diff --git a/runelite-client/src/main/java/net/runelite/client/plugins/emojis/EmojiPlugin.java b/runelite-client/src/main/java/net/runelite/client/plugins/emojis/EmojiPlugin.java
index 39d022c3e7..7b72f1483d 100644
--- a/runelite-client/src/main/java/net/runelite/client/plugins/emojis/EmojiPlugin.java
+++ b/runelite-client/src/main/java/net/runelite/client/plugins/emojis/EmojiPlugin.java
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@ import net.runelite.api.IndexedSprite;
 import net.runelite.api.MessageNode;
 import net.runelite.api.Player;
 import net.runelite.api.events.ChatMessage;
-import net.runelite.api.events.GameStateChanged;
 import net.runelite.api.events.OverheadTextChanged;
 import net.runelite.client.callback.ClientThread;
 import net.runelite.client.eventbus.Subscribe;
@@ -67,27 +66,27 @@ public class EmojiPlugin extends Plugin
 	@Override
 	protected void startUp()
 	{
-		clientThread.invoke(this::loadEmojiIcons);
-	}
-
-	@Subscribe
-	public void onGameStateChanged(GameStateChanged gameStateChanged)
-	{
-		if (gameStateChanged.getGameState() == GameState.LOGGED_IN)
+		clientThread.invoke(() ->
 		{
+			if (client.getModIcons() == null)
+			{
+				return false;
+			}
 			loadEmojiIcons();
-		}
+			return true;
+		});
 	}
 
 	private void loadEmojiIcons()
 	{
-		final IndexedSprite[] modIcons = client.getModIcons();
-		if (modIconsStart != -1 || modIcons == null)
+		if (modIconsStart != -1)
 		{
 			return;
 		}
 
 		final Emoji[] emojis = Emoji.values();
+		final IndexedSprite[] modIcons = client.getModIcons();
+		assert modIcons != null;
 		final IndexedSprite[] newModIcons = Arrays.copyOf(modIcons, modIcons.length + emojis.length);
 		modIconsStart = modIcons.length;
 
diff --git a/runelite-client/src/test/java/net/runelite/client/plugins/emojis/EmojiPluginTest.java b/runelite-client/src/test/java/net/runelite/client/plugins/emojis/EmojiPluginTest.java
index 99fc2dc174..3157b15575 100644
--- a/runelite-client/src/test/java/net/runelite/client/plugins/emojis/EmojiPluginTest.java
+++ b/runelite-client/src/test/java/net/runelite/client/plugins/emojis/EmojiPluginTest.java
@@ -28,24 +28,27 @@ import com.google.inject.Guice;
 import com.google.inject.Inject;
 import com.google.inject.testing.fieldbinder.Bind;
 import com.google.inject.testing.fieldbinder.BoundFieldModule;
+import java.util.function.BooleanSupplier;
 import net.runelite.api.ChatMessageType;
 import net.runelite.api.Client;
 import net.runelite.api.GameState;
 import net.runelite.api.IndexedSprite;
 import net.runelite.api.MessageNode;
 import net.runelite.api.events.ChatMessage;
-import net.runelite.api.events.GameStateChanged;
+import net.runelite.client.callback.ClientThread;
 import net.runelite.client.chat.ChatMessageManager;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertNull;
 import org.junit.Before;
 import org.junit.Test;
 import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
+import static org.mockito.ArgumentMatchers.any;
 import org.mockito.Mock;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.doAnswer;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.mock;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.verify;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.when;
 import org.mockito.junit.MockitoJUnitRunner;
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertNull;
 
 @RunWith(MockitoJUnitRunner.class)
 public class EmojiPluginTest
@@ -58,6 +61,10 @@ public class EmojiPluginTest
 	@Bind
 	private ChatMessageManager chatMessageManager;
 
+	@Mock
+	@Bind
+	private ClientThread clientThread;
+
 	@Inject
 	private EmojiPlugin emojiPlugin;
 
@@ -65,19 +72,23 @@ public class EmojiPluginTest
 	public void before()
 	{
 		Guice.createInjector(BoundFieldModule.of(this)).injectMembers(this);
+
+		when(client.getModIcons()).thenReturn(new IndexedSprite[0]);
+		when(client.createIndexedSprite()).thenReturn(mock(IndexedSprite.class));
+
+		doAnswer(a ->
+		{
+			final BooleanSupplier b = a.getArgument(0);
+			return b.getAsBoolean();
+		}).when(clientThread).invoke(any(BooleanSupplier.class));
+
+		emojiPlugin.startUp();
 	}
 
 	@Test
 	public void testOnChatMessage()
 	{
 		when(client.getGameState()).thenReturn(GameState.LOGGED_IN);
-		when(client.getModIcons()).thenReturn(new IndexedSprite[0]);
-		when(client.createIndexedSprite()).thenReturn(mock(IndexedSprite.class));
-
-		// Trip emoji loading
-		GameStateChanged gameStateChanged = new GameStateChanged();
-		gameStateChanged.setGameState(GameState.LOGGED_IN);
-		emojiPlugin.onGameStateChanged(gameStateChanged);
 
 		MessageNode messageNode = mock(MessageNode.class);
 		// With chat recolor, message may be wrapped in col tags
@@ -96,13 +107,6 @@ public class EmojiPluginTest
 	public void testGtLt()
 	{
 		when(client.getGameState()).thenReturn(GameState.LOGGED_IN);
-		when(client.getModIcons()).thenReturn(new IndexedSprite[0]);
-		when(client.createIndexedSprite()).thenReturn(mock(IndexedSprite.class));
-
-		// Trip emoji loading
-		GameStateChanged gameStateChanged = new GameStateChanged();
-		gameStateChanged.setGameState(GameState.LOGGED_IN);
-		emojiPlugin.onGameStateChanged(gameStateChanged);
 
 		MessageNode messageNode = mock(MessageNode.class);
 		when(messageNode.getValue()).thenReturn("<gt>:D<lt>");
@@ -119,8 +123,8 @@ public class EmojiPluginTest
 	@Test
 	public void testEmojiUpdateMessage()
 	{
-		String PARTY_POPPER = "<img=" + (-1 + Emoji.getEmoji("@@@").ordinal()) + '>';
-		String OPEN_MOUTH = "<img=" + (-1 + Emoji.getEmoji(":O").ordinal()) + '>';
+		String PARTY_POPPER = "<img=" + Emoji.getEmoji("@@@").ordinal() + '>';
+		String OPEN_MOUTH = "<img=" + Emoji.getEmoji(":O").ordinal() + '>';
 		assertNull(emojiPlugin.updateMessage("@@@@@"));
 		assertEquals(PARTY_POPPER, emojiPlugin.updateMessage("@@@"));
 		assertEquals(PARTY_POPPER + ' ' + PARTY_POPPER, emojiPlugin.updateMessage("@@@ @@@"));