diff --git a/applets/kicker/plugin/appentry.cpp b/applets/kicker/plugin/appentry.cpp
--- a/applets/kicker/plugin/appentry.cpp
+++ b/applets/kicker/plugin/appentry.cpp
@@ -102,7 +102,15 @@
 QIcon AppEntry::icon() const
 {
     if (m_icon.isNull()) {
-        m_icon = QIcon::fromTheme(m_service->icon(), QIcon::fromTheme("unknown"));
+        m_icon = QIcon::fromTheme(m_service->icon());
+
+        if (m_icon.isNull()) {
+            m_icon = QIcon(m_service->icon());
+        }
+
+        if (m_icon.isNull()) {
+            m_icon = QIcon::fromTheme(QStringLiteral("unknown"));
+        }
     }
     return m_icon;
 }