diff --git a/admin/all.php b/admin/all.php
index e0ed36e..aef34e6 100644
--- a/admin/all.php
+++ b/admin/all.php
@@ -35,6 +35,12 @@ if ($_GET["migrated"] == 1) {
   echo("<div class=\"sentconf\">migrations have been run!</div>");
 }
 
+if ($_GET["emoji"] == 1) {
+  echo("<div class=\"sentconf\">emojis have been updated!</div>");
+} else if ($_GET["emoji"]) {
+  echo("<div class=\"warning\">emoji returned non-200 status code {$_GET['emoji']}</div>");
+}
+
 $totalUnresponded = 0;
 $totalPriv = 0;
 $totalPrivRead = 0;
@@ -74,6 +80,24 @@ echo("
   {$privateRead}
 ");
 
-include '../boilerplate/pageEnd.php';
+echo("
+  <hr>
+  <div><a href=\"index.php?pw={$adminPassword}&page=migrate\">migrate db</a></div>
+");
+
+if ($emojiEnabled) {
+  $query = "
+  SELECT count(*) FROM emoji;
+  ";
+
+  $queryResponse = pg_query($db, $query);
+  $count = pg_fetch_array($queryResponse)["count"];
+
+  echo("
+    <div><a href=\"index.php?pw={$adminPassword}&page=emoji\">refresh emojis</a> (currently {$count})</div>
+  ");
+}
+
+include "../boilerplate/pageEnd.php";
 
 ?>
diff --git a/admin/emoji.php b/admin/emoji.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..10a3db4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/admin/emoji.php
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+<?php
+
+if (!$emojiEnabled) {
+  header("Location: index.php?pw={$adminPassword}");
+  exit();
+}
+
+$ch = curl_init();
+
+curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, array("Authorization: {$emojiAPIToken}"));
+curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST, "GET");
+curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
+curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL, $emojiAPIRoute);
+
+$resp = curl_exec($ch);
+
+$responseCode = curl_getinfo($ch, CURLINFO_HTTP_CODE);
+
+if ($responseCode !== 200) {
+  header("Location: index.php?pw={$adminPassword}&emoji={$responseCode}");
+  exit();
+}
+
+$query = "
+TRUNCATE TABLE qna;
+";
+
+pg_query($db, $query);
+
+$jsonResp = json_decode($resp, true);
+if (count($jsonResp)) {
+  $query = "
+  INSERT INTO emoji (name, url) VALUES
+  ";
+
+  foreach ($jsonResp as $emoji) {
+    if (str_contains($emoji["name"], "'") || str_contains($emoji["publicUrl"], "'")) {
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    $query .= "('{$emoji['name']}', '{$emoji['publicUrl']}'),";
+  }
+
+  pg_query($db, rtrim($query, ",") . ";");
+}
+
+header("Location: index.php?pw={$adminPassword}&emoji=1");
+
+?>
diff --git a/admin/index.php b/admin/index.php
index 9b8d82a..85ebfb6 100644
--- a/admin/index.php
+++ b/admin/index.php
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ if ($_GET["pw"] === $adminPassword) {
     case "respond": include "respond.php"; break;
     case "mark":    include "mark.php";    break;
     case "migrate": include "migrate.php"; break;
+    case "emoji":   include "emoji.php";   break;
     default: include "all.php";
   }
 } else {
diff --git a/admin/migrate.php b/admin/migrate.php
index 8904c3d..cc6c8e7 100644
--- a/admin/migrate.php
+++ b/admin/migrate.php
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ $migrations = array(
   "20240218-AddMigrationsTable-40641e8d",
   "20240218-AddMarkReadOption-a7e43358",
   "20240218-AddFalsesToPrivRead-67d82b18",
-  "20250310-AddFediIDColumn-64520350"
+  "20250310-AddFediIDColumn-64520350",
+  "20250314-AddEmoji"
 );
 
