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• We tested the predictions of the threat simulation theory with pandemic dreams. • Dream diaries were collected from healthy volunteers before and during the pandemic. • We expected more threats and more disease-related threats in pandemic dreams. • Number of threats or disease-related threats was not elevated in pandemic dreams. • Only those dreams with direct references to the pandemic had elevated threat content. Previous research indicates that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected dreaming negatively. We compared 1132 dreams collected with prospective two-week dream diary during the pandemic to 166 dreams collected before the pandemic. We hypothesized that the pandemic would increase the number of threatening events, threats related to diseases, and the severity of threats. We also hypothesized that dreams that include direct references to the pandemic will include more threatening events, more disease-related threats, and more severe threats. In contradiction with our hypotheses, results showed no differences between pandemic and pre-pandemic samples in the number of threats, threats related to diseases, or severe threats. However, dreams with direct references to the pandemic had more threats, disease-related threats, and severe threats. Our results thus do not suggest a significant overall increase in nightmarish or threatening dream content during the pandemic but show a more profound effect on a minority of dreams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]