastodonController else {
+        guard let mastodonController = mastodonController,
+              // nil if prefs changed before own account is loaded
+              let accountID = accountID,
+              let account = mastodonController.persistentContainer.account(for: accountID) else {
             return
         }
-        guard let account = mastodonController.persistentContainer.account(for: accountID) else {
-            fatalError("Missing cached account \(accountID!)")
-        }
         
         avatarContainerView.layer.cornerRadius = Preferences.shared.avatarStyle.cornerRadius(for: avatarContainerView)
         avatarImageView.layer.cornerRadius = Preferences.shared.avatarStyle.cornerRadius(for: avatarImageView)