diff --git a/docs/api/swagger.yaml b/docs/api/swagger.yaml
index 52d024304..3ef284ef1 100644
--- a/docs/api/swagger.yaml
+++ b/docs/api/swagger.yaml
@@ -3752,6 +3752,7 @@ info:
         read:applications: grants read access to user-managed applications
         read:blocks: grants read access to blocks
         read:bookmarks: grants read access to bookmarks
+        read:custom_emojis: grants read access to custom emojis
         read:favourites: grants read access to accounts
         read:filters: grants read access to filters
         read:follows: grants read access to follows
@@ -8126,6 +8127,7 @@ paths:
                 - conversations
     /api/v1/custom_emojis:
         get:
+            description: If the instance config setting `instance-expose-custom-emojis` is `true` then authentication is not required.
             operationId: customEmojisGet
             produces:
                 - application/json
@@ -8143,7 +8145,8 @@ paths:
                 "500":
                     description: internal server error
             security:
-                - OAuth2 Bearer: []
+                - OAuth2 Bearer:
+                    - read:custom_emojis
             summary: Get an array of custom emojis available on the instance.
             tags:
                 - custom_emojis
@@ -13588,6 +13591,7 @@ securityDefinitions:
             read:applications: grants read access to user-managed applications
             read:blocks: grants read access to blocks
             read:bookmarks: grants read access to bookmarks
+            read:custom_emojis: grants read access to custom emojis
             read:favourites: grants read access to accounts
             read:filters: grants read access to filters
             read:follows: grants read access to follows
diff --git a/docs/configuration/instance.md b/docs/configuration/instance.md
index 1b8282a27..3c856634b 100644
--- a/docs/configuration/instance.md
+++ b/docs/configuration/instance.md
@@ -139,6 +139,21 @@ instance-expose-blocklist-web: false
 # Default: false
 instance-expose-public-timeline: false
 
+# Bool. Allow unauthenticated access to /api/v1/custom_emojis, which
+# exposes the list of custom emojis available to users on this server.
+#
+# Setting this to 'true' may alleviate issues with clients that do not
+# provide an access token in their requests to the emojis endpoint, but
+# it also means that anyone can look at what emojis are installed on your
+# instance, which may present privacy / safety issues.
+#
+# Even if set to 'false', authenticated users (ie., instance members)
+# will still be able to query the endpoint using an access token.
+#
+# Options: [true, false]
+# Default: false
+instance-expose-custom-emojis: false
+
 # Bool. This flag tweaks whether GoToSocial will deliver ActivityPub messages
 # to the shared inbox of a recipient, if one is available, instead of delivering
 # each message to each actor who should receive a message individually.
diff --git a/docs/swagger.go b/docs/swagger.go
index 500abd7a2..c549a3de3 100644
--- a/docs/swagger.go
+++ b/docs/swagger.go
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@
 //   - read:applications: grants read access to user-managed applications
 //   - read:blocks: grants read access to blocks
 //   - read:bookmarks: grants read access to bookmarks
+//   - read:custom_emojis: grants read access to custom emojis
 //   - read:favourites: grants read access to accounts
 //   - read:filters: grants read access to filters
 //   - read:follows: grants read access to follows
@@ -99,6 +100,7 @@
 //	      read:applications: grants read access to user-managed applications
 //	      read:blocks: grants read access to blocks
 //	      read:bookmarks: grants read access to bookmarks
+//	      read:custom_emojis: grants read access to custom emojis
 //	      read:favourites: grants read access to accounts
 //	      read:filters: grants read access to filters
 //	      read:follows: grants read access to follows
diff --git a/example/config.yaml b/example/config.yaml
index 258285465..742bf891b 100644
--- a/example/config.yaml
+++ b/example/config.yaml
@@ -425,6 +425,21 @@ instance-expose-blocklist-web: false
 # Default: false
 instance-expose-public-timeline: false
 
