diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwnersOnPostReview.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwnersOnPostReview.java
index c26b821..2877c93 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwnersOnPostReview.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwnersOnPostReview.java
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 import com.google.common.flogger.FluentLogger;
 import com.google.gerrit.entities.Account;
 import com.google.gerrit.entities.PatchSet;
-import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.ResourceConflictException;
+import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.RestApiException;
 import com.google.gerrit.plugins.codeowners.backend.config.CodeOwnersPluginConfiguration;
 import com.google.gerrit.plugins.codeowners.backend.config.RequiredApproval;
 import com.google.gerrit.plugins.codeowners.common.CodeOwnerStatus;
@@ -261,7 +261,12 @@
           .map(PathCodeOwnerStatus::path)
           .sorted(comparing(Path::toString))
           .collect(toImmutableList());
-    } catch (IOException | ResourceConflictException | PatchListNotAvailableException e) {
+    } catch (RestApiException e) {
+      logger.atFine().withCause(e).log(
+          "Couldn't compute owned paths of change %s for account %s",
+          changeNotes.getChangeId(), accountId.get());
+      return ImmutableList.of();
+    } catch (IOException | PatchListNotAvailableException e) {
       logger.atSevere().withCause(e).log(
           "Failed to compute owned paths of change %s for account %s",
           changeNotes.getChangeId(), accountId.get());
diff --git a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/acceptance/api/CodeOwnersOnPostReviewIT.java b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/acceptance/api/CodeOwnersOnPostReviewIT.java
index 60bcf64..178b16b 100644
--- a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/acceptance/api/CodeOwnersOnPostReviewIT.java
+++ b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/acceptance/api/CodeOwnersOnPostReviewIT.java
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 import static com.google.common.truth.Truth.assertThat;
 import static com.google.gerrit.server.group.SystemGroupBackend.REGISTERED_USERS;
 
+import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableList;
 import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableMap;
 import com.google.common.collect.Iterables;
 import com.google.common.collect.Lists;
@@ -24,7 +25,9 @@
 import com.google.gerrit.acceptance.testsuite.project.ProjectOperations;
 import com.google.gerrit.acceptance.testsuite.project.TestProjectUpdate;
 import com.google.gerrit.acceptance.testsuite.request.RequestScopeOperations;
+import com.google.gerrit.entities.BranchNameKey;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.api.changes.ReviewInput;
+import com.google.gerrit.extensions.api.projects.DeleteBranchesInput;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.common.ChangeMessageInfo;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.common.LabelDefinitionInput;
 import com.google.gerrit.plugins.codeowners.acceptance.AbstractCodeOwnersIT;
@@ -898,4 +901,24 @@
     Collection<ChangeMessageInfo> messages = gApi.changes().id(changeId).get().messages;
     assertThat(Iterables.getLast(messages).message).isEqualTo("Patch Set 1: Code-Review+1");
   }
+
+  @Test
+  public void changeMessageNotExtendedIfDestinationBranchWasDeleted() throws Exception {
+    String branchName = "tempBranch";
+    createBranch(BranchNameKey.create(project, branchName));
+
+    String changeId = createChange("refs/for/" + branchName).getChangeId();
+
+    DeleteBranchesInput input = new DeleteBranchesInput();
+    input.branches = ImmutableList.of(branchName);
+    gApi.projects().name(project.get()).deleteBranches(input);
+
+    // Approve by a code-owner.
+    recommend(changeId);
+
+    // If the destination branch of the change no longer exits, the owned paths cannot be computed.
+    // Hence the change message cannot be extended in this case.
+    Collection<ChangeMessageInfo> messages = gApi.changes().id(changeId).get().messages;
+    assertThat(Iterables.getLast(messages).message).isEqualTo("Patch Set 1: Code-Review+1");
+  }
 }