diff --git a/smack-omemo/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/omemo/OmemoRatchet.java b/smack-omemo/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/omemo/OmemoRatchet.java
index 838784806..9c0ff2d30 100644
--- a/smack-omemo/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/omemo/OmemoRatchet.java
+++ b/smack-omemo/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/omemo/OmemoRatchet.java
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /**
  *
- * Copyright 2017 Paul Schaub
+ * Copyright 2017 Paul Schaub, 2021 Florian Schmaus
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -17,7 +17,9 @@
 package org.jivesoftware.smackx.omemo;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
-import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;
+import java.security.InvalidAlgorithmParameterException;
+import java.security.InvalidKeyException;
+import java.security.NoSuchAlgorithmException;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.logging.Level;
@@ -25,6 +27,7 @@ import java.util.logging.Logger;
 
 import javax.crypto.BadPaddingException;
 import javax.crypto.IllegalBlockSizeException;
+import javax.crypto.NoSuchPaddingException;
 
 import org.jivesoftware.smackx.omemo.element.OmemoElement;
 import org.jivesoftware.smackx.omemo.element.OmemoKeyElement;
@@ -172,11 +175,10 @@ public abstract class OmemoRatchet<T_IdKeyPair, T_IdKey, T_PreKey, T_SigPreKey,
         byte[] encryptedBody = payloadAndAuthTag(element, cipherAndAuthTag.getAuthTag());
 
         try {
-            String plaintext = new String(cipherAndAuthTag.getCipher().doFinal(encryptedBody), StandardCharsets.UTF_8);
-            return plaintext;
-        } catch (IllegalBlockSizeException | BadPaddingException e) {
-            throw new CryptoFailedException("decryptMessageElement could not decipher message body: "
-                    + e.getMessage());
+            return cipherAndAuthTag.decrypt(encryptedBody);
+        } catch (IllegalBlockSizeException | BadPaddingException | InvalidKeyException | NoSuchAlgorithmException
+                        | NoSuchPaddingException | InvalidAlgorithmParameterException e) {
+            throw new CryptoFailedException("decryptMessageElement could not decipher message body", e);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/smack-omemo/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/omemo/internal/CipherAndAuthTag.java b/smack-omemo/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/omemo/internal/CipherAndAuthTag.java
index 15f4fa27f..3953e6642 100644
--- a/smack-omemo/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/omemo/internal/CipherAndAuthTag.java
+++ b/smack-omemo/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/omemo/internal/CipherAndAuthTag.java
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /**
  *
- * Copyright 2017 Paul Schaub, 2019 Florian Schmaus
+ * Copyright 2017 Paul Schaub, 2019-2021 Florian Schmaus
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -16,18 +16,14 @@
  */
 package org.jivesoftware.smackx.omemo.internal;
 
-import static org.jivesoftware.smackx.omemo.util.OmemoConstants.Crypto.CIPHERMODE;
-import static org.jivesoftware.smackx.omemo.util.OmemoConstants.Crypto.KEYTYPE;
-
+import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;
 import java.security.InvalidAlgorithmParameterException;
+import java.security.InvalidKeyException;
 import java.security.NoSuchAlgorithmException;
 
-import javax.crypto.Cipher;
+import javax.crypto.BadPaddingException;
+import javax.crypto.IllegalBlockSizeException;
 import javax.crypto.NoSuchPaddingException;
-import javax.crypto.spec.IvParameterSpec;
-import javax.crypto.spec.SecretKeySpec;
-
-import org.jivesoftware.smackx.omemo.exceptions.CryptoFailedException;
 
 /**
  * Encapsulate Cipher and AuthTag.
@@ -45,21 +41,10 @@ public class CipherAndAuthTag {
         this.wasPreKey = wasPreKey;
     }
 
-    public Cipher getCipher() throws CryptoFailedException {
-
-        Cipher cipher;
-        try {
-            cipher = Cipher.getInstance(CIPHERMODE);
-            SecretKeySpec keySpec = new SecretKeySpec(key, KEYTYPE);
-            IvParameterSpec ivSpec = new IvParameterSpec(iv);
-            cipher.init(Cipher.DECRYPT_MODE, keySpec, ivSpec);
-        } catch (NoSuchAlgorithmException | java.security.InvalidKeyException |
-                InvalidAlgorithmParameterException |
-                NoSuchPaddingException e) {
-            throw new CryptoFailedException(e);
-        }
-
-        return cipher;
+    public String decrypt(byte[] ciphertext) throws InvalidKeyException, IllegalBlockSizeException, BadPaddingException,
+                    NoSuchAlgorithmException, NoSuchPaddingException, InvalidAlgorithmParameterException {
+        byte[] plaintext = OmemoAesCipher.decryptAesGcmNoPadding(ciphertext, key, iv);
+        return new String(plaintext, StandardCharsets.UTF_8);
     }
 
