diff --git a/td/telegram/DialogAction.cpp b/td/telegram/DialogAction.cpp
index 64f0ded56..bc562c656 100644
--- a/td/telegram/DialogAction.cpp
+++ b/td/telegram/DialogAction.cpp
@@ -21,11 +21,7 @@ bool DialogAction::is_valid_emoji(string &emoji) {
   if (!clean_input_string(emoji)) {
     return false;
   }
-  remove_emoji_modifiers_in_place(emoji);
-  if (emoji.empty()) {
-    return false;
-  }
-  return true;
+  return is_emoji(emoji);
 }
 
 void DialogAction::init(Type type) {
diff --git a/td/telegram/MessageContent.cpp b/td/telegram/MessageContent.cpp
index 0e844447a..811113bee 100644
--- a/td/telegram/MessageContent.cpp
+++ b/td/telegram/MessageContent.cpp
@@ -5314,11 +5314,12 @@ void get_message_content_animated_emoji_click_sticker(const MessageContent *cont
 }
 
 void on_message_content_animated_emoji_clicked(const MessageContent *content, FullMessageId full_message_id, Td *td,
-                                               string emoji, string data) {
+                                               Slice emoji, string data) {
   if (content->get_type() != MessageContentType::Text) {
     return;
   }
 
+  emoji = remove_emoji_modifiers(emoji);
   auto &text = static_cast<const MessageText *>(content)->text;
   if (!text.entities.empty() || remove_emoji_modifiers(text.text) != emoji) {
     return;
@@ -5559,9 +5560,10 @@ StickerSetId add_sticker_set(Td *td, tl_object_ptr<telegram_api::InputStickerSet
 bool is_unsent_animated_emoji_click(Td *td, DialogId dialog_id, const DialogAction &action) {
   auto emoji = action.get_watching_animations_emoji();
   if (emoji.empty()) {
+    // not a WatchingAnimations action
     return false;
   }
-  return !td->stickers_manager_->is_sent_animated_emoji_click(dialog_id, emoji);
+  return !td->stickers_manager_->is_sent_animated_emoji_click(dialog_id, remove_emoji_modifiers(emoji));
 }
 
 void on_dialog_used(TopDialogCategory category, DialogId dialog_id, int32 date) {
diff --git a/td/telegram/MessageContent.h b/td/telegram/MessageContent.h
index 83ce8c6ae..c046e6288 100644
--- a/td/telegram/MessageContent.h
+++ b/td/telegram/MessageContent.h
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ void get_message_content_animated_emoji_click_sticker(const MessageContent *cont
                                                       Td *td, Promise<td_api::object_ptr<td_api::sticker>> &&promise);
 
 void on_message_content_animated_emoji_clicked(const MessageContent *content, FullMessageId full_message_id, Td *td,
-                                               string emoji, string data);
+                                               Slice emoji, string data);
 
 bool need_reget_message_content(const MessageContent *content);
 
diff --git a/td/telegram/MessagesManager.cpp b/td/telegram/MessagesManager.cpp
index 8071fde9c..8ce8a313d 100644
--- a/td/telegram/MessagesManager.cpp
+++ b/td/telegram/MessagesManager.cpp
@@ -7106,7 +7106,7 @@ void MessagesManager::on_user_dialog_action(DialogId dialog_id, MessageId top_th
       auto message_id = MessageId(ServerMessageId(clicking_info.message_id));
       CHECK(message_id.is_valid());
       if (date > G()->unix_time() - 10) {
-        on_animated_emoji_message_clicked({dialog_id, message_id}, user_id, std::move(clicking_info.emoji),
+        on_animated_emoji_message_clicked({dialog_id, message_id}, user_id, clicking_info.emoji,
                                           std::move(clicking_info.data));
       }
       return;
@@ -19748,7 +19748,7 @@ void MessagesManager::click_animated_emoji_message(FullMessageId full_message_id
   get_message_content_animated_emoji_click_sticker(m->content.get(), full_message_id, td_, std::move(promise));
 }
 
