diff --git a/lib/frenzy/pipeline/scrape_stage.ex b/lib/frenzy/pipeline/scrape_stage.ex
index 39b9e9b..50292d4 100644
--- a/lib/frenzy/pipeline/scrape_stage.ex
+++ b/lib/frenzy/pipeline/scrape_stage.ex
@@ -152,6 +152,10 @@ defmodule Frenzy.Pipeline.ScrapeStage do
   @content_type_allowlist ["image/jpeg", "image/png", "image/heic", "image/heif", "image/tiff"]
 
   # convert images to data URIs so that they're stored by clients as part of the body
+  defp image_to_data_uri("data:" <> _ = src, _site_uri, _convert) do
+    src
+  end
+
   defp image_to_data_uri(src, site_uri, true) do
     absolute_url = URI.merge(site_uri, src) |> to_string()