     public byte[] getAuthTag() {
diff --git a/smack-omemo/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/omemo/internal/OmemoAesCipher.java b/smack-omemo/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/omemo/internal/OmemoAesCipher.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..aee330764
--- /dev/null
+++ b/smack-omemo/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/omemo/internal/OmemoAesCipher.java
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+/**
+ *
+ * Copyright 2017 Paul Schaub, 2019-2021 Florian Schmaus
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package org.jivesoftware.smackx.omemo.internal;
+
+import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;
+import java.security.InvalidAlgorithmParameterException;
+import java.security.InvalidKeyException;
+import java.security.NoSuchAlgorithmException;
+
+import javax.crypto.BadPaddingException;
+import javax.crypto.Cipher;
+import javax.crypto.IllegalBlockSizeException;
+import javax.crypto.NoSuchPaddingException;
+import javax.crypto.SecretKey;
+import javax.crypto.spec.IvParameterSpec;
+import javax.crypto.spec.SecretKeySpec;
+
+import org.jivesoftware.smack.util.RandomUtil;
+import org.jivesoftware.smackx.omemo.util.OmemoConstants;
+import org.jivesoftware.smackx.omemo.util.OmemoMessageBuilder;
+
+public class OmemoAesCipher {
+
+    static {
+        byte[] iv = OmemoMessageBuilder.generateIv();
+        byte[] key = new byte[16];
+        RandomUtil.fillWithSecureRandom(key);
+
+        try {
+            encryptAesGcmNoPadding("This is just a test", key, iv);
+        } catch (InvalidKeyException | NoSuchAlgorithmException | NoSuchPaddingException
+                        | InvalidAlgorithmParameterException | IllegalBlockSizeException | BadPaddingException e) {
+            String message = "Unable to perform " + OmemoConstants.Crypto.CIPHERMODE
+                            + " operation requires by OMEMO. Ensure that a suitable crypto provider for is available."
+                            + " For example Bouncycastle on Android (BouncyCastleProvider)";
+            throw new AssertionError(message);
+        }
+    }
+
+    private enum CipherOpmode {
+        encrypt(Cipher.ENCRYPT_MODE),
+        decrypt(Cipher.DECRYPT_MODE),
+        ;
+
+        public final int opmodeInt;
+
+        CipherOpmode(int opmodeInt) {
+            this.opmodeInt = opmodeInt;
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static byte[] performCipherOperation(CipherOpmode opmode, byte[] input, byte[] key,
+                    byte[] initializationVector)
+                    throws IllegalBlockSizeException, BadPaddingException, NoSuchAlgorithmException,
+                    NoSuchPaddingException, InvalidKeyException, InvalidAlgorithmParameterException {
+        SecretKey secretKey = new SecretKeySpec(key, OmemoConstants.Crypto.KEYTYPE);
+        IvParameterSpec ivSpec = new IvParameterSpec(initializationVector);
+
+        Cipher cipher = Cipher.getInstance(OmemoConstants.Crypto.CIPHERMODE);
+        cipher.init(opmode.opmodeInt, secretKey, ivSpec);
+
+        byte[] ciphertext = cipher.doFinal(input);
+
+        return ciphertext;
+    }
+
+    public static byte[] decryptAesGcmNoPadding(byte[] ciphertext, byte[] key, byte[] initializationVector)
+                    throws InvalidKeyException, IllegalBlockSizeException, BadPaddingException,
+                    NoSuchAlgorithmException, NoSuchPaddingException, InvalidAlgorithmParameterException {
+        return performCipherOperation(CipherOpmode.decrypt, ciphertext, key, initializationVector);
+    }
+
+    public static byte[] encryptAesGcmNoPadding(byte[] plaintext, byte[] key, byte[] initializationVector)
+                    throws NoSuchAlgorithmException, NoSuchPaddingException, InvalidKeyException,
+                    InvalidAlgorithmParameterException, IllegalBlockSizeException, BadPaddingException {
+        return performCipherOperation(CipherOpmode.encrypt, plaintext, key, initializationVector);
+    }
+
+    public static byte[] encryptAesGcmNoPadding(String plaintext, byte[] key, byte[] initializationVector)
+                    throws NoSuchAlgorithmException, NoSuchPaddingException, InvalidKeyException,
+                    InvalidAlgorithmParameterException, IllegalBlockSizeException, BadPaddingException {
+        byte[] plaintextBytes = plaintext.getBytes(StandardCharsets.UTF_8);
+        return encryptAesGcmNoPadding(plaintextBytes, key, initializationVector);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/smack-omemo/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/omemo/util/OmemoMessageBuilder.java b/smack-omemo/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/omemo/util/OmemoMessageBuilder.java
index 7f20e17bb..0810fe1d1 100644
--- a/smack-omemo/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/omemo/util/OmemoMessageBuilder.java
+++ b/smack-omemo/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/omemo/util/OmemoMessageBuilder.java
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /**
  *
- * Copyright 2017 Paul Schaub, 2019 Florian Schmaus
+ * Copyright 2017 Paul Schaub, 2019-2021 Florian Schmaus
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -16,25 +16,18 @@
  */
 package org.jivesoftware.smackx.omemo.util;
 
