diff --git a/lib/validators/upload_url_validator.rb b/lib/validators/upload_url_validator.rb
index 527ad2d4e..da9c27d1f 100644
--- a/lib/validators/upload_url_validator.rb
+++ b/lib/validators/upload_url_validator.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ class UploadUrlValidator < ActiveModel::EachValidator
     if value.present?
       uri = URI.parse(value) rescue nil
 
-      unless uri && Upload.exists?(url: value)
+      unless uri && Discourse.store.has_been_uploaded?(value)
         record.errors[attribute] << (options[:message] || I18n.t('errors.messages.invalid'))
       end
     end
diff --git a/spec/models/category_spec.rb b/spec/models/category_spec.rb
index d603077eb..ac5689578 100644
--- a/spec/models/category_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/category_spec.rb
@@ -14,19 +14,20 @@ describe Category do
 
   context "url validation" do
     let(:user) { Fabricate(:user) }
-
     let(:upload) { Fabricate(:upload) }
 
     it "ensures logo_url is valid" do
       expect(Fabricate.build(:category, user: user, logo_url: "---%")).not_to be_valid
       expect(Fabricate.build(:category, user: user, logo_url: "http://example.com/made-up.jpg")).not_to be_valid
       expect(Fabricate.build(:category, user: user, logo_url: upload.url)).to be_valid
+      expect(Fabricate.build(:category, user: user, logo_url: UrlHelper.schemaless(UrlHelper.absolute(upload.url)))).to be_valid
     end
 
     it "ensures background_url is valid" do
       expect(Fabricate.build(:category, user: user, background_url: ";test")).not_to be_valid
       expect(Fabricate.build(:category, user: user, background_url: "http://example.com/no.jpg")).not_to be_valid
       expect(Fabricate.build(:category, user: user, background_url: upload.url)).to be_valid
+      expect(Fabricate.build(:category, user: user, background_url: UrlHelper.schemaless(UrlHelper.absolute(upload.url)))).to be_valid
     end
   end