diff --git a/internal/db/db.go b/internal/db/db.go
index ed2e0b990..89cdae53b 100644
--- a/internal/db/db.go
+++ b/internal/db/db.go
@@ -113,6 +113,7 @@ type DB interface {
 
 	// CreateInstanceAccount creates an account in the database with the same username as the instance host value.
 	// Ie., if the instance is hosted at 'example.org' the instance user will have a username of 'example.org'.
+	// This is needed for things like serving files that belong to the instance and not an individual user/account.
 	CreateInstanceAccount() error
 
 	// GetAccountByUserID is a shortcut for the common action of fetching an account corresponding to a user ID.
diff --git a/internal/db/gtsmodel/emoji.go b/internal/db/gtsmodel/emoji.go
index 213d84251..fbd5aedf9 100644
--- a/internal/db/gtsmodel/emoji.go
+++ b/internal/db/gtsmodel/emoji.go
@@ -36,18 +36,31 @@ type Emoji struct {
 	// For remote emojis, it'll be something like:
 	// https://hackers.town/system/custom_emojis/images/000/049/842/original/1b74481204feabfd.png
 	ImageRemoteURL string
+	// Where can a static / non-animated version of this emoji be retrieved remotely? Null for local emojis.
+	// For remote emojis, it'll be something like:
+	// https://hackers.town/system/custom_emojis/images/000/049/842/static/1b74481204feabfd.png
+	ImageStaticRemoteURL string
 	// Where can this emoji be retrieved from the local server? Null for remote emojis.
 	// Assuming our server is hosted at 'example.org', this will be something like:
-	// 'https://example.org/fileserver/emojis/bfa6c9c5-6c25-4ea4-98b4-d78b8126fb52.png'
+	// 'https://example.org/fileserver/6339820e-ef65-4166-a262-5a9f46adb1a7/emoji/original/bfa6c9c5-6c25-4ea4-98b4-d78b8126fb52.png'
 	ImageURL string
-	// Path of the emoji image in the server storage system.
-	// Will be something like '/gotosocial/storage/emojis/bfa6c9c5-6c25-4ea4-98b4-d78b8126fb52.png'
+	// Where can a static version of this emoji be retrieved from the local server? Null for remote emojis.
+	// Assuming our server is hosted at 'example.org', this will be something like:
+	// 'https://example.org/fileserver/6339820e-ef65-4166-a262-5a9f46adb1a7/emoji/small/bfa6c9c5-6c25-4ea4-98b4-d78b8126fb52.png'
+	ImageStaticURL string
+	// Path of the emoji image in the server storage system. Will be something like:
+	// '/gotosocial/storage/6339820e-ef65-4166-a262-5a9f46adb1a7/emoji/original/bfa6c9c5-6c25-4ea4-98b4-d78b8126fb52.png'
 	ImagePath string `pg:",notnull"`
+	// Path of a static version of the emoji image in the server storage system. Will be something like:
+	// '/gotosocial/storage/6339820e-ef65-4166-a262-5a9f46adb1a7/emoji/small/bfa6c9c5-6c25-4ea4-98b4-d78b8126fb52.png'
+	ImageStaticPath string `pg:",notnull"`
 	// MIME content type of the emoji image
 	// Probably "image/png"
 	ImageContentType string `pg:",notnull"`
 	// Size of the emoji image file in bytes, for serving purposes.
 	ImageFileSize int `pg:",notnull"`
+	// Size of the static version of the emoji image file in bytes, for serving purposes.
+	ImageStaticFileSize int `pg:",notnull"`
 	// When was the emoji image last updated?
 	ImageUpdatedAt time.Time `pg:"type:timestamp,notnull,default:now()"`
 	// Has a moderation action disabled this emoji from being shown?
diff --git a/internal/gotosocial/actions.go b/internal/gotosocial/actions.go
index 2a327a8c3..ee336a249 100644
--- a/internal/gotosocial/actions.go
+++ b/internal/gotosocial/actions.go
@@ -51,6 +51,10 @@ var Run action.GTSAction = func(ctx context.Context, c *config.Config, log *logr
 		return fmt.Errorf("error creating dbservice: %s", err)
 	}
 
+	if err := dbService.CreateInstanceAccount(); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("error creating instance account: %s", err)
+	}
+
 	router, err := router.New(c, log)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("error creating router: %s", err)
diff --git a/internal/media/media.go b/internal/media/media.go
index 4f73f6da3..dc27ecf28 100644
--- a/internal/media/media.go
+++ b/internal/media/media.go
@@ -144,6 +144,56 @@ func (mh *mediaHandler) ProcessAttachment(attachment []byte, accountID string) (
 	return nil, fmt.Errorf("content type %s not (yet) supported", contentType)
 }
 
