diff --git a/classes/File_oembed.php b/classes/File_oembed.php
index e41ccfd097..11f160718e 100644
--- a/classes/File_oembed.php
+++ b/classes/File_oembed.php
@@ -115,7 +115,13 @@ class File_oembed extends Memcached_DataObject
         }
         $file_oembed->insert();
         if (!empty($data->thumbnail_url)) {
-            File_thumbnail::saveNew($data, $file_id);
+            $ft = File_thumbnail::staticGet('file_id', $file_id);
+            if (!empty($ft)) {
+                common_log(LOG_WARNING, "Strangely, a File_thumbnail object exists for new file $file_id",
+                           __FILE__);
+            } else {
+                File_thumbnail::saveNew($data, $file_id);
+            }
         }
     }
 }