diff --git a/src/modules/fedimbed.js b/src/modules/fedimbed.js
index 369ce07..98e6562 100644
--- a/src/modules/fedimbed.js
+++ b/src/modules/fedimbed.js
@@ -105,7 +105,15 @@ async function signedFetch(url, options) {
 }
 
 async function processUrl(msg, url, spoiler = false) {
-  let urlObj = new URL(url);
+  let invalidUrl = false;
+  let urlObj;
+  try {
+    urlObj = new URL(url);
+  } catch {
+    invalidUrl = true;
+  }
+
+  if (invalidUrl) return;
 
   // some lemmy instances have old reddit frontend subdomains
   // but these frontends are just frontends and dont actually expose the API