diff --git a/lib/gitlab/emoji.rb b/lib/gitlab/emoji.rb
index 35871fd1b7b..a16d9fc2265 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/emoji.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/emoji.rb
@@ -44,27 +44,17 @@ module Gitlab
     end
 
     # CSS sprite fallback takes precedence over image fallback
-    def gl_emoji_tag(name, image: false, sprite: false, force_fallback: false)
+    def gl_emoji_tag(name)
       emoji_name = emojis_aliases[name] || name
       emoji_info = emojis[emoji_name]
-      emoji_fallback_image_source = ActionController::Base.helpers.url_to_image("emoji/#{emoji_info['name']}.png")
-      emoji_fallback_sprite_class = "emoji-#{emoji_name}"
+      return unless emoji_info
 
       data = {
         name: emoji_name,
         unicode_version: emoji_unicode_version(emoji_name)
       }
-      data[:fallback_src] = emoji_fallback_image_source if image
-      data[:fallback_sprite_class] = emoji_fallback_sprite_class if sprite
-      ActionController::Base.helpers.content_tag 'gl-emoji',
-        class: ("emoji-icon #{emoji_fallback_sprite_class}" if force_fallback && sprite),
-        data: data do
-        if force_fallback && !sprite
-          emoji_image_tag(emoji_name, emoji_fallback_image_source)
-        else
-          emoji_info['moji']
-        end
-      end
+
+      ActionController::Base.helpers.content_tag('gl-emoji', emoji_info['moji'], data: data)
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/features/issues/award_emoji_spec.rb b/spec/features/issues/award_emoji_spec.rb
index f424186cf30..16e453bc328 100644
--- a/spec/features/issues/award_emoji_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/issues/award_emoji_spec.rb
@@ -17,8 +17,21 @@ describe 'Awards Emoji', feature: true do
       login_as(user)
     end
 
+    describe 'visiting an issue with a legacy award emoji that is not valid anymore' do
+      before do
+        # The `heart_tip` emoji is not valid anymore so we need to skip validation
+        issue.award_emoji.build(user: user, name: 'heart_tip').save!(validate: false)
+        visit namespace_project_issue_path(project.namespace, project, issue)
+      end
+
+      # Regression test: https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ce/issues/29529
+      it 'does not shows a 500 page' do
+        expect(page).to have_text(issue.title)
+      end
+    end
+
     describe 'Click award emoji from issue#show' do
-      let!(:note) {  create(:note_on_issue, noteable: issue, project: issue.project, note: "Hello world") }
+      let!(:note) { create(:note_on_issue, noteable: issue, project: issue.project, note: "Hello world") }
 
       before do
         visit namespace_project_issue_path(project.namespace, project, issue)