diff --git a/modules/templates/helper.go b/modules/templates/helper.go
index cfcfbbed3835..30ca767cae4d 100644
--- a/modules/templates/helper.go
+++ b/modules/templates/helper.go
@@ -59,7 +59,6 @@ func NewFuncMap() template.FuncMap {
 		"avatarHTML":     AvatarHTML,
 		"avatarByAction": AvatarByAction,
 		"avatarByEmail":  AvatarByEmail,
-		"repoAvatar":     RepoAvatar,
 		"EntryIcon":      base.EntryIcon,
 		"MigrationIcon":  MigrationIcon,
 		"ActionIcon":     ActionIcon,
diff --git a/modules/templates/util_avatar.go b/modules/templates/util_avatar.go
index 9f8f8f87a9d6..81961041a0ca 100644
--- a/modules/templates/util_avatar.go
+++ b/modules/templates/util_avatar.go
@@ -60,17 +60,6 @@ func AvatarByAction(ctx context.Context, action *activities_model.Action, others
 	return Avatar(ctx, action.ActUser, others...)
 }
 
-// RepoAvatar renders repo avatars. args: repo, size(int), class (string)
-func RepoAvatar(repo *repo_model.Repository, others ...any) template.HTML {
-	size, class := gitea_html.ParseSizeAndClass(avatars.DefaultAvatarPixelSize, avatars.DefaultAvatarClass, others...)
-
-	src := repo.RelAvatarLink()
-	if src != "" {
-		return AvatarHTML(src, size, class, repo.FullName())
-	}
-	return template.HTML("")
-}
-
 // AvatarByEmail renders avatars by email address. args: email, name, size (int), class (string)
 func AvatarByEmail(ctx context.Context, email, name string, others ...any) template.HTML {
 	size, class := gitea_html.ParseSizeAndClass(avatars.DefaultAvatarPixelSize, avatars.DefaultAvatarClass, others...)
diff --git a/templates/explore/repo_list.tmpl b/templates/explore/repo_list.tmpl
index 44f79003270d..260f165b732c 100644
--- a/templates/explore/repo_list.tmpl
+++ b/templates/explore/repo_list.tmpl
@@ -2,12 +2,7 @@
 	{{range .Repos}}
 		<div class="flex-item">
 			<div class="flex-item-leading">
-				{{$avatar := (repoAvatar . 32)}}
-				{{if $avatar}}
-					{{$avatar}}
-				{{else}}
-					{{template "repo/icon" .}}
-				{{end}}
+				{{template "repo/icon" .}}
 			</div>
 			<div class="flex-item-main">
 				<div class="flex-item-header">
diff --git a/templates/org/team/repositories.tmpl b/templates/org/team/repositories.tmpl
index 698b0a91bae3..ab5f6c6e75cd 100644
--- a/templates/org/team/repositories.tmpl
+++ b/templates/org/team/repositories.tmpl
@@ -30,12 +30,7 @@
 						{{range .Team.Repos}}
 							<div class="flex-item flex-item-center">
 								<div class="flex-item-leading">
-									{{$avatar := (repoAvatar . 32)}}
-									{{if $avatar}}
-										{{$avatar}}
-									{{else}}
-										{{template "repo/icon" .}}
-									{{end}}
+									{{template "repo/icon" .}}
 								</div>
 								<div class="flex-item-main">
 									<a class="flex-item-title text primary" href="{{$.Org.HomeLink}}/{{.Name | PathEscape}}">
diff --git a/templates/repo/header.tmpl b/templates/repo/header.tmpl
index 865f3ba4a7a3..984e9f044eb0 100644
--- a/templates/repo/header.tmpl
+++ b/templates/repo/header.tmpl
@@ -4,14 +4,9 @@
 		<div class="repo-header">
 			<div class="repo-title-wrap gt-df gt-fc">
 				<div class="repo-title" role="heading" aria-level="1">
-					{{$avatar := (repoAvatar . 32 "gt-mr-3")}}
-					{{if $avatar}}
-						{{$avatar}}
-					{{else}}
-						<div class="gt-mr-3">
-							{{template "repo/icon" .}}
-						</div>
-					{{end}}
+					<div class="gt-mr-3">
+						{{template "repo/icon" .}}
+					</div>
 					<a href="{{.Owner.HomeLink}}">{{.Owner.Name}}</a>
 					<div class="gt-mx-2">/</div>
 					<a href="{{$.RepoLink}}">{{.Name}}</a>
diff --git a/templates/repo/icon.tmpl b/templates/repo/icon.tmpl
index a37197d42af4..6c63e6eca698 100644
--- a/templates/repo/icon.tmpl
+++ b/templates/repo/icon.tmpl
@@ -1,15 +1,16 @@
 <div class="repo-icon">
-	{{if $.IsTemplate}}
+	{{$avatarLink := .RelAvatarLink}}
+	{{if $avatarLink}}
+		<img class="ui avatar gt-vm" src="{{$avatarLink}}" width="32" height="32" alt="{{.FullName}}">
+	{{else if $.IsTemplate}}
 		{{svg "octicon-repo-template" 32}}
+	{{else if $.IsPrivate}}
+		{{svg "octicon-lock" 32}}
+	{{else if $.IsMirror}}
+		{{svg "octicon-mirror" 32}}
+	{{else if $.IsFork}}
+		{{svg "octicon-repo-forked" 32}}
 	{{else}}
-		{{if $.IsPrivate}}
-			{{svg "octicon-lock" 32}}
-		{{else if $.IsMirror}}
-			{{svg "octicon-mirror" 32}}
-		{{else if $.IsFork}}
-			{{svg "octicon-repo-forked" 32}}
-		{{else}}
-			{{svg "octicon-repo" 32}}
-		{{end}}
+		{{svg "octicon-repo" 32}}
 	{{end}}
 </div>