diff --git a/packages/lib/models/utils/readOnly.ts b/packages/lib/models/utils/readOnly.ts
index fe28a8bff..7eb8aabff 100644
--- a/packages/lib/models/utils/readOnly.ts
+++ b/packages/lib/models/utils/readOnly.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import Logger from '@joplin/utils/Logger';
 import { ModelType } from '../../BaseModel';
 import { ErrorCode } from '../../errors';
 import JoplinError from '../../JoplinError';
@@ -5,6 +6,8 @@ import { State as ShareState } from '../../services/share/reducer';
 import ItemChange from '../ItemChange';
 import Setting from '../Setting';
 
+const logger = Logger.create('models/utils/readOnly');
+
 export interface ItemSlice {
 	id?: string;
 	share_id: string;
@@ -43,6 +46,18 @@ export const checkIfItemCanBeChanged = (itemType: ModelType, changeSource: numbe
 export const checkIfItemCanBeAddedToFolder = async (itemType: ModelType, Folder: any, changeSource: number, shareState: ShareState, parentId: string) => {
 	if (needsReadOnlyChecks(itemType, changeSource, shareState) && parentId) {
 		const parentFolder = await Folder.load(parentId, { fields: ['id', 'share_id'] });
+
+		if (!parentFolder) {
+			// Historically it's always been possible to set the parent_id of a
+			// note to a folder that does not exist - this is to support
+			// synchronisation, where items are downloaded in random order. It
+			// is not ideal to skip the check here, but if for some reason the
+			// folder turns out to be read-only the issue will be resolved
+			// during sync.
+			logger.warn('checkIfItemCanBeAddedToFolder: Trying to add an item to a folder that does not exist - skipping check');
+			return;
+		}
+
 		if (itemIsReadOnlySync(itemType, changeSource, parentFolder, Setting.value('sync.userId'), shareState)) {
 			throw new JoplinError('Cannot add an item as a child of a read-only item', ErrorCode.IsReadOnly);
 		}
diff --git a/packages/lib/utils/userFetcher.ts b/packages/lib/utils/userFetcher.ts
index 4385fcd59..b004cda79 100644
--- a/packages/lib/utils/userFetcher.ts
+++ b/packages/lib/utils/userFetcher.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,13 @@ const userFetcher = async () => {
 	const fileApi = await syncTarget.fileApi();
 	const api = fileApi.driver().api();
 
+	if (api.userId) {
+		// That can happen if we don't have a session yet or if it has been
+		// cleared
+		logger.info('Skipping fetching user because user ID is not available');
+		return;
+	}
+
 	const owner: UserApiResponse = await api.exec('GET', `api/users/${api.userId}`);
 
 	logger.info('Got user:', owner);