-import static org.jivesoftware.smackx.omemo.util.OmemoConstants.Crypto.CIPHERMODE;
 import static org.jivesoftware.smackx.omemo.util.OmemoConstants.Crypto.KEYLENGTH;
 import static org.jivesoftware.smackx.omemo.util.OmemoConstants.Crypto.KEYTYPE;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
-import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;
 import java.security.InvalidAlgorithmParameterException;
 import java.security.InvalidKeyException;
 import java.security.NoSuchAlgorithmException;
-import java.security.SecureRandom;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import javax.crypto.BadPaddingException;
-import javax.crypto.Cipher;
 import javax.crypto.IllegalBlockSizeException;
 import javax.crypto.KeyGenerator;
 import javax.crypto.NoSuchPaddingException;
-import javax.crypto.SecretKey;
-import javax.crypto.spec.IvParameterSpec;
-import javax.crypto.spec.SecretKeySpec;
 
 import org.jivesoftware.smack.util.RandomUtil;
 import org.jivesoftware.smackx.omemo.OmemoRatchet;
@@ -48,6 +41,7 @@ import org.jivesoftware.smackx.omemo.exceptions.NoIdentityKeyException;
 import org.jivesoftware.smackx.omemo.exceptions.UndecidedOmemoIdentityException;
 import org.jivesoftware.smackx.omemo.exceptions.UntrustedOmemoIdentityException;
 import org.jivesoftware.smackx.omemo.internal.CiphertextTuple;
+import org.jivesoftware.smackx.omemo.internal.OmemoAesCipher;
 import org.jivesoftware.smackx.omemo.internal.OmemoDevice;
 import org.jivesoftware.smackx.omemo.trust.OmemoFingerprint;
 import org.jivesoftware.smackx.omemo.trust.OmemoTrustCallback;
@@ -160,16 +154,7 @@ public class OmemoMessageBuilder<T_IdKeyPair, T_IdKey, T_PreKey, T_SigPreKey, T_
         }
 
         // Encrypt message body
-        SecretKey secretKey = new SecretKeySpec(messageKey, KEYTYPE);
-        IvParameterSpec ivSpec = new IvParameterSpec(initializationVector);
-        Cipher cipher = Cipher.getInstance(CIPHERMODE);
-        cipher.init(Cipher.ENCRYPT_MODE, secretKey, ivSpec);
-
-        byte[] body;
-        byte[] ciphertext;
-
-        body = message.getBytes(StandardCharsets.UTF_8);
-        ciphertext = cipher.doFinal(body);
+        byte[] ciphertext = OmemoAesCipher.encryptAesGcmNoPadding(message, messageKey, initializationVector);
 
         byte[] clearKeyWithAuthTag = new byte[messageKey.length + 16];
         byte[] cipherTextWithoutAuthTag = new byte[ciphertext.length - 16];
diff --git a/smack-omemo/src/test/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/omemo/WrapperObjectsTest.java b/smack-omemo/src/test/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/omemo/WrapperObjectsTest.java
index 66c538bf8..88f632640 100644
--- a/smack-omemo/src/test/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/omemo/WrapperObjectsTest.java
+++ b/smack-omemo/src/test/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/omemo/WrapperObjectsTest.java
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import static org.jivesoftware.smackx.omemo.util.OmemoConstants.Crypto.KEYLENGTH
 import static org.jivesoftware.smackx.omemo.util.OmemoConstants.Crypto.KEYTYPE;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertArrayEquals;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertFalse;
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
 
 import java.security.NoSuchAlgorithmException;
 
@@ -61,7 +60,6 @@ public class WrapperObjectsTest extends SmackTestSuite {
 
         CipherAndAuthTag cat = new CipherAndAuthTag(key, iv, authTag, true);
 
-        assertNotNull(cat.getCipher());
         assertArrayEquals(key, cat.getKey());
         assertArrayEquals(iv, cat.getIv());
         assertArrayEquals(authTag, cat.getAuthTag());