diff --git a/config/defaults.hjson b/config/defaults.hjson
index 8e58f522a..188ca324d 100644
--- a/config/defaults.hjson
+++ b/config/defaults.hjson
@@ -43,8 +43,6 @@
     url: "http://localhost:8080/"
     # Set a custom pictrs API key. ( Required for deleting images )
     api_key: "string"
-    # Cache remote images
-    cache_remote_thumbnails: true
     # If enabled, all images from remote domains are rewritten to pass through `/api/v3/image_proxy`.
     # This improves privacy as users don't expose their IP to untrusted servers, and decreases load
     # on other servers. However it causes more load for the local server.
diff --git a/crates/api_common/src/request.rs b/crates/api_common/src/request.rs
index bc59dd91d..8b355c866 100644
--- a/crates/api_common/src/request.rs
+++ b/crates/api_common/src/request.rs
@@ -233,37 +233,32 @@ async fn generate_pictrs_thumbnail(
 ) -> Result<Url, LemmyError> {
   let pictrs_config = context.settings().pictrs_config()?;
 
-  if pictrs_config.cache_remote_thumbnails {
-    // fetch remote non-pictrs images for persistent thumbnail link
-    // TODO: should limit size once supported by pictrs
-    let fetch_url = format!(
-      "{}image/download?url={}",
-      pictrs_config.url,
-      encode(image_url.as_str())
-    );
+  // fetch remote non-pictrs images for persistent thumbnail link
+  // TODO: should limit size once supported by pictrs
+  let fetch_url = format!(
+    "{}image/download?url={}",
+    pictrs_config.url,
+    encode(image_url.as_str())
+  );
 
-    let response = context
-      .client()
-      .get(&fetch_url)
-      .timeout(REQWEST_TIMEOUT)
-      .send()
-      .await?;
+  let response = context
+    .client()
+    .get(&fetch_url)
+    .timeout(REQWEST_TIMEOUT)
+    .send()
+    .await?;
 
-    let response: PictrsResponse = response.json().await?;
+  let response: PictrsResponse = response.json().await?;
 
-    if response.msg == "ok" {
-      let thumbnail_url = Url::parse(&format!(
-        "{}/pictrs/image/{}",
-        context.settings().get_protocol_and_hostname(),
-        response.files.first().expect("missing pictrs file").file
-      ))?;
-      Ok(thumbnail_url)
-    } else {
-      Err(LemmyErrorType::PictrsResponseError(response.msg))?
-    }
+  if response.msg == "ok" {
+    let thumbnail_url = Url::parse(&format!(
+      "{}/pictrs/image/{}",
+      context.settings().get_protocol_and_hostname(),
+      response.files.first().expect("missing pictrs file").file
+    ))?;
+    Ok(thumbnail_url)
   } else {
-    // return the original image as "thumbnail"
-    Ok(image_url.clone())
+    Err(LemmyErrorType::PictrsResponseError(response.msg))?
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/apub/src/objects/post.rs b/crates/apub/src/objects/post.rs
index 204d49021..5a652747f 100644
--- a/crates/apub/src/objects/post.rs
+++ b/crates/apub/src/objects/post.rs
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ use lemmy_api_common::{
     local_site_opt_to_sensitive,
     local_site_opt_to_slur_regex,
     process_markdown_opt,
+    proxy_image_link_opt_apub,
   },
 };
 use lemmy_db_schema::{
@@ -218,12 +219,17 @@ impl Object for ApubPost {
       let local_site = LocalSite::read(&mut context.pool()).await.ok();
       let allow_sensitive = local_site_opt_to_sensitive(&local_site);
       let page_is_sensitive = page.sensitive.unwrap_or(false);
-      let generate_thumbnail = allow_sensitive || !page_is_sensitive;
+      let allow_generate_thumbnail = allow_sensitive || !page_is_sensitive;
+      let mut thumbnail_url = page.image.map(|i| i.url);
+      let do_generate_thumbnail = thumbnail_url.is_none() && allow_generate_thumbnail;
+
+      // Generate local thumbnail only if no thumbnail was federated and 'sensitive' attributes allow it.
+      let metadata = fetch_link_metadata_opt(url.as_ref(), do_generate_thumbnail, context).await?;
+      if let Some(thumbnail_url_) = metadata.thumbnail {
+        thumbnail_url = Some(thumbnail_url_.into());
+      }
+      let thumbnail_url = proxy_image_link_opt_apub(thumbnail_url, context).await?;
 
-      // Only fetch metadata if the post has a url and was not seen previously. We dont want to
-      // waste resources by fetching metadata for the same post multiple times.
-      // Additionally, only fetch image if content is not sensitive or is allowed on local site.
-      let metadata = fetch_link_metadata_opt(url.as_ref(), generate_thumbnail, context).await?;
       let slur_regex = &local_site_opt_to_slur_regex(&local_site);
 
       let body = read_from_string_or_source_opt(&page.content, &page.media_type, &page.source);
@@ -246,7 +252,7 @@ impl Object for ApubPost {
         embed_title: metadata.title,
         embed_description: metadata.description,
         embed_video_url: metadata.embed_video_url,
-        thumbnail_url: metadata.thumbnail,
+        thumbnail_url,
         ap_id: Some(page.id.clone().into()),
         local: Some(false),
         language_id,
diff --git a/crates/apub/src/protocol/objects/page.rs b/crates/apub/src/protocol/objects/page.rs
index 0b5e6856c..85763dad4 100644
--- a/crates/apub/src/protocol/objects/page.rs
+++ b/crates/apub/src/protocol/objects/page.rs
@@ -168,10 +168,10 @@ impl Page {
 }
 
 impl Attachment {
-  pub(crate) fn new(url: DbUrl, content_type: Option<String>) -> Attachment {
+  pub(crate) fn new(url: DbUrl, media_type: Option<String>) -> Attachment {
     Attachment::Link(Link {
       href: url.into(),
-      content_type,
+      media_type,
       r#type: Default::default(),
     })
   }
diff --git a/crates/utils/src/settings/structs.rs b/crates/utils/src/settings/structs.rs
index 6bd17e9af..d5dc8c8f6 100644
--- a/crates/utils/src/settings/structs.rs
+++ b/crates/utils/src/settings/structs.rs
@@ -79,10 +79,6 @@ pub struct PictrsConfig {
   #[default(None)]
   pub api_key: Option<String>,
 
-  /// Cache remote images
-  #[default(true)]
-  pub cache_remote_thumbnails: bool,
-
   /// If enabled, all images from remote domains are rewritten to pass through `/api/v3/image_proxy`.
   /// This improves privacy as users don't expose their IP to untrusted servers, and decreases load
   /// on other servers. However it causes more load for the local server.