diff --git a/src/desktopicon.h b/src/desktopicon.h
--- a/src/desktopicon.h
+++ b/src/desktopicon.h
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
     Q_PROPERTY(bool selected READ selected WRITE setSelected NOTIFY selectedChanged)
     Q_PROPERTY(bool isMask READ isMask WRITE setIsMask NOTIFY isMaskChanged)
     Q_PROPERTY(QColor color READ color WRITE setColor NOTIFY colorChanged)
+    Q_PROPERTY(QString fallback READ fallback WRITE setFallback NOTIFY fallbackChanged)
 
 public:
     DesktopIcon(QQuickItem *parent = nullptr);
@@ -77,6 +78,9 @@
     void setColor(const QColor &color);
     QColor color() const;
 
+    QString fallback() const;
+    void setFallback(const QString &fallback);
+
     QSGNode* updatePaintNode(QSGNode* node, UpdatePaintNodeData* data) override;
 
 Q_SIGNALS:
@@ -88,6 +92,7 @@
     void selectedChanged();
     void isMaskChanged();
     void colorChanged();
+    void fallbackChanged(const QString &fallback);
 
 protected:
     void geometryChanged(const QRectF &newGeometry, const QRectF &oldGeometry) override;
@@ -107,6 +112,7 @@
     bool m_isMask;
     QImage m_loadedImage;
     QColor m_color = Qt::transparent;
+    QString m_fallback = QStringLiteral("unknown");
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/desktopicon.cpp b/src/desktopicon.cpp
--- a/src/desktopicon.cpp
+++ b/src/desktopicon.cpp
@@ -415,7 +415,7 @@
         if (m_loadedImage.isNull()) {
             // broken image from data, inform the user of this with some useful broken-image thing...
             const QSize size = QSize(width(), height()) * (window() ? window()->devicePixelRatio() : qApp->devicePixelRatio());
-            m_loadedImage = QIcon::fromTheme(QStringLiteral("unknown")).pixmap(size, iconMode(), QIcon::On).toImage();
+            m_loadedImage = QIcon::fromTheme(m_fallback).pixmap(size, iconMode(), QIcon::On).toImage();
         }
         m_changed = true;
         update();
@@ -525,3 +525,16 @@
     }
     return QIcon::Normal;
 }
+
+QString DesktopIcon::fallback() const
+{
+    return m_fallback;
+}
+
+void DesktopIcon::setFallback(const QString& fallback)
+{
+    if (m_fallback != fallback) {
+        m_fallback = fallback;
+        Q_EMIT fallbackChanged(fallback);
+    }
+}