diff --git a/backend/canisters/community/impl/src/lib.rs b/backend/canisters/community/impl/src/lib.rs
index 56ff187857..6191904f57 100644
--- a/backend/canisters/community/impl/src/lib.rs
+++ b/backend/canisters/community/impl/src/lib.rs
@@ -332,9 +332,9 @@ struct Data {
     description: Timestamped<String>,
     #[serde(deserialize_with = "deserialize_maybe_timestamped")]
     rules: Timestamped<AccessRulesInternal>,
-    #[serde(deserialize_with = "deserialize_maybe_timestamped")]
+    #[serde(deserialize_with = "deserialize_optional_document")]
     avatar: Timestamped<Option<Document>>,
-    #[serde(deserialize_with = "deserialize_maybe_timestamped")]
+    #[serde(deserialize_with = "deserialize_optional_document")]
     banner: Timestamped<Option<Document>>,
     #[serde(deserialize_with = "deserialize_maybe_timestamped")]
     permissions: Timestamped<CommunityPermissions>,
@@ -965,3 +965,8 @@ pub struct AddUsersToChannelResult {
     pub users_already_in_channel: Vec<UserId>,
     pub users_limit_reached: Vec<UserId>,
 }
+
+fn deserialize_optional_document<'de, D: Deserializer<'de>>(d: D) -> Result<Timestamped<Option<Document>>, D::Error> {
+    let document = Option::deserialize(d)?;
+    Ok(Timestamped::new(document, now_millis()))
+}
diff --git a/backend/integration_tests/src/communities/delete_channel_tests.rs b/backend/integration_tests/src/communities/delete_channel_tests.rs
index 1393f7dc5f..ceed82ff09 100644
--- a/backend/integration_tests/src/communities/delete_channel_tests.rs
+++ b/backend/integration_tests/src/communities/delete_channel_tests.rs
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ fn stable_memory_garbage_collected_after_deleting_channel() {
 
     assert_eq!(
         get_stable_memory_map(env, community_id, STABLE_MEMORY_MAP_MEMORY_ID).len(),
-        87
+        88
     );
 
     client::community::happy_path::delete_channel(env, user1.principal, community_id, channel_id2);
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ fn stable_memory_garbage_collected_after_deleting_channel() {
     env.advance_time(Duration::from_secs(60));
     env.tick();
 
-    assert_eq!(get_stable_memory_map(env, community_id, STABLE_MEMORY_MAP_MEMORY_ID).len(), 3);
+    assert_eq!(get_stable_memory_map(env, community_id, STABLE_MEMORY_MAP_MEMORY_ID).len(), 4);
 }
 
 fn init_test_data(env: &mut PocketIc, canister_ids: &CanisterIds, controller: Principal) -> TestData {