 foreach ($migrations as $mig) {
diff --git a/admin/respond.php b/admin/respond.php
index d224621..ea9a49e 100644
--- a/admin/respond.php
+++ b/admin/respond.php
@@ -43,13 +43,13 @@ include "../boilerplate/question.php";
 if ($question["ispublic"] === "f") {
   echo("
     <h2 class=\"title\">{$pageTitle} &mdash; no such question exists</h2>
-    <a class=\"go-back\" href=\"index.php\">(go back?)</a>
+    <a href=\"index.php\">(go back?)</a>
   ");
   http_response_code(404);
 } else {
   echo("
     <h2 class=\"title\">{$pageTitle} &mdash; question number {$question['id']}</h2>
-    <a class=\"go-back\" href=\"index.php?pw={$adminPassword}\">(go back?)</a>
+    <a href=\"index.php?pw={$adminPassword}\">(go back?)</a>
   ");
 
   echo(getQuestion($question, 0, 0, 1, $adminPassword));
diff --git a/boilerplate/question.php b/boilerplate/question.php
index 98aba49..9f94012 100644
--- a/boilerplate/question.php
+++ b/boilerplate/question.php
@@ -1,5 +1,53 @@
 <?php
 
+function insertEmoji($text) {
+  global $emojiEnabled, $db;
+
+  if (!$emojiEnabled) {
+    return htmlspecialchars($text);
+  }
+
+  $out = "";
+  $arr = explode(":", htmlspecialchars($text));
+  $c = 0;
+  $allowNext = false;
+
+  foreach ($arr as $segment) {
+    $c++;
+
+    if (!$allowNext) {
+      $allowNext = true;
+    } else if (sizeof($arr) <= $c) {
+      if ($c !== 1) {
+        $out .= ":";
+      }
+    } else {
+      if (preg_match("/^[A-Za-z0-9_-]+$/", $segment) !== false) {
+        $query = "
+        SELECT url FROM emoji WHERE name='{$segment}';
+        ";
+
+        $queryResponse = pg_query($db, $query);
+        $url = pg_fetch_array($queryResponse);
+
+        if (pg_num_rows($queryResponse) !== 0) {
+          $out .= "<img class=\"emoji\" src=\"{$url['url']}\" alt=\"${segment}\">";
+          $allowNext = false;
+          continue;
+        }
+      }
+
+      if ($c !== 1) {
+        $out .= ":";
+      }
+    }
+
+    $out .= $segment;
+  }
+
+  return $out;
+}
+
 function getQuestion(
     $question,
     $includePermalink=1,
@@ -7,11 +55,11 @@ function getQuestion(
     $isResponding=0,
     $adminPassword=""
 ) {
-  $q = htmlspecialchars($question["text"]);
+  $q = insertEmoji($question["text"]);
   $q .= "<div class=\"time\">{$question['time']}</div>";
 
   if ($question["responsetext"]) {
-    $q .= "<div class=\"response\">" . htmlspecialchars($question['responsetext']);
+    $q .= "<div class=\"response\">" . insertEmoji($question['responsetext']);
     $q .= "<div class=\"time\">{$question['responsetime']}</div></div>";
   }
 
@@ -78,7 +126,7 @@ function getQuestion(
       $open = " open";
     }
 
-    $q = "<details{$open}><summary>cw: " . htmlspecialchars($question["cw"]) . "</summary>{$q}</details>";
+    $q = "<details{$open}><summary>cw: " . insertEmoji($question["cw"]) . "</summary>{$q}</details>";
   }
 
   return "<div class=\"question\">{$q}</div>";
diff --git a/config.example.php b/config.example.php
index 51d251a..dee21b3 100644
--- a/config.example.php
+++ b/config.example.php
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ $adminPassword = "setAPasswordHere!123";
 // page title
 $pageTitle = "the cool qna";
 
-$pageDomainEnabled = True;
+$pageDomainEnabled = true;
 $pageProto = "https";
 $pagePath = "/qna";
 $pageDomain = "example.com";
@@ -21,11 +21,16 @@ $pageRoot = "/"; // path to go to
 $customCSSurl = NULL;
 
 // post to fedi?
-$fediEnabled = False;
+$fediEnabled = false;
 $fediAPIRoute = "https://example.com/api/v1/statuses";
 $fediAPIToken = "Bearer AUTHTOKENGOESHERE";
 $fediVisibility = "private"; // "direct", "private", "unlisted", "public"
 
+// fedi emojis?
+$emojiEnabled = false;
+$emojiAPIRoute = "https://example.com/api/iceshrimp/emoji";
+$emojiAPIToken = $fediAPIToken;
+
 // database setup
 $dbHost = "localhost";
 $dbName = "postgres";
diff --git a/css/base.css b/css/base.css
index 307bd94..135935e 100644
--- a/css/base.css
+++ b/css/base.css
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
   --link-color: #ff0000;
   --confirmation-color: #00ff00;
+  --warning-color: #ffff00;
 
