diff --git a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.md b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.md
index 8d88177c2..063d60347 100644
--- a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.md
+++ b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.md
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 name: "🐛 Bug Report"
 about: Report a reproducible bug or regression in Joplin.
 title: ''
-labels: ':bug: bug'
+labels: 'bug'
 
 ---
 
diff --git a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/feature_request.md b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/feature_request.md
index dd3bb8d23..8e6698088 100644
--- a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/feature_request.md
+++ b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/feature_request.md
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 name: Feature request
 about: Report an accepted feature request.
 title: ''
-labels: ':four_leaf_clover: feature request'
+labels: 'feature request'
 
 ---
 
diff --git a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/question.md b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/question.md
index 3ea59c98d..6dddd1172 100644
--- a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/question.md
+++ b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/question.md
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 name: "🤔 Questions and Help"
 about: The issue tracker is not for questions. Please ask questions on https://discourse.joplinapp.org/.
 title: ''
-labels: ':question: question'
+labels: 'question'
 
 ---
 
diff --git a/.github/stale.yml b/.github/stale.yml
index e573303da..16fd3cfc6 100644
--- a/.github/stale.yml
+++ b/.github/stale.yml
@@ -5,13 +5,13 @@ daysUntilStale: 90
 daysUntilClose: 7
 # Issues with these labels will never be considered stale
 exemptLabels:
-  - ":roller_coaster: good first issue"
-  - ":deciduous_tree: essential"
-  - ":deciduous_tree: :eyes: essential-reviewed"
-  - ":ambulance: help wanted"
-  - ":ribbon: nice to have"
-  - ":mount_fuji: upstream"
-  - ":page_with_curl: backlog"
+  - "good first issue"
+  - "essential"
+  - "essential-reviewed"
+  - "help wanted"
+  - "nice to have"
+  - "upstream"
+  - "backlog"
 # Label to use when marking an issue as stale
 staleLabel: stale
 # Comment to post when marking an issue as stale. Set to `false` to disable