+# Bool. Allow unauthenticated access to /api/v1/custom_emojis, which
+# exposes the list of custom emojis available to users on this server.
+#
+# Setting this to 'true' may alleviate issues with clients that do not
+# provide an access token in their requests to the emojis endpoint, but
+# it also means that anyone can look at what emojis are installed on your
+# instance, which may present privacy / safety issues.
+#
+# Even if set to 'false', authenticated users (ie., instance members)
+# will still be able to query the endpoint using an access token.
+#
+# Options: [true, false]
+# Default: false
+instance-expose-custom-emojis: false
+
 # Bool. This flag tweaks whether GoToSocial will deliver ActivityPub messages
 # to the shared inbox of a recipient, if one is available, instead of delivering
 # each message to each actor who should receive a message individually.
diff --git a/internal/api/client/customemojis/customemojisget.go b/internal/api/client/customemojis/customemojisget.go
index c63445aef..9aa878274 100644
--- a/internal/api/client/customemojis/customemojisget.go
+++ b/internal/api/client/customemojis/customemojisget.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 
 	apiutil "code.superseriousbusiness.org/gotosocial/internal/api/util"
+	"code.superseriousbusiness.org/gotosocial/internal/config"
 	"code.superseriousbusiness.org/gotosocial/internal/gtserror"
 	"github.com/gin-gonic/gin"
 )
@@ -29,6 +30,8 @@ import (
 //
 // Get an array of custom emojis available on the instance.
 //
+// If the instance config setting `instance-expose-custom-emojis` is `true` then authentication is not required.
+//
 //	---
 //	tags:
 //	- custom_emojis
@@ -37,7 +40,8 @@ import (
 //	- application/json
 //
 //	security:
-//	- OAuth2 Bearer: []
+//	- OAuth2 Bearer:
+//		- read:custom_emojis
 //
 //	responses:
 //		'200':
@@ -53,12 +57,16 @@ import (
 //		'500':
 //			description: internal server error
 func (m *Module) CustomEmojisGETHandler(c *gin.Context) {
-	_, errWithCode := apiutil.TokenAuth(c,
-		true, true, true, true,
-	)
-	if errWithCode != nil {
-		apiutil.ErrorHandler(c, errWithCode, m.processor.InstanceGetV1)
-		return
+	// If custom emojis are not exposed to unauthed
+	// callers, fail if a token was not provided.
+	if !config.GetInstanceExposeCustomEmojis() {
+		if _, errWithCode := apiutil.TokenAuth(c,
+			true, true, true, true,
+			apiutil.ScopeReadCustomEmojis,
+		); errWithCode != nil {
+			apiutil.ErrorHandler(c, errWithCode, m.processor.InstanceGetV1)
+			return
+		}
 	}
 
