diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/emoji/EmojiTextView.java b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/emoji/EmojiTextView.java
index 21feb8bd70..e6779c330e 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/emoji/EmojiTextView.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/emoji/EmojiTextView.java
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import org.whispersystems.libsignal.util.guava.Optional;
 public class EmojiTextView extends AppCompatTextView {
 
   private final boolean scaleEmojis;
+  private final boolean forceCustom;
 
   private static final char ELLIPSIS = '…';
 
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@ public class EmojiTextView extends AppCompatTextView {
     TypedArray a = context.getTheme().obtainStyledAttributes(attrs, R.styleable.EmojiTextView, 0, 0);
     scaleEmojis = a.getBoolean(R.styleable.EmojiTextView_scaleEmojis, false);
     maxLength   = a.getInteger(R.styleable.EmojiTextView_emoji_maxLength, -1);
+    forceCustom = a.getBoolean(R.styleable.EmojiTextView_emoji_forceCustom, false);
     a.recycle();
 
     a = context.obtainStyledAttributes(attrs, new int[]{android.R.attr.textSize});
@@ -166,7 +168,7 @@ public class EmojiTextView extends AppCompatTextView {
   }
 
   private boolean useSystemEmoji() {
-   return TextSecurePreferences.isSystemEmojiPreferred(getContext());
+   return !forceCustom && TextSecurePreferences.isSystemEmojiPreferred(getContext());
   }
 
   @Override
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/layout/reactions_bottom_sheet_dialog_fragment_emoji_item.xml b/app/src/main/res/layout/reactions_bottom_sheet_dialog_fragment_emoji_item.xml
index 0fb6b51f66..5a0a37d466 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/layout/reactions_bottom_sheet_dialog_fragment_emoji_item.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/layout/reactions_bottom_sheet_dialog_fragment_emoji_item.xml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
     xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
+    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
     android:layout_width="62dp"
     android:layout_height="36dp"
     android:layout_marginStart="6dp"
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@
         android:includeFontPadding="false"
         android:textSize="22dp"
         android:textStyle="bold"
+        app:emoji_forceCustom="true"
         tools:ignore="SpUsage"
         tools:text=":-)" />
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/layout/reactions_bottom_sheet_dialog_fragment_recipient_item.xml b/app/src/main/res/layout/reactions_bottom_sheet_dialog_fragment_recipient_item.xml
index e0b416a8fb..fac0e51b4f 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/layout/reactions_bottom_sheet_dialog_fragment_recipient_item.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/layout/reactions_bottom_sheet_dialog_fragment_recipient_item.xml
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
         android:layout_marginStart="16dp"
         android:gravity="center"
         android:textSize="22dp"
+        app:emoji_forceCustom="true"
         app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
         app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent"
         app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="parent"
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/layout/reactions_pill.xml b/app/src/main/res/layout/reactions_pill.xml
index 69fdb87116..97c81c1b11 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/layout/reactions_pill.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/layout/reactions_pill.xml
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 <LinearLayout
     xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
     xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
+    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
     android:orientation="horizontal"
     android:layout_width="wrap_content"
     android:layout_height="wrap_content"
@@ -16,6 +17,7 @@
       android:layout_width="wrap_content"
       android:layout_height="wrap_content"
       android:textSize="16dp"
+      app:emoji_forceCustom="true"
       tools:ignore="SpUsage" />
 
   <Space
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/attrs.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/attrs.xml
index e06e75f949..12653667d3 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/attrs.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/attrs.xml
@@ -336,6 +336,7 @@
     <declare-styleable name="EmojiTextView">
         <attr name="scaleEmojis" format="boolean" />
         <attr name="emoji_maxLength" format="integer" />
+        <attr name="emoji_forceCustom" format="boolean" />
     </declare-styleable>
 
     <declare-styleable name="RingtonePreference">