diff --git a/server/channels/app/post_metadata.go b/server/channels/app/post_metadata.go
index a1aa6a93db..3e957ac3ca 100644
--- a/server/channels/app/post_metadata.go
+++ b/server/channels/app/post_metadata.go
@@ -585,6 +585,11 @@ func (a *App) containsPermalink(post *model.Post) bool {
 func (a *App) getLinkMetadata(c request.CTX, requestURL string, timestamp int64, isNewPost bool, previewedPostPropVal string) (*opengraph.OpenGraph, *model.PostImage, *model.Permalink, error) {
 	requestURL = resolveMetadataURL(requestURL, a.GetSiteURL())
 
+	// If it's an embedded image, nothing to do.
+	if strings.HasPrefix(strings.ToLower(requestURL), "data:image/") {
+		return nil, nil, nil, nil
+	}
+
 	timestamp = model.FloorToNearestHour(timestamp)
 
 	// Check cache
diff --git a/server/platform/services/imageproxy/imageproxy.go b/server/platform/services/imageproxy/imageproxy.go
index f9e5d6e13f..2737691e68 100644
--- a/server/platform/services/imageproxy/imageproxy.go
+++ b/server/platform/services/imageproxy/imageproxy.go
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ func (proxy *ImageProxy) GetImageDirect(imageURL string) (io.ReadCloser, string,
 // GetProxiedImageURL takes the URL of an image and returns a URL that can be used to view that image through the
 // image proxy.
 func (proxy *ImageProxy) GetProxiedImageURL(imageURL string) string {
-	if imageURL == "" || proxy.siteURL == nil {
+	if imageURL == "" || proxy.siteURL == nil || strings.HasPrefix(strings.ToLower(imageURL), "data:image/") {
 		return imageURL
 	}
 	// Parse url, return siteURL in case of failure.
diff --git a/server/platform/services/imageproxy/imageproxy_test.go b/server/platform/services/imageproxy/imageproxy_test.go
index 4f0b816ce4..dcd21b0060 100644
--- a/server/platform/services/imageproxy/imageproxy_test.go
+++ b/server/platform/services/imageproxy/imageproxy_test.go
@@ -66,6 +66,11 @@ func TestGetProxiedImageURL(t *testing.T) {
 			Input:    "https://mattermost.example.com@anothersite.com/static/logo.png",
 			Expected: "https://mattermost.example.com/api/v4/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmattermost.example.com%40anothersite.com%2Fstatic%2Flogo.png",
 		},
+		{
+			Name:     "should not proxy embedded image",
+			Input:    "data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAUAAAAFCAYAAACNbyblAAAAHElEQVQI12P4//8/w38GIAXDIBKE0DHxgljNBAAO9TXL0Y4OHwAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==",
+			Expected: "data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAUAAAAFCAYAAACNbyblAAAAHElEQVQI12P4//8/w38GIAXDIBKE0DHxgljNBAAO9TXL0Y4OHwAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==",
+		},
 	} {
 		t.Run(test.Name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			assert.Equal(t, test.Expected, proxy.GetProxiedImageURL(test.Input))