diff --git a/modules/fileicon/fileicon.go b/modules/fileicon/fileicon.go
index 30a4b28d48..daf2df35f5 100644
--- a/modules/fileicon/fileicon.go
+++ b/modules/fileicon/fileicon.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package fileicon
 import (
 	"context"
 	"html/template"
-	"os"
 	"path"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -72,39 +71,31 @@ func getFileIconNames(entry *git.TreeEntry) []string {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func loadCustomIcon(iconPath string) (string, error) {
-	log.Debug("Loading custom icon from %s", iconPath)
-
-	if icon, ok := fileIconCache.Get(iconPath); ok {
-		return icon, nil
-	}
-
-	// Try to load the icon from the filesystem
-	if _, err := os.Stat(iconPath); err != nil {
-		return "", err
-	}
-
-	iconData, err := os.ReadFile(iconPath)
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", err
-	}
-
-	fileIconCache.Add(iconPath, string(iconData))
-
-	return string(iconData), nil
+type fileIconBackend interface {
+	GetIcon(string) (string, error)
 }
 
 // FileIcon returns a custom icon from a folder or the default octicon for displaying files/directories
 func FileIcon(ctx context.Context, entry *git.TreeEntry) template.HTML {
+	backend := &fileIconHTTPBackend{
+		theme:   setting.UI.FileIconTheme,
+		baseURL: "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/anbraten/gitea-icons/refs/heads/master/gitea/",
+	}
+
 	iconTheme := setting.UI.FileIconTheme
 	if iconTheme != "" {
 		iconNames := getFileIconNames(entry)
 
 		// Try to load the custom icon
 		for _, iconName := range iconNames {
-			iconPath := path.Join(setting.AppDataPath, "icons", iconTheme, iconName+".svg")
-			if icon, err := loadCustomIcon(iconPath); err == nil {
-				return svg.RenderHTMLFromString(icon)
+			if icon, err := backend.GetIcon(iconName); err == nil {
+				if icon, ok := fileIconCache.Get(iconName); ok {
+					return svg.RenderHTMLFromString(icon)
+				}
+
+				fileIconCache.Add(iconName, string(icon))
+
+				return svg.RenderHTMLFromString(string(icon))
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/modules/fileicon/fs.go b/modules/fileicon/fs.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..89b8b1ae50
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/fileicon/fs.go
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+package fileicon
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"path"
+
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/log"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/setting"
+)
+
+type fileIconFolderBackend struct {
+	theme string
+}
+
+func (f *fileIconFolderBackend) GetIcon(iconName string) (string, error) {
+	iconPath := path.Join(setting.AppDataPath, "icons", f.theme, iconName+".svg")
+
+	log.Debug("Loading custom icon from %s", iconPath)
+
+	// Try to load the icon from the filesystem
+	if _, err := os.Stat(iconPath); err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	iconData, err := os.ReadFile(iconPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	return string(iconData), nil
+}
diff --git a/modules/fileicon/http.go b/modules/fileicon/http.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a1fa3aae49
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/fileicon/http.go
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+package fileicon
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"net/http"
+	"path"
+
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/log"
+)
+
+type fileIconHTTPBackend struct {
+	theme   string
+	baseURL string
+}
+
+func (f *fileIconHTTPBackend) GetIcon(iconName string) (string, error) {
+	iconPath := path.Join(f.baseURL, f.theme, iconName+".svg")
+
+	log.Info("Loading custom icon from %s", iconPath)
+
+	// Try to load the icon via HTTP get
+	res, err := http.Get(iconPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	if res.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("Failed to load icon: %s", res.Status)
+	}
+
+	resBody, err := io.ReadAll(res.Body)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	return string(resBody), nil
+}