diff --git a/src/NavigationBar.android.ts b/src/NavigationBar.android.ts
index 1835c237e2ed6e80627936c33008c1b6ebacbe8c..bdb7d5e7546706c129354ceac611a2544f3c4538 100644
--- a/src/NavigationBar.android.ts
+++ b/src/NavigationBar.android.ts
@@ -77,7 +77,10 @@ export function setStyle(style: NavigationBarStyle) {
 
   if (resolvedStyle !== currentValues.style) {
     currentValues.style = resolvedStyle;
-    ExpoNavigationBar.setStyle(resolvedStyle);
+    // Rejects when there is no activity to set it on, which is how the app
+    // starts from the media session or the car: nothing to change then, and
+    // an unhandled rejection is all the call would leave behind.
+    ExpoNavigationBar.setStyle(resolvedStyle).catch(() => {});
   }
 }
 
@@ -86,7 +89,7 @@ function setHidden(hidden: boolean) {
 
   if (hidden !== currentValues.hidden) {
     currentValues.hidden = hidden;
-    ExpoNavigationBar.setHidden(hidden);
+    ExpoNavigationBar.setHidden(hidden).catch(() => {}); // see setStyle
   }
 }