diff --git a/plugins/chat/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/chat-message.js b/plugins/chat/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/chat-message.js
index b2e6d09abac..4de0a790ad9 100644
--- a/plugins/chat/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/chat-message.js
+++ b/plugins/chat/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/chat-message.js
@@ -281,11 +281,15 @@ export default class ChatMessage extends Component {
   }
 
   @action
-  onLongPressStart() {
+  onLongPressStart(element, event) {
     if (!this.args.message.expanded) {
       return;
     }
 
+    if (event.target.tagName === "IMG") {
+      return;
+    }
+
     // prevents message to show as active when starting scroll
     // at this moment scroll has no momentum and the row can
     // capture the touch event instead of a scroll
@@ -312,7 +316,11 @@ export default class ChatMessage extends Component {
   }
 
   @action
-  onLongPressEnd() {
+  onLongPressEnd(element, event) {
+    if (event.target.tagName === "IMG") {
+      return;
+    }
+
     cancel(this._makeMessageActiveHandler);
     this.isActive = false;