diff --git a/blueprints/tasks.py b/blueprints/tasks.py
index 6368355..116b3df 100644
--- a/blueprints/tasks.py
+++ b/blueprints/tasks.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ from requests.exceptions import HTTPError
 
 import config
 from config import DB
+from config import MEDIA_CACHE
 from core import gc
 from core.activitypub import Box
 from core.activitypub import _actor_hash
@@ -296,6 +297,22 @@ def task_cache_actor() -> _Response:
     return ""
 
 
+@blueprint.route("/task/cache_actor_icon", methods=["POST"])
+def task_cache_actor_icon() -> _Response:
+    task = p.parse(flask.request)
+    app.logger.info(f"task={task!r}")
+    actor_iri = task.payload["actor_iri"]
+    icon_url = task.payload["icon_url"]
+    try:
+        MEDIA_CACHE.cache_actor_icon(icon_url)
+    except Exception as exc:
+        err = f"failed to cache actor icon {icon_url} for {actor_iri}"
+        app.logger.exception(err)
+        raise TaskError() from exc
+
+    return ""
+
+
 @blueprint.route("/task/forward_activity", methods=["POST"])
 def task_forward_activity() -> _Response:
     task = p.parse(flask.request)
diff --git a/core/activitypub.py b/core/activitypub.py
index 784df75..43f2f5e 100644
--- a/core/activitypub.py
+++ b/core/activitypub.py
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ from config import DB
 from config import EXTRA_INBOXES
 from config import ID
 from config import ME
-from config import MEDIA_CACHE
 from config import USER_AGENT
 from core.db import update_many_activities
 from core.meta import Box
@@ -658,13 +657,12 @@ def activity_from_doc(raw_doc: Dict[str, Any], embed: bool = False) -> Dict[str,
 def _cache_actor_icon(actor: ap.BaseActivity) -> None:
     if actor.icon:
         if isinstance(actor.icon, dict) and "url" in actor.icon:
-            MEDIA_CACHE.cache_actor_icon(actor.icon["url"])
+            Tasks.cache_actor_icon(actor.icon["url"], actor.id)
         else:
             logger.warning(f"failed to parse icon {actor.icon} for {actor!r}")
 
 
 def update_cached_actor(actor: ap.BaseActivity) -> None:
-    _cache_actor_icon(actor)
     actor_hash = _actor_hash(actor)
     update_many_activities(
         {
@@ -687,3 +685,4 @@ def update_cached_actor(actor: ap.BaseActivity) -> None:
             }
         ),
     )
+    _cache_actor_icon(actor)
diff --git a/core/inbox.py b/core/inbox.py
index 0d1b369..fc4b1f1 100644
--- a/core/inbox.py
+++ b/core/inbox.py
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ def _update_process_inbox(update: ap.Update, new_meta: _NewMeta) -> None:
     elif obj.has_type(ap.ACTOR_TYPES):
         with no_cache():
             actor = ap.fetch_remote_activity(obj.get_actor().id)
-            update_cached_actor(actor)
+        update_cached_actor(actor)
 
 
 @process_inbox.register
diff --git a/core/tasks.py b/core/tasks.py
index 3f90f10..13a9d04 100644
--- a/core/tasks.py
+++ b/core/tasks.py
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@ class Tasks:
             "/task/cache_actor",
         )
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def cache_actor_icon(icon_url: str, actor_iri: str):
+        p.push({"icon_url": icon_url, "actor_iri": actor_iri}, "/task/cache_actor_icon")
+
     @staticmethod
     def post_to_remote_inbox(payload: str, recp: str) -> None:
         p.push({"payload": payload, "to": recp}, "/task/post_to_remote_inbox")