 	if _, err := apiutil.NegotiateAccept(c, apiutil.JSONAcceptHeaders...); err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/api/util/scopes.go b/internal/api/util/scopes.go
index 594a46ecd..492fa9dad 100644
--- a/internal/api/util/scopes.go
+++ b/internal/api/util/scopes.go
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ const (
 	scopeBlocks        = "blocks"
 	scopeBookmarks     = "bookmarks"
 	scopeConversations = "conversations"
+	scopeCustomEmojis  = "custom_emojis"
 	scopeDomainAllows  = "domain_allows"
 	scopeDomainBlocks  = "domain_blocks"
 	scopeFavourites    = "favourites"
@@ -65,6 +66,7 @@ const (
 	ScopeReadBookmarks          Scope = ScopeRead + ":" + scopeBookmarks
 	ScopeWriteBookmarks         Scope = ScopeWrite + ":" + scopeBookmarks
 	ScopeWriteConversations     Scope = ScopeWrite + ":" + scopeConversations
+	ScopeReadCustomEmojis       Scope = ScopeRead + ":" + scopeCustomEmojis
 	ScopeReadFavourites         Scope = ScopeRead + ":" + scopeFavourites
 	ScopeWriteFavourites        Scope = ScopeWrite + ":" + scopeFavourites
 	ScopeReadFilters            Scope = ScopeRead + ":" + scopeFilters
diff --git a/internal/config/config.go b/internal/config/config.go
index 5360389af..1e907e2cb 100644
--- a/internal/config/config.go
+++ b/internal/config/config.go
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ type Configuration struct {
 	InstanceExposeAllowlist           bool               `name:"instance-expose-allowlist" usage:"Expose list of allowed domains via web UI, and allow unauthenticated users to query /api/v1/instance/peers?filter=allowed and /api/v1/instance/domain_allows"`
 	InstanceExposeAllowlistWeb        bool               `name:"instance-expose-allowlist-web" usage:"Expose list of explicitly allowed domains as webpage on /about/domain_allows"`
 	InstanceExposePublicTimeline      bool               `name:"instance-expose-public-timeline" usage:"Allow unauthenticated users to query /api/v1/timelines/public"`
+	InstanceExposeCustomEmojis        bool               `name:"instance-expose-custom-emojis" usage:"Allow unauthenticated access to /api/v1/custom_emojis"`
 	InstanceDeliverToSharedInboxes    bool               `name:"instance-deliver-to-shared-inboxes" usage:"Deliver federated messages to shared inboxes, if they're available."`
 	InstanceInjectMastodonVersion     bool               `name:"instance-inject-mastodon-version" usage:"This injects a Mastodon compatible version in /api/v1/instance to help Mastodon clients that use that version for feature detection"`
 	InstanceLanguages                 language.Languages `name:"instance-languages" usage:"BCP47 language tags for the instance. Used to indicate the preferred languages of instance residents (in order from most-preferred to least-preferred)."`
diff --git a/internal/config/defaults.go b/internal/config/defaults.go
index 43168a471..c960d526c 100644
--- a/internal/config/defaults.go
+++ b/internal/config/defaults.go
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ var Defaults = Configuration{
 	InstanceExposePeers:               false,
 	InstanceExposeBlocklist:           false,
 	InstanceExposeBlocklistWeb:        false,
+	InstanceExposeCustomEmojis:        false,
 	InstanceDeliverToSharedInboxes:    true,
 	InstanceLanguages:                 make(language.Languages, 0),
 	InstanceSubscriptionsProcessFrom:  "23:00",        // 11pm,
diff --git a/internal/config/helpers.gen.go b/internal/config/helpers.gen.go
index dd584e2f0..cee2c3ad2 100644
--- a/internal/config/helpers.gen.go
+++ b/internal/config/helpers.gen.go
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ func (cfg *Configuration) RegisterFlags(flags *pflag.FlagSet) {
 	flags.Bool("instance-expose-allowlist", cfg.InstanceExposeAllowlist, "Expose list of allowed domains via web UI, and allow unauthenticated users to query /api/v1/instance/peers?filter=allowed and /api/v1/instance/domain_allows")
 	flags.Bool("instance-expose-allowlist-web", cfg.InstanceExposeAllowlistWeb, "Expose list of explicitly allowed domains as webpage on /about/domain_allows")
 	flags.Bool("instance-expose-public-timeline", cfg.InstanceExposePublicTimeline, "Allow unauthenticated users to query /api/v1/timelines/public")
+	flags.Bool("instance-expose-custom-emojis", cfg.InstanceExposeCustomEmojis, "Allow unauthenticated access to /api/v1/custom_emojis")
 	flags.Bool("instance-deliver-to-shared-inboxes", cfg.InstanceDeliverToSharedInboxes, "Deliver federated messages to shared inboxes, if they're available.")
 	flags.Bool("instance-inject-mastodon-version", cfg.InstanceInjectMastodonVersion, "This injects a Mastodon compatible version in /api/v1/instance to help Mastodon clients that use that version for feature detection")
 	flags.StringSlice("instance-languages", cfg.InstanceLanguages.Strings(), "BCP47 language tags for the instance. Used to indicate the preferred languages of instance residents (in order from most-preferred to least-preferred).")
@@ -212,7 +213,7 @@ func (cfg *Configuration) RegisterFlags(flags *pflag.FlagSet) {
 }
 
 func (cfg *Configuration) MarshalMap() map[string]any {
-	cfgmap := make(map[string]any, 186)
+	cfgmap := make(map[string]any, 188)
 	cfgmap["log-level"] = cfg.LogLevel
 	cfgmap["log-timestamp-format"] = cfg.LogTimestampFormat
 	cfgmap["log-db-queries"] = cfg.LogDbQueries
@@ -252,6 +253,7 @@ func (cfg *Configuration) MarshalMap() map[string]any {
 	cfgmap["instance-expose-allowlist"] = cfg.InstanceExposeAllowlist
 	cfgmap["instance-expose-allowlist-web"] = cfg.InstanceExposeAllowlistWeb
 	cfgmap["instance-expose-public-timeline"] = cfg.InstanceExposePublicTimeline
+	cfgmap["instance-expose-custom-emojis"] = cfg.InstanceExposeCustomEmojis
 	cfgmap["instance-deliver-to-shared-inboxes"] = cfg.InstanceDeliverToSharedInboxes
 	cfgmap["instance-inject-mastodon-version"] = cfg.InstanceInjectMastodonVersion
 	cfgmap["instance-languages"] = cfg.InstanceLanguages.Strings()
@@ -724,6 +726,14 @@ func (cfg *Configuration) UnmarshalMap(cfgmap map[string]any) error {
 		}
 	}
 
