diff --git a/libclamav/matcher.c b/libclamav/matcher.c
index 14b7a8182c..72f1931966 100644
--- a/libclamav/matcher.c
+++ b/libclamav/matcher.c
@@ -200,7 +200,8 @@ static inline cl_error_t matcher_run(const struct cli_matcher *root,
         case CL_TYPE_JPEG:
         case CL_TYPE_PNG:
         case CL_TYPE_GRAPHICS: {
-            if (!fuzzy_hash_check(root->fuzzy_hashmap, mdata, ctx->recursion_stack[ctx->recursion_level].image_fuzzy_hash)) {
+            if (ctx->recursion_stack[ctx->recursion_level].calculated_image_fuzzy_hash &&
+                !fuzzy_hash_check(root->fuzzy_hashmap, mdata, ctx->recursion_stack[ctx->recursion_level].image_fuzzy_hash)) {
                 cli_errmsg("Unexpected error when checking for fuzzy hash matches.\n");
                 return CL_ERROR;
             }
diff --git a/libclamav/others.h b/libclamav/others.h
index 59f594be31..d4c71b1a7d 100644
--- a/libclamav/others.h
+++ b/libclamav/others.h
@@ -187,6 +187,7 @@ typedef struct recursion_level_tag {
     uint32_t recursion_level_buffer_fmap; /* Which fmap layer in this buffer. */
     bool is_normalized_layer;             /* Indicates that the layer should be skipped when checking container and intermediate types. */
     image_fuzzy_hash_t image_fuzzy_hash;  /* Used for image/graphics files to store a fuzzy hash. */
+    bool calculated_image_fuzzy_hash;     /* Used for image/graphics files to store a fuzzy hash. */
 } recursion_level_t;
 
 /* internal clamav context */
diff --git a/libclamav/scanners.c b/libclamav/scanners.c
index 96b02cc64f..3e51eadcf7 100644
--- a/libclamav/scanners.c
+++ b/libclamav/scanners.c
@@ -4105,7 +4105,8 @@ static cl_error_t calculate_fuzzy_image_hash(cli_ctx *ctx, cli_file_t type)
         (void)cli_jsonstr(header, "Hash", hashstr);
     }
 
-    ctx->recursion_stack[ctx->recursion_level].image_fuzzy_hash = hash;
+    ctx->recursion_stack[ctx->recursion_level].image_fuzzy_hash            = hash;
+    ctx->recursion_stack[ctx->recursion_level].calculated_image_fuzzy_hash = true;
 
     status = CL_SUCCESS;
 
@@ -4652,47 +4653,76 @@ cl_error_t cli_magic_scan(cli_ctx *ctx, cli_file_t type)
              * Note: JPEG 2000 is a very different format from JPEG, JPEG/JFIF, JPEG/Exif, JPEG/SPIFF (1994, 1997)
              * JPEG 2000 is not handled by cli_scanjpeg or cli_parsejpeg.
              */
-            ret = calculate_fuzzy_image_hash(ctx, type);
+
+            // It's okay if it fails to calculate the fuzzy hash.
+            (void)calculate_fuzzy_image_hash(ctx, type);
+
             break;
         }
 
         case CL_TYPE_GIF: {
-            ret = calculate_fuzzy_image_hash(ctx, type);
+            if (SCAN_HEURISTICS && SCAN_HEURISTIC_BROKEN_MEDIA && (DCONF_OTHER & OTHER_CONF_GIF)) {
+                ret = cli_parsegif(ctx);
+            }
+
             if (CL_SUCCESS != ret) {
+                // do not calculate the fuzzy image hash if parsing failed, or a heuristic alert occured.
                 break;
             }
 
-            if (SCAN_HEURISTICS && SCAN_HEURISTIC_BROKEN_MEDIA && (DCONF_OTHER & OTHER_CONF_GIF))
-                ret = cli_parsegif(ctx);
+            // It's okay if it fails to calculate the fuzzy hash.
+            (void)calculate_fuzzy_image_hash(ctx, type);
+
             break;
         }
 
         case CL_TYPE_PNG: {
-            ret = calculate_fuzzy_image_hash(ctx, type);
+            if (SCAN_HEURISTICS && (DCONF_OTHER & OTHER_CONF_PNG)) {
+                ret = cli_parsepng(ctx); /* PNG parser detects a couple CVE's as well as Broken.Media */
+            }
+
             if (CL_SUCCESS != ret) {
+                // do not calculate the fuzzy image hash if parsing failed, or a heuristic alert occured.
                 break;
             }
 
-            if (SCAN_HEURISTICS && (DCONF_OTHER & OTHER_CONF_PNG))
-                ret = cli_parsepng(ctx); /* PNG parser detects a couple CVE's as well as Broken.Media */
+            // It's okay if it fails to calculate the fuzzy hash.
+            (void)calculate_fuzzy_image_hash(ctx, type);
+
             break;
         }
 
         case CL_TYPE_JPEG: {
-            ret = calculate_fuzzy_image_hash(ctx, type);
+            if (SCAN_HEURISTICS && (DCONF_OTHER & OTHER_CONF_JPEG)) {
+                ret = cli_parsejpeg(ctx); /* JPG parser detects MS04-028 exploits as well as Broken.Media */
+            }
+
             if (CL_SUCCESS != ret) {
+                // do not calculate the fuzzy image hash if parsing failed, or a heuristic alert occured.
                 break;
             }
 
-            if (SCAN_HEURISTICS && (DCONF_OTHER & OTHER_CONF_JPEG))
-                ret = cli_parsejpeg(ctx); /* JPG parser detects MS04-028 exploits as well as Broken.Media */
+            // It's okay if it fails to calculate the fuzzy hash.
+            (void)calculate_fuzzy_image_hash(ctx, type);
+
             break;
         }
 
-        case CL_TYPE_TIFF:
-            if (SCAN_HEURISTICS && SCAN_HEURISTIC_BROKEN_MEDIA && (DCONF_OTHER & OTHER_CONF_TIFF) && ret != CL_VIRUS)
+        case CL_TYPE_TIFF: {
+            if (SCAN_HEURISTICS && SCAN_HEURISTIC_BROKEN_MEDIA && (DCONF_OTHER & OTHER_CONF_TIFF) && ret != CL_VIRUS) {
                 ret = cli_parsetiff(ctx);
+            }
+
+            if (CL_SUCCESS != ret) {
+                // do not calculate the fuzzy image hash if parsing failed, or a heuristic alert occured.
+                break;
+            }
+
+            // It's okay if it fails to calculate the fuzzy hash.
+            (void)calculate_fuzzy_image_hash(ctx, type);
+
             break;
+        }
 
         case CL_TYPE_CRYPTFF:
             if (DCONF_OTHER & OTHER_CONF_CRYPTFF)