diff --git a/src/utils/media/pipeline/VirtualBackground.js b/src/utils/media/pipeline/VirtualBackground.js
index ce4d0c4c85a..88a18074a3d 100644
--- a/src/utils/media/pipeline/VirtualBackground.js
+++ b/src/utils/media/pipeline/VirtualBackground.js
@@ -292,16 +292,34 @@ export default class VirtualBackground extends TrackSinkSource {
 		this._outputStream = null
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Gets the virtual background properties.
+	 *
+	 * @return {object|undefined} undefined if WebAssembly is not supported, an object
+	 *         with the virtual background properties otherwise.
+	 */
 	getVirtualBackground() {
+		if (!this.isAvailable()) {
+			return undefined
+		}
+
 		return this._jitsiStreamBackgroundEffect.getVirtualBackground()
 	}
 
 	/**
+	 * Sets the virtual background properties.
+	 *
+	 * Nothing is set if the virtual background is not available.
+	 *
 	 * @param {object} virtualBackground the virtual background properties; see
 	 *        JitsiStreamBackgroundEffect.setVirtualBackground().
 	 */
 	setVirtualBackground(virtualBackground) {
-		return this._jitsiStreamBackgroundEffect.setVirtualBackground(virtualBackground)
+		if (!this.isAvailable()) {
+			return
+		}
+
+		this._jitsiStreamBackgroundEffect.setVirtualBackground(virtualBackground)
 	}
 
 }
diff --git a/src/utils/media/pipeline/VirtualBackground.spec.js b/src/utils/media/pipeline/VirtualBackground.spec.js
index a1b52314204..852d5d1e109 100644
--- a/src/utils/media/pipeline/VirtualBackground.spec.js
+++ b/src/utils/media/pipeline/VirtualBackground.spec.js
@@ -77,6 +77,9 @@ describe('VirtualBackground', () => {
 
 		jest.spyOn(VirtualBackground.prototype, '_initJitsiStreamBackgroundEffect').mockImplementation(function() {
 			this._jitsiStreamBackgroundEffect = {
+				getVirtualBackground: jest.fn(() => {
+					return this._jitsiStreamBackgroundEffect.virtualBackground
+				}),
 				setVirtualBackground: jest.fn(() => {
 				}),
 				startEffect: jest.fn((inputStream) => {
@@ -118,14 +121,54 @@ describe('VirtualBackground', () => {
 		jest.restoreAllMocks()
 	})
 
-	test('set virtual background type and parameters', () => {
-		virtualBackground.setVirtualBackground({
-			objectWithoutValidation: true,
+	describe('get virtual background', () => {
+		beforeEach(() => {
+			virtualBackground._jitsiStreamBackgroundEffect.virtualBackground = {
+				objectWithoutValidation: true,
+			}
+		})
+
+		test('gets virtual background', () => {
+			expect(virtualBackground.getVirtualBackground()).toEqual({
+				objectWithoutValidation: true,
+			})
+			expect(virtualBackground._jitsiStreamBackgroundEffect.getVirtualBackground).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+		})
+
+		test('returns null if get when not available', () => {
+			available = false
+
+			expect(virtualBackground.getVirtualBackground()).toBe(undefined)
+			// A real VirtualBackground object would not even have a
+			// _jitsiStreamBackgroundEffect object if not available, but the
+			// mock is kept to perform the assertion.
+			expect(virtualBackground._jitsiStreamBackgroundEffect.getVirtualBackground).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(0)
 		})
+	})
+
+	describe('set virtual background', () => {
+		test('sets virtual background type and parameters', () => {
+			virtualBackground.setVirtualBackground({
+				objectWithoutValidation: true,
+			})
+
+			expect(virtualBackground._jitsiStreamBackgroundEffect.setVirtualBackground).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+			expect(virtualBackground._jitsiStreamBackgroundEffect.setVirtualBackground).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(1, {
+				objectWithoutValidation: true,
+			})
+		})
+
+		test('does nothing if set when not available', () => {
+			available = false
+
+			virtualBackground.setVirtualBackground({
+				objectWithoutValidation: true,
+			})
 
-		expect(virtualBackground._jitsiStreamBackgroundEffect.setVirtualBackground).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
-		expect(virtualBackground._jitsiStreamBackgroundEffect.setVirtualBackground).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(1, {
-			objectWithoutValidation: true,
+			// A real VirtualBackground object would not even have a
+			// _jitsiStreamBackgroundEffect object if not available, but the
+			// mock is kept to perform the assertion.
+			expect(virtualBackground._jitsiStreamBackgroundEffect.setVirtualBackground).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(0)
 		})
 	})
 
diff --git a/src/utils/webrtc/models/LocalMediaModel.js b/src/utils/webrtc/models/LocalMediaModel.js
index f7b6b149cf8..d8bb2eb224a 100644
--- a/src/utils/webrtc/models/LocalMediaModel.js
+++ b/src/utils/webrtc/models/LocalMediaModel.js
@@ -132,7 +132,9 @@ LocalMediaModel.prototype = {
 		this.set('videoEnabled', false)
 		this.set('virtualBackgroundAvailable', this._webRtc.webrtc.isVirtualBackgroundAvailable())
 		this.set('virtualBackgroundEnabled', this._webRtc.webrtc.isVirtualBackgroundEnabled())
-		this._setVirtualBackgroundTypeAndParameters(this._webRtc.webrtc.getVirtualBackground())
+		if (this._webRtc.webrtc.isVirtualBackgroundAvailable()) {
+			this._setVirtualBackgroundTypeAndParameters(this._webRtc.webrtc.getVirtualBackground())
+		}
 		this.set('localScreen', null)
 
 		this._webRtc.webrtc.on('localStreamRequested', this._handleLocalStreamRequestedBound)