+func (mh *mediaHandler) ProcessLocalEmoji(emojiBytes []byte, shortcode string) (*gtsmodel.Emoji, error) {
+	contentType, err := parseContentType(emojiBytes)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	
+	if !supportedEmojiType(contentType) {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("content type %s not supported for emojis", contentType)
+	}
+
+	newEmojiID := uuid.NewString()
+	instanceAccount := &gtsmodel.Account{}
+	if err := mh.db.GetWhere("username", mh.config.Host, instanceAccount); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error fetching instance account: %s", err)
+	}
+	instanceAccountID := instanceAccount.ID
+	extension := strings.Split(contentType, "/")[1]
+
+	URLbase := fmt.Sprintf("%s://%s%s", mh.config.StorageConfig.ServeProtocol, mh.config.StorageConfig.ServeHost, mh.config.StorageConfig.ServeBasePath)
+	emojiURI := fmt.Sprintf("%s://%s/%s/%s", mh.config.Protocol, mh.config.Host, MediaEmoji, newEmojiID)
+	emojiURL := fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s/%s/%s/%s.%s", URLbase, instanceAccountID, MediaEmoji, MediaOriginal, newEmojiID, extension)
+	emojiPath := fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s/%s/%s/%s.%s", mh.config.StorageConfig.BasePath, instanceAccountID, MediaEmoji, MediaOriginal, newEmojiID, extension)
+	if err := mh.storage.StoreFileAt(emojiPath, emojiBytes); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("storage error: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	e := &gtsmodel.Emoji{
+		ID:               newEmojiID,
+		Shortcode:        shortcode,
+		Domain:           "", // empty because this is a local emoji
+		CreatedAt:        time.Now(),
+		UpdatedAt:        time.Now(),
+		ImageRemoteURL:   "", // empty because this is a local emoji
+		ImageStaticRemoteURL: "",
+		ImageURL:         emojiURL,
+		ImageStaticURL:   "",
+		ImagePath:        emojiPath,
+		ImageStaticPath: "",
+		ImageContentType: contentType,
+		ImageFileSize:    0,
+		ImageStaticFileSize: 0,
+		ImageUpdatedAt:   time.Now(),
+		Disabled:         false,
+		URI:              emojiURI,
+		VisibleInPicker:  true,
+		CategoryID:       "", // empty because this is a new emoji -- no category yet
+	}
+	return e, nil
+}
+
 /*
 	HELPER FUNCTIONS
 */
@@ -177,7 +227,7 @@ func (mh *mediaHandler) processImage(data []byte, accountID string, contentType
 		return nil, errors.New("media type unrecognized")
 	}
 
-	small, err = deriveThumbnail(clean, contentType)
+	small, err = deriveThumbnail(clean, contentType, 256, 256)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error deriving thumbnail: %s", err)
 	}
@@ -287,7 +337,7 @@ func (mh *mediaHandler) processHeaderOrAvi(imageBytes []byte, contentType string
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error parsing image: %s", err)
 	}
 
-	small, err := deriveThumbnail(clean, contentType)
+	small, err := deriveThumbnail(clean, contentType, 256, 256)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error deriving thumbnail: %s", err)
 	}
diff --git a/internal/media/util.go b/internal/media/util.go
index 518da1db8..25aeeadd4 100644
--- a/internal/media/util.go
+++ b/internal/media/util.go
@@ -86,6 +86,11 @@ func supportedVideoType(mimeType string) bool {
 	return false
 }
 
+// supportedEmojiType checks that the content type is image/png -- the only type supported for emoji.
+func supportedEmojiType(mimeType string) bool {
+	return mimeType == "image/png"
+}
+
 // purgeExif is a little wrapper for the action of removing exif data from an image.
 // Only pass pngs or jpegs to this function.
 func purgeExif(b []byte) ([]byte, error) {
@@ -191,7 +196,7 @@ func deriveImage(b []byte, extension string) (*imageAndMeta, error) {
 //
 // Note that the aspect ratio of the image will be retained,
 // so it will not necessarily be a square.
-func deriveThumbnail(b []byte, extension string) (*imageAndMeta, error) {
+func deriveThumbnail(b []byte, extension string, x uint, y uint) (*imageAndMeta, error) {
 	var i image.Image
 	var err error
 
@@ -215,7 +220,7 @@ func deriveThumbnail(b []byte, extension string) (*imageAndMeta, error) {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("extension %s not recognised", extension)
 	}
 
-	thumb := resize.Thumbnail(256, 256, i, resize.NearestNeighbor)
+	thumb := resize.Thumbnail(x, y, i, resize.NearestNeighbor)
 	width := thumb.Bounds().Size().X
 	height := thumb.Bounds().Size().Y
 	size := width * height
diff --git a/internal/media/util_test.go b/internal/media/util_test.go
index f24c1660f..be617a256 100644
--- a/internal/media/util_test.go
+++ b/internal/media/util_test.go
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ func (suite *MediaUtilTestSuite) TestDeriveThumbnailFromJPEG() {
 	assert.Nil(suite.T(), err)
 
 	// clean it up and validate the clean version
-	imageAndMeta, err := deriveThumbnail(b, "image/jpeg")
+	imageAndMeta, err := deriveThumbnail(b, "image/jpeg", 256, 256)
 	assert.Nil(suite.T(), err)
 
 	assert.Equal(suite.T(), 256, imageAndMeta.width)
diff --git a/testrig/db.go b/testrig/db.go
index c62ca925c..4d5bb6f18 100644
--- a/testrig/db.go
+++ b/testrig/db.go
@@ -58,10 +58,6 @@ func NewTestDB() db.DB {
 
 // StandardDBSetup populates a given db with all the necessary tables/models for perfoming tests.
 func StandardDBSetup(db db.DB) {
-	if err := db.CreateInstanceAccount(); err != nil {
-		panic(err)
-	}
-	
 	for _, m := range testModels {
 		if err := db.CreateTable(m); err != nil {
 			panic(err)
@@ -109,6 +105,10 @@ func StandardDBSetup(db db.DB) {
 			panic(err)
 		}
 	}
+
+	if err := db.CreateInstanceAccount(); err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
 }
 
 // StandardDBTeardown drops all the standard testing tables/models from the database to ensure it's clean for the next test.