diff --git a/kernel/kernel-impl/src/main/java/org/sakaiproject/util/impl/LinkMigrationHelperImpl.java b/kernel/kernel-impl/src/main/java/org/sakaiproject/util/impl/LinkMigrationHelperImpl.java
index 22d69fc45bfa..017f12234952 100644
--- a/kernel/kernel-impl/src/main/java/org/sakaiproject/util/impl/LinkMigrationHelperImpl.java
+++ b/kernel/kernel-impl/src/main/java/org/sakaiproject/util/impl/LinkMigrationHelperImpl.java
@@ -36,8 +36,9 @@
 
 @Slf4j
 public class LinkMigrationHelperImpl implements LinkMigrationHelper {
-	private static final String ESCAPED_SPACE= "%"+"20";
-	private static final String[] shortenerDomainsToExpand = {"/x/", "bit.ly"};
+	private static final String ESCAPED_SPACE = "%"+"20";
+	private static final String[] ENCODED_IMAGE = {"data:image"};
+	private static final String[] SHORTENER_STRINGS = {"/x/", "bit.ly"};
 
 	private ServerConfigurationService serverConfigurationService;
 
@@ -192,8 +193,8 @@ private String expandShortenedUrls(String msgBody){
 			}
 
 			for(String reference : references){
-				//If doesn't contain the prefix /x/, should ignore the URL.
-				if(referenceContainsShortenerDomains(reference)){
+				//If doesn't contain the prefix /x/ or is an encoded image, should ignore the URL.
+				if(!referenceContainsEncodedImage(reference) && referenceContainsShortenerDomains(reference)){
 					String longUrl = this.expandShortenedUrl(reference);
 					replacedBody = StringUtils.replace(replacedBody, reference, longUrl);
 				}
@@ -202,8 +203,12 @@ private String expandShortenedUrls(String msgBody){
 		return replacedBody;
 	}
 
+	private boolean referenceContainsEncodedImage(String reference) {
+		return Arrays.stream(ENCODED_IMAGE).anyMatch(reference::contains);
+	}
+
 	private boolean referenceContainsShortenerDomains(String reference) {
-		return Arrays.stream(shortenerDomainsToExpand).anyMatch(reference::contains);
+		return Arrays.stream(SHORTENER_STRINGS).anyMatch(reference::contains);
 	}
 
 	private String expandShortenedUrl(String shortenedUrl){