-void MessagesManager::on_animated_emoji_message_clicked(FullMessageId full_message_id, UserId user_id, string emoji,
+void MessagesManager::on_animated_emoji_message_clicked(FullMessageId full_message_id, UserId user_id, Slice emoji,
                                                         string data) {
   CHECK(full_message_id.get_message_id().is_server());
   auto *m = get_message_force(full_message_id, "on_animated_emoji_message_clicked");
@@ -19759,7 +19759,7 @@ void MessagesManager::on_animated_emoji_message_clicked(FullMessageId full_messa
       full_message_id.get_dialog_id().get_user_id() != user_id) {
     return;
   }
-  on_message_content_animated_emoji_clicked(m->content.get(), full_message_id, td_, std::move(emoji), std::move(data));
+  on_message_content_animated_emoji_clicked(m->content.get(), full_message_id, td_, emoji, std::move(data));
 }
 
 void MessagesManager::open_dialog(Dialog *d) {
diff --git a/td/telegram/MessagesManager.h b/td/telegram/MessagesManager.h
index 71d03d6c2..39b82bb60 100644
--- a/td/telegram/MessagesManager.h
+++ b/td/telegram/MessagesManager.h
@@ -2964,7 +2964,7 @@ class MessagesManager final : public Actor {
 
   Status can_import_messages(DialogId dialog_id);
 
-  void on_animated_emoji_message_clicked(FullMessageId full_message_id, UserId user_id, string emoji, string data);
+  void on_animated_emoji_message_clicked(FullMessageId full_message_id, UserId user_id, Slice emoji, string data);
 
   void add_sponsored_dialog(const Dialog *d, DialogSource source);
 
diff --git a/td/telegram/StickersManager.cpp b/td/telegram/StickersManager.cpp
index cb8a0a103..f93493810 100644
--- a/td/telegram/StickersManager.cpp
+++ b/td/telegram/StickersManager.cpp
@@ -4241,7 +4241,7 @@ void StickersManager::flush_sent_animated_emoji_clicks() {
   sent_animated_emoji_clicks_.erase(sent_animated_emoji_clicks_.begin(), it);
 }
 
-bool StickersManager::is_sent_animated_emoji_click(DialogId dialog_id, const string &emoji) {
+bool StickersManager::is_sent_animated_emoji_click(DialogId dialog_id, Slice emoji) {
   flush_sent_animated_emoji_clicks();
   for (const auto &click : sent_animated_emoji_clicks_) {
     if (click.dialog_id == dialog_id && click.emoji == emoji) {
@@ -4251,8 +4251,7 @@ bool StickersManager::is_sent_animated_emoji_click(DialogId dialog_id, const str
   return false;
 }
 
-Status StickersManager::on_animated_emoji_message_clicked(const string &emoji, FullMessageId full_message_id,
-                                                          string data) {
+Status StickersManager::on_animated_emoji_message_clicked(Slice emoji, FullMessageId full_message_id, string data) {
   TRY_RESULT(value, json_decode(data));
   if (value.type() != JsonValue::Type::Object) {
     return Status::Error("Expected an object");
@@ -4313,7 +4312,7 @@ Status StickersManager::on_animated_emoji_message_clicked(const string &emoji, F
   }
 
   PendingOnAnimatedEmojiClicked pending_request;
-  pending_request.emoji_ = emoji;
+  pending_request.emoji_ = emoji.str();
   pending_request.full_message_id_ = full_message_id;
   pending_request.clicks_ = std::move(clicks);
   pending_on_animated_emoji_message_clicked_.push_back(std::move(pending_request));
diff --git a/td/telegram/StickersManager.h b/td/telegram/StickersManager.h
index ab92575cc..1b1239f07 100644
--- a/td/telegram/StickersManager.h
+++ b/td/telegram/StickersManager.h
@@ -73,9 +73,9 @@ class StickersManager final : public Actor {
 
   void on_send_animated_emoji_clicks(DialogId dialog_id, const string &emoji);
 
-  bool is_sent_animated_emoji_click(DialogId dialog_id, const string &emoji);
+  bool is_sent_animated_emoji_click(DialogId dialog_id, Slice emoji);
 
-  Status on_animated_emoji_message_clicked(const string &emoji, FullMessageId full_message_id, string data);
+  Status on_animated_emoji_message_clicked(Slice emoji, FullMessageId full_message_id, string data);
 
   void create_sticker(FileId file_id, string minithumbnail, PhotoSize thumbnail, Dimensions dimensions,
                       tl_object_ptr<telegram_api::documentAttributeSticker> sticker, bool is_animated,