diff --git a/crates/egui_extras/src/loaders/image_loader.rs b/crates/egui_extras/src/loaders/image_loader.rs
index d26d64b1587..53b3b6391c6 100644
--- a/crates/egui_extras/src/loaders/image_loader.rs
+++ b/crates/egui_extras/src/loaders/image_loader.rs
@@ -72,31 +72,43 @@ impl ImageLoader for ImageCrateLoader {
                         return Err(LoadError::NotSupported);
                     }
 
-                    let uri = uri.to_owned();
-                    cache.insert(uri.clone(), Poll::Pending);
-                    drop(cache);
-
-                    // Do the image parsing on a bg thread
-                    thread::Builder::new()
-                        .name(format!("egui_extras::ImageLoader::load({uri:?})"))
-                        .spawn({
-                            let ctx = ctx.clone();
-                            let cache = self.cache.clone();
-
-                            let uri = uri.clone();
-                            move || {
-                                log::trace!("ImageLoader - started loading {uri:?}");
-                                let result = crate::image::load_image_bytes(&bytes).map(Arc::new);
-                                log::trace!("ImageLoader - finished loading {uri:?}");
-                                let prev = cache.lock().insert(uri, Poll::Ready(result));
-                                assert!(matches!(prev, Some(Poll::Pending)));
-
-                                ctx.request_repaint();
-                            }
-                        })
-                        .expect("failed to spawn thread");
-
-                    Ok(ImagePoll::Pending { size: None })
+                    if cfg!(target_arch = "wasm32") {
+                        log::trace!("started loading {uri:?}");
+                        let result = crate::image::load_image_bytes(&bytes).map(Arc::new);
+                        log::trace!("finished loading {uri:?}");
+                        cache.insert(uri.into(), std::task::Poll::Ready(result.clone()));
+                        match result {
+                            Ok(image) => Ok(ImagePoll::Ready { image }),
+                            Err(err) => Err(LoadError::Loading(err)),
+                        }
+                    } else {
+                        let uri = uri.to_owned();
+                        cache.insert(uri.clone(), Poll::Pending);
+                        drop(cache);
+
+                        // Do the image parsing on a bg thread
+                        thread::Builder::new()
+                            .name(format!("egui_extras::ImageLoader::load({uri:?})"))
+                            .spawn({
+                                let ctx = ctx.clone();
+                                let cache = self.cache.clone();
+
+                                let uri = uri.clone();
+                                move || {
+                                    log::trace!("ImageLoader - started loading {uri:?}");
+                                    let result =
+                                        crate::image::load_image_bytes(&bytes).map(Arc::new);
+                                    log::trace!("ImageLoader - finished loading {uri:?}");
+                                    let prev = cache.lock().insert(uri, Poll::Ready(result));
+                                    assert!(matches!(prev, Some(Poll::Pending)));
+
+                                    ctx.request_repaint();
+                                }
+                            })
+                            .expect("failed to spawn thread");
+
+                        Ok(ImagePoll::Pending { size: None })
+                    }
                 }
                 Ok(BytesPoll::Pending { size }) => Ok(ImagePoll::Pending { size }),
                 Err(err) => Err(err),