diff --git a/discordbot/youtube.py b/discordbot/youtube.py
index 8b85b7d..aced012 100644
--- a/discordbot/youtube.py
+++ b/discordbot/youtube.py
@@ -218,7 +218,8 @@ async def _sendMessage(notification: YouTubeNotification, message: str, video_ur
 			embed.description = embed_description
 		
 		author_name = _format_embed_text(notification.embed_author_name, channel_name, video_title, video_url, video_id, thumbnail, published_at, is_short) if notification.embed_author_name else channel_name
-		author_icon = notification.embed_author_icon if notification.embed_author_icon else "https://www.youtube.com/img/desktop/yt_1200.png"
+		author_icon_raw = (notification.embed_author_icon or "").strip()
+		author_icon = author_icon_raw if author_icon_raw.startswith(("http://", "https://")) else "https://www.youtube.com/img/desktop/yt_1200.png"
 		embed.set_author(name=author_name, icon_url=author_icon)
 		
 		if notification.embed_thumbnail and thumbnail:
diff --git a/webapp/youtube.py b/webapp/youtube.py
index 8d156d4..2d5f8cb 100644
--- a/webapp/youtube.py
+++ b/webapp/youtube.py
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ def addYouTube():
 		embed_color=embed_color,
 		embed_footer=request.form.get('embed_footer') or None,
 		embed_author_name=request.form.get('embed_author_name') or None,
-		embed_author_icon=request.form.get('embed_author_icon') or None,
+		embed_author_icon=(request.form.get('embed_author_icon') or '').strip() or None,
 		embed_thumbnail=request.form.get('embed_thumbnail') == 'on',
 		embed_image=request.form.get('embed_image') == 'on'
 	)
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ def submitEditYouTube(id):
 	notification.embed_color = embed_color
 	notification.embed_footer = request.form.get('embed_footer') or None
 	notification.embed_author_name = request.form.get('embed_author_name') or None
-	notification.embed_author_icon = request.form.get('embed_author_icon') or None
+	notification.embed_author_icon = (request.form.get('embed_author_icon') or '').strip() or None
 	notification.embed_thumbnail = request.form.get('embed_thumbnail') == 'on'
 	notification.embed_image = request.form.get('embed_image') == 'on'
 	db.session.commit()