+	if ival, ok := cfgmap["instance-expose-custom-emojis"]; ok {
+		var err error
+		cfg.InstanceExposeCustomEmojis, err = cast.ToBoolE(ival)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("error casting %#v -> bool for 'instance-expose-custom-emojis': %w", ival, err)
+		}
+	}
+
 	if ival, ok := cfgmap["instance-deliver-to-shared-inboxes"]; ok {
 		var err error
 		cfg.InstanceDeliverToSharedInboxes, err = cast.ToBoolE(ival)
@@ -2917,6 +2927,31 @@ func GetInstanceExposePublicTimeline() bool { return global.GetInstanceExposePub
 // SetInstanceExposePublicTimeline safely sets the value for global configuration 'InstanceExposePublicTimeline' field
 func SetInstanceExposePublicTimeline(v bool) { global.SetInstanceExposePublicTimeline(v) }
 
+// InstanceExposeCustomEmojisFlag returns the flag name for the 'InstanceExposeCustomEmojis' field
+func InstanceExposeCustomEmojisFlag() string { return "instance-expose-custom-emojis" }
+
+// GetInstanceExposeCustomEmojis safely fetches the Configuration value for state's 'InstanceExposeCustomEmojis' field
+func (st *ConfigState) GetInstanceExposeCustomEmojis() (v bool) {
+	st.mutex.RLock()
+	v = st.config.InstanceExposeCustomEmojis
+	st.mutex.RUnlock()
+	return
+}
+
+// SetInstanceExposeCustomEmojis safely sets the Configuration value for state's 'InstanceExposeCustomEmojis' field
+func (st *ConfigState) SetInstanceExposeCustomEmojis(v bool) {
+	st.mutex.Lock()
+	defer st.mutex.Unlock()
+	st.config.InstanceExposeCustomEmojis = v
+	st.reloadToViper()
+}
+
+// GetInstanceExposeCustomEmojis safely fetches the value for global configuration 'InstanceExposeCustomEmojis' field
+func GetInstanceExposeCustomEmojis() bool { return global.GetInstanceExposeCustomEmojis() }
+
+// SetInstanceExposeCustomEmojis safely sets the value for global configuration 'InstanceExposeCustomEmojis' field
+func SetInstanceExposeCustomEmojis(v bool) { global.SetInstanceExposeCustomEmojis(v) }
+
 // InstanceDeliverToSharedInboxesFlag returns the flag name for the 'InstanceDeliverToSharedInboxes' field
 func InstanceDeliverToSharedInboxesFlag() string { return "instance-deliver-to-shared-inboxes" }
 
diff --git a/test/envparsing.sh b/test/envparsing.sh
index d15551f79..d85f0b940 100755
--- a/test/envparsing.sh
+++ b/test/envparsing.sh
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ EXPECT=$(cat << "EOF"
     "instance-expose-allowlist-web": true,
     "instance-expose-blocklist": true,
     "instance-expose-blocklist-web": true,
+    "instance-expose-custom-emojis": true,
     "instance-expose-peers": true,
     "instance-expose-public-timeline": true,
     "instance-federation-mode": "allowlist",
@@ -246,6 +247,7 @@ GTS_INSTANCE_EXPOSE_BLOCKLIST=true \
 GTS_INSTANCE_EXPOSE_BLOCKLIST_WEB=true \
 GTS_INSTANCE_EXPOSE_ALLOWLIST=true \
 GTS_INSTANCE_EXPOSE_ALLOWLIST_WEB=true \
+GTS_INSTANCE_EXPOSE_CUSTOM_EMOJIS=true \
 GTS_INSTANCE_EXPOSE_PUBLIC_TIMELINE=true \
 GTS_INSTANCE_FEDERATION_MODE='allowlist' \
 GTS_INSTANCE_FEDERATION_SPAM_FILTER=true \
diff --git a/testrig/config.go b/testrig/config.go
index e7a594996..b8471244e 100644
--- a/testrig/config.go
+++ b/testrig/config.go
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ func testDefaults() config.Configuration {
 		InstanceExposeBlocklistWeb:     true,
 		InstanceExposeAllowlist:        true,
 		InstanceExposeAllowlistWeb:     true,
+		InstanceExposeCustomEmojis:     true,
 		InstanceDeliverToSharedInboxes: true,
 		InstanceLanguages: language.Languages{
 			{