diff --git a/src/Model/Photo.php b/src/Model/Photo.php
index 61fc2df4ea..30e6668987 100644
--- a/src/Model/Photo.php
+++ b/src/Model/Photo.php
@@ -804,30 +804,33 @@ class Photo
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Returns the GUID from picture links
+	 * Fetch the guid and scale from picture links
 	 *
 	 * @param string $name Picture link
-	 * @return string GUID
-	 * @throws \Exception
+	 * @return array
 	 */
-	public static function getGUID($name)
+	public static function getResourceData(string $name):array
 	{
 		$base = DI::baseUrl()->get();
 
 		$guid = str_replace([Strings::normaliseLink($base), '/photo/'], '', Strings::normaliseLink($name));
 
+		if (parse_url($guid, PHP_URL_SCHEME)) {
+			return [];
+		}
+
 		$guid = self::stripExtension($guid);
 		if (substr($guid, -2, 1) != "-") {
-			return '';
+			return [];
 		}
 
 		$scale = intval(substr($guid, -1, 1));
 		if (!is_numeric($scale)) {
-			return '';
+			return [];
 		}
 
 		$guid = substr($guid, 0, -2);
-		return $guid;
+		return ['guid' => $guid, 'scale' => $scale];
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -839,13 +842,12 @@ class Photo
 	 */
 	public static function isLocal($name)
 	{
-		$guid = self::getGUID($name);
-
-		if (empty($guid)) {
+		$data = self::getResourceData($name);
+		if (empty($data)) {
 			return false;
 		}
 
-		return DBA::exists('photo', ['resource-id' => $guid]);
+		return DBA::exists('photo', ['resource-id' => $data['guid'], 'scale' => $data['scale']]);
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/src/Network/HTTPRequest.php b/src/Network/HTTPRequest.php
index bd31ac1e14..622828b434 100644
--- a/src/Network/HTTPRequest.php
+++ b/src/Network/HTTPRequest.php
@@ -74,6 +74,10 @@ class HTTPRequest implements IHTTPRequest
 	{
 		$stamp1 = microtime(true);
 
+		if (Network::isLocalLink($url)) {
+			$this->logger->info('Local link', ['url' => $url, 'callstack' => System::callstack(20)]);
+		}
+
 		if (strlen($url) > 1000) {
 			$this->logger->debug('URL is longer than 1000 characters.', ['url' => $url, 'callstack' => System::callstack(20)]);
 			$this->profiler->saveTimestamp($stamp1, 'network');
@@ -226,6 +230,10 @@ class HTTPRequest implements IHTTPRequest
 	{
 		$stamp1 = microtime(true);
 
+		if (Network::isLocalLink($url)) {
+			$this->logger->info('Local link', ['url' => $url, 'callstack' => System::callstack(20)]);
+		}
+
 		if (Network::isUrlBlocked($url)) {
 			$this->logger->info('Domain is blocked.' . ['url' => $url]);
 			$this->profiler->saveTimestamp($stamp1, 'network');
@@ -328,6 +336,10 @@ class HTTPRequest implements IHTTPRequest
 	 */
 	public function finalUrl(string $url, int $depth = 1, bool $fetchbody = false)
 	{
+		if (Network::isLocalLink($url)) {
+			$this->logger->info('Local link', ['url' => $url, 'callstack' => System::callstack(20)]);
+		}
+
 		if (Network::isUrlBlocked($url)) {
 			$this->logger->info('Domain is blocked.', ['url' => $url]);
 			return $url;
diff --git a/src/Util/Images.php b/src/Util/Images.php
index 7b11ea3f6b..3b07aee2fc 100644
--- a/src/Util/Images.php
+++ b/src/Util/Images.php
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@
 namespace Friendica\Util;
 
 use Friendica\Core\Logger;
-use Friendica\Core\System;
 use Friendica\DI;
+use Friendica\Model\Photo;
 
 /**
  * Image utilities
@@ -184,7 +184,16 @@ class Images
 			return $data;
 		}
 
-		$img_str = DI::httpRequest()->fetch($url, 4);
+		if (Network::isLocalLink($url) && ($data = Photo::getResourceData($url))) {
+			$photo = Photo::getPhoto($data['guid'], $data['scale']);
+			if (!empty($photo)) {
+				$img_str = Photo::getImageDataForPhoto($photo);
+			}
+		}
+
+		if (empty($img_str)) {
+			$img_str = DI::httpRequest()->fetch($url, 4);
+		}
 
 		if (!$img_str) {
 			return [];