diff --git a/server/api.go b/server/api.go
index ed8de30..c610b5b 100644
--- a/server/api.go
+++ b/server/api.go
@@ -1536,10 +1536,6 @@ func (p *Plugin) getUserBadges(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, actingUse
 		p.mm.Log.Debug("Error getting the badges for user", "error", err, "user", userID)
 	}
 
-	for _, ub := range badges {
-		p.sanitizeBadgeEmoji(&ub.Badge)
-	}
-
 	b, _ := json.Marshal(badges)
 	_, _ = w.Write(b)
 }
@@ -1568,7 +1564,6 @@ func (p *Plugin) getBadgeDetails(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, actingU
 
 	resp := BadgeDetailsResponse{BadgeDetails: badge}
 	if badge != nil {
-		p.sanitizeBadgeEmoji(&badge.Badge)
 		actingUser, userErr := p.mm.User.Get(actingUserID)
 		if userErr == nil {
 			bt, typeErr := p.store.GetType(badge.Type)
@@ -1588,10 +1583,6 @@ func (p *Plugin) getAllBadges(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, actingUser
 		p.mm.Log.Debug("Cannot get all badges", "error", err)
 	}
 
-	for _, ab := range badges {
-		p.sanitizeBadgeEmoji(&ab.Badge)
-	}
-
 	b, _ := json.Marshal(badges)
 	_, _ = w.Write(b)
 }
diff --git a/server/utils.go b/server/utils.go
index 6f5dd4f..56b284d 100644
--- a/server/utils.go
+++ b/server/utils.go
@@ -140,27 +140,6 @@ func dumpObject(o interface{}) {
 	fmt.Println(string(b))
 }
 
-const fallbackEmoji = "question"
-
-// sanitizeBadgeEmoji checks if a badge's custom emoji still exists.
-// If the emoji was deleted, it replaces it with a fallback and persists the change.
-func (p *Plugin) sanitizeBadgeEmoji(badge *badgesmodel.Badge) {
-	if badge.ImageType != badgesmodel.ImageTypeEmoji {
-		return
-	}
-	if _, ok := model.SystemEmojis[badge.Image]; ok {
-		return
-	}
-	_, appErr := p.API.GetEmojiByName(badge.Image)
-	if appErr == nil {
-		return
-	}
-	badge.Image = fallbackEmoji
-	if err := p.store.UpdateBadge(badge); err != nil {
-		p.mm.Log.Warn("Failed to replace deleted emoji on badge", "badge_id", badge.ID, "error", err.Error())
-	}
-}
-
 func (p *Plugin) notifyGrant(badgeID badgesmodel.BadgeID, granter string, granted *model.User, inChannel bool, channelID string, reason string) {
 	b, errBadge := p.store.GetBadgeDetails(badgeID)
 	granterUser, errUser := p.mm.User.Get(granter)
diff --git a/webapp/src/components/utils/emoji.tsx b/webapp/src/components/utils/emoji.tsx
index d9c135a..f36eb0c 100644
--- a/webapp/src/components/utils/emoji.tsx
+++ b/webapp/src/components/utils/emoji.tsx
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ interface ComponentProps {
     emojiStyle?: React.CSSProperties;
 }
 
+const FALLBACK_EMOJI = 'question';
+
 const RenderEmoji = ({emojiName, emojiStyle, size}: ComponentProps) => {
     const emojiMap = useSelector((state: GlobalState) => getEmojiMap(state));
 
@@ -21,9 +23,12 @@ const RenderEmoji = ({emojiName, emojiStyle, size}: ComponentProps) => {
         return null;
     }
 
-    const emojiFromMap = emojiMap.get(emojiName);
+    let emojiFromMap = emojiMap.get(emojiName);
     if (!emojiFromMap) {
-        return null;
+        emojiFromMap = emojiMap.get(FALLBACK_EMOJI);
+        if (!emojiFromMap) {
+            return null;
+        }
     }
     const emojiImageUrl = getEmojiImageUrl(emojiFromMap);