diff --git a/ui/app/components/send_/send.utils.js b/ui/app/components/send_/send.utils.js
index 3d8e1a882..9b26b4e32 100644
--- a/ui/app/components/send_/send.utils.js
+++ b/ui/app/components/send_/send.utils.js
@@ -177,9 +177,8 @@ async function estimateGas ({ selectedAddress, selectedToken, blockGasLimit, to,
   }
 
   // if recipient has no code, gas is 21k max:
-  const hasRecipient = Boolean(to)
-  if (hasRecipient && !selectedToken) {
-    const code = await global.eth.getCode(to)
+  if (!selectedToken) {
+    const code = Boolean(to) && await global.eth.getCode(to)
     if (!code || code === '0x') {
       return SIMPLE_GAS_COST
     }
diff --git a/ui/app/components/send_/tests/send-utils.test.js b/ui/app/components/send_/tests/send-utils.test.js
index 00804d074..facc0e518 100644
--- a/ui/app/components/send_/tests/send-utils.test.js
+++ b/ui/app/components/send_/tests/send-utils.test.js
@@ -323,6 +323,12 @@ describe('send utils', () => {
       assert.equal(result, SIMPLE_GAS_COST)
     })
 
+    it(`should return ${SIMPLE_GAS_COST} if not passed a selectedToken or truthy to address`, async () => {
+      assert.equal(baseMockParams.estimateGasMethod.callCount, 0)
+      const result = await estimateGas(Object.assign({}, baseMockParams, { to: null }))
+      assert.equal(result, SIMPLE_GAS_COST)
+    })
+
     it(`should not return ${SIMPLE_GAS_COST} if passed a selectedToken`, async () => {
       assert.equal(baseMockParams.estimateGasMethod.callCount, 0)
       const result = await estimateGas(Object.assign({}, baseMockParams, { to: '0x123', selectedToken: { address: '' } }))