diff --git a/fragdenstaat_de/fds_cms/apps.py b/fragdenstaat_de/fds_cms/apps.py
index 6fc798126..069beade1 100644
--- a/fragdenstaat_de/fds_cms/apps.py
+++ b/fragdenstaat_de/fds_cms/apps.py
@@ -1,18 +1,5 @@
-import logging
-from io import BytesIO
-
 from django.apps import AppConfig
 from django.conf import settings
-from django.core.files.base import ContentFile
-
-from PIL import Image
-
-try:
-    import pillow_avif  # noqa
-except ImportError:
-    pillow_avif = None
-
-logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
 class FdsCmsConfig(AppConfig):
@@ -26,7 +13,7 @@ def ready(self):
 
         account_merged.connect(merge_user)
 
-        if pillow_avif is not None and settings.FDS_THUMBNAIL_ENABLE_AVIF:
+        if settings.FDS_THUMBNAIL_ENABLE_AVIF:
             from easy_thumbnails.signals import thumbnail_created
 
             thumbnail_created.connect(store_as_avif)
@@ -41,12 +28,7 @@ def merge_user(sender, old_user=None, new_user=None, **kwargs):
 def store_as_avif(sender, **kwargs):
     if not sender.name.endswith((".png", ".jpg", ".jpeg")):
         return
-    logger.info("Converting %s to avif", sender.name)
-    avif_name = ".".join([sender.name, "avif"])
-    img_file = sender.storage.open(sender.name, "rb")
-    im = Image.open(img_file)
-    out_file = BytesIO()
-    im.save(out_file, format="avif", quality=80)
-    out_file.seek(0)
-    sender.storage.save(avif_name, ContentFile(out_file.read()))
-    logger.info("Done converting %s to avif", sender.name)
+
+    from .tasks import generate_avif_thumbnail
+
+    generate_avif_thumbnail.delay(sender.name, sender.storage)
diff --git a/fragdenstaat_de/fds_cms/tasks.py b/fragdenstaat_de/fds_cms/tasks.py
index e8f44e162..be803333b 100644
--- a/fragdenstaat_de/fds_cms/tasks.py
+++ b/fragdenstaat_de/fds_cms/tasks.py
@@ -1,5 +1,18 @@
+import logging
+from io import BytesIO
+
+from django.core.files.base import ContentFile
+
 from celery import shared_task
 from easy_thumbnails.files import generate_all_aliases
+from PIL import Image
+
+try:
+    import pillow_avif  # noqa
+except ImportError:
+    pillow_avif = None
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
 @shared_task
@@ -7,3 +20,18 @@ def generate_thumbnails(model, pk, field):
     instance = model._default_manager.get(pk=pk)
     fieldfile = getattr(instance, field)
     generate_all_aliases(fieldfile, include_global=True)
+
+
+@shared_task
+def generate_avif_thumbnail(filepath: str, storage):
+    if pillow_avif is None:
+        return
+    logger.info("Converting %s to avif", filepath)
+    avif_path = storage.path(".".join([filepath, "avif"]))
+    img_file = storage.open(filepath, "rb")
+    im = Image.open(img_file)
+    out_file = BytesIO()
+    im.save(out_file, format="avif", quality=80)
+    out_file.seek(0)
+    storage.save(avif_path, ContentFile(out_file.read()))
+    logger.info("Done converting %s to avif", filepath)