diff --git a/src/platformtheme/khintssettings.cpp b/src/platformtheme/khintssettings.cpp
--- a/src/platformtheme/khintssettings.cpp
+++ b/src/platformtheme/khintssettings.cpp
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 #include <QGuiApplication>
 #include <QDialogButtonBox>
 #include <QScreen>
+#include <QStandardPaths>
 
 #include <QDBusConnection>
 #include <QDBusInterface>
@@ -168,6 +169,9 @@
 {
     QStringList paths;
 
+    // make sure we have ~/.local/share/icons in paths if it exists
+    paths << QStandardPaths::locateAll(QStandardPaths::GenericDataLocation, QStringLiteral("icons"), QStandardPaths::LocateDirectory);
+
     const QFileInfo homeIconDir(QDir::homePath() + QStringLiteral("/.icons"));
     if (homeIconDir.isDir()) {
         paths << homeIconDir.absoluteFilePath();