   --question-background: #2c2c2c;
   --response-background: #505050;
@@ -33,13 +34,31 @@ hr {
   background-color: var(--hr-color);
 }
 
-.permalink {
+a,
+a:link,
+a:visited {
   color: var(--link-color);
+}
+
+img.emoji {
+  height: 1.2em;
+  min-width: 1.2em;
+  max-width: 3em;
+  object-fit: contain;
+}
+
+.permalink {
   font-size: .9em;
 }
 
-.go-back {
-  color: var(--link-color);
+.warning {
+  color: var(--warning-color);
+  margin-bottom: .3em;
+}
+
+.sentconf {
+  color: var(--confirmation-color);
+  margin-bottom: .3em;
 }
 
 .title {
@@ -70,11 +89,6 @@ hr {
   margin-bottom: .2em;
 }
 
-.sentconf {
-  color: var(--confirmation-color);
-  margin-bottom: .3em;
-}
-
 .sendsum {
   font-size: 1.17em;
   font-weight: bold;
diff --git a/fetch.php b/fetch.php
index dd7a731..576607e 100644
--- a/fetch.php
+++ b/fetch.php
@@ -23,14 +23,14 @@ include "boilerplate/pageStart.php";
 if (pg_num_rows($queryResponse) === 0 || $question["ispublic"] === "f" || $question["isrespondedto"] === "f") {
   echo("
     <h2 class=\"title\">{$pageTitle} &mdash; no such question exists</h2>
-    <a class=\"go-back\" href=\"index.php\">(go back?)</a>
+    <a href=\"index.php\">(go back?)</a>
   ");
 
   http_response_code(404);
 } else {
   echo("
     <h2 class=\"title\">{$pageTitle} &mdash; question number {$question['id']}</h2>
-    <a class=\"go-back\" href=\"index.php\">(go back?)</a>
+    <a href=\"index.php\">(go back?)</a>
   ");
 
   echo(getQuestion($question));
diff --git a/index.php b/index.php
index 1c85b34..c11021f 100644
--- a/index.php
+++ b/index.php
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ include "boilerplate/pageStart.php";
 echo("<h2 class=\"title\">" . $pageTitle . "</h2>");
 
 if ($pageDomainEnabled) {
-  echo("<a class=\"go-back\" href=\"https://{$pageDomainOther}{$pageRoot}\">(go back to " . $pageDomain . "?)</a>");
+  echo("<a href=\"https://{$pageDomainOther}{$pageRoot}\">(go back to " . $pageDomain . "?)</a>");
 }
 
 if ($_GET["sent"] == 1) {
diff --git a/migrations/20250314-AddEmoji.php b/migrations/20250314-AddEmoji.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9af37cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migrations/20250314-AddEmoji.php
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+<?php
+
+// add emoji table to track emojis and their image urls
+
+$query = "
+CREATE TABLE emoji (
+    name TEXT NOT NULL PRIMARY KEY,
+    url TEXT NOT NULL
+);
+";
+
+pg_query($db, $query);
+
+$dataArray = array(
+  "id" => "20250314-AddEmoji"
+);
+
+pg_insert($db, "migrations", $dataArray);
+
+?>
diff --git a/send.php b/send.php
index 67327ea..b1adc0f 100644
--- a/send.php
+++ b/send.php
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ $dataArray = array(
   "iscwed" => !($_GET["cw"] === null || $_GET["cw"] === ""),
   "time" => date("Y-m-d H:i:sP"),
   "ispublic" => $_GET["public"] == 1,
-  "isrespondedto" => False
+  "isrespondedto" => false
 );
 
 pg_insert($db, "data", $dataArray);
diff --git a/setup.php b/setup.php
index f8ed149..46d675c 100644
--- a/setup.php
+++ b/setup.php
@@ -27,6 +27,15 @@ CREATE TABLE migrations (
 
 pg_query($db, $query);
 
+$query = "
+CREATE TABLE emoji (
+    name TEXT NOT NULL PRIMARY KEY,
+    url TEXT NOT NULL
+);
+";
+
+pg_query($db, $query);
+
 include "admin/migrate.php";
 
 echo "database set up";