diff --git a/app/controllers/hyrax/dashboard/collections_controller_decorator.rb b/app/controllers/hyrax/dashboard/collections_controller_decorator.rb
index cc2246a90..a4891ed86 100644
--- a/app/controllers/hyrax/dashboard/collections_controller_decorator.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/hyrax/dashboard/collections_controller_decorator.rb
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 # - ensure user is allowed to change visibility
 # - add the ability to upload a collection thumbnail
 # - add altext to collection banner
+# @TODO clean up of unnecessary methods now that we are using Valkyrie transactions to set branding
 
 module Hyrax
   module Dashboard
@@ -45,7 +46,7 @@ def update_valkyrie_collection
       def edit
         form
         # Gets original filename of an uploaded thumbnail. See #update
-        return unless ::SolrDocument.find(@collection.id).thumbnail_path.include?("uploaded_collection_thumbnails") && uploaded_thumbnail?
+        return unless ::SolrDocument.find(@collection.id).thumbnail_path&.include?("uploaded_collection_thumbnails") && uploaded_thumbnail?
         @thumbnail_filename = File.basename(uploaded_thumbnail_files.reject { |f| File.basename(f).include? @collection.id }.first)
       end
 
diff --git a/app/helpers/application_helper.rb b/app/helpers/application_helper.rb
index 3d5147577..63605958c 100644
--- a/app/helpers/application_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/application_helper.rb
@@ -12,17 +12,33 @@ def group_navigation_presenter
     @group_navigation_presenter ||= Hyku::Admin::Group::NavigationPresenter.new(params:)
   end
 
-  def collection_thumbnail(document, _image_options = {}, _url_options = {})
-    return image_tag(document['thumbnail_path_ss']) if document['thumbnail_path_ss'].present?
-    return super if Site.instance.default_collection_image.blank?
+  # Return collection thumbnail formatted for display:
+  #  - use collection's branding thumbnail if it exists
+  #  - use site's default collection image if one exists
+  #  - fallback to Hyrax's default image
+  def collection_thumbnail(document, _image_options = {}, url_options = {})
+    view_class = url_options[:class]
+    # The correct thumbnail SHOULD be indexed on the object
+    return image_tag(document['thumbnail_path_ss'], class: view_class, alt: alttext_for(document)) if document['thumbnail_path_ss'].present?
 
-    image_tag(Site.instance.default_collection_image&.url)
+    # If nothing is indexed, we just fall back to site default
+    return image_tag(Site.instance.default_collection_image&.url, alt: alttext_for(document), class: view_class) unless Site.instance.default_collection_image.blank?
+
+    # fall back to Hyrax default if no site default
+    tag.span("", class: [Hyrax::ModelIcon.css_class_for(::Collection), view_class],
+                 alt: alttext_for(document))
   end
 
   def label_for(term:, record_class: nil)
     locale_for(type: 'labels', term:, record_class:)
   end
 
+  def alttext_for(collection)
+    thumbnail = CollectionBrandingInfo.where(collection_id: collection.id, role: "thumbnail")&.first
+    return thumbnail.alt_text if thumbnail
+    block_for(name: 'default_collection_image_text') || "#{collection.title_or_label} #{t('hyrax.dashboard.my.sr.thumbnail')}"
+  end
+
   def hint_for(term:, record_class: nil)
     hint = locale_for(type: 'hints', term:, record_class:)
 
diff --git a/app/presenters/hyrax/collection_presenter_decorator.rb b/app/presenters/hyrax/collection_presenter_decorator.rb
index faf1e2fdb..64f010e09 100644
--- a/app/presenters/hyrax/collection_presenter_decorator.rb
+++ b/app/presenters/hyrax/collection_presenter_decorator.rb
@@ -81,14 +81,9 @@ def banner_file
                        end
     end
 
+    # use either the indexed thumbnail or find the branding for the collection
     def thumbnail_file
-      @thumbnail_file ||= CollectionBrandingInfo.where(collection_id: id, role: "thumbnail")
-                                                .select(:local_path, :alt_text, :target_url).map do |thumbnail|
-        { alttext: thumbnail.alt_text,
-          file: File.split(thumbnail.local_path).last,
-          file_location: "/#{thumbnail.local_path.split('/')[-4..-1].join('/')}",
-          linkurl: thumbnail.target_url }
-      end
+      @thumbnail_file ||= collection_thumbnail(solr_document)
     end
 
     # Begin Featured Collections Methods
diff --git a/app/services/hyrax/thumbnail_path_service_decorator.rb b/app/services/hyrax/thumbnail_path_service_decorator.rb
index 2f44abbff..5c07588c2 100644
--- a/app/services/hyrax/thumbnail_path_service_decorator.rb
+++ b/app/services/hyrax/thumbnail_path_service_decorator.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: true
 
-# OVERRIDE Hyrax v5.0.0rc2 - use site defaults instead of app wide defaults
+# OVERRIDE Hyrax v5.0.0rc2 - index using site defaults instead of app wide defaults
 
 module Hyrax
   module ThumbnailPathServiceDecorator
@@ -10,7 +10,11 @@ def call(object)
       collection_thumbnail = CollectionBrandingInfo.where(collection_id: object.id.to_s, role: "thumbnail").first
       return collection_thumbnail.local_path.gsub(Rails.public_path.to_s, '') if collection_thumbnail
 
-      default_image
+      default_collection_image
+    end
+
+    def default_collection_image
+      Site.instance.default_collection_image&.url || ActionController::Base.helpers.image_path('default.png')
     end
 
     def default_image
diff --git a/app/views/hyrax/collections/_media_display.html.erb b/app/views/hyrax/collections/_media_display.html.erb
index 9dbeb6cbb..1af484ff4 100644
--- a/app/views/hyrax/collections/_media_display.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/hyrax/collections/_media_display.html.erb
@@ -1,8 +1,3 @@
-<% if presenter.thumbnail_path %>
-  <%= image_tag presenter.thumbnail_path,
-                class: "representative-media",
-                alt: block_for(name: 'default_collection_image_text'),
-                role: "presentation" %>
-<% else %>
-  <%= image_tag(Site.instance.default_collection_image) %>
-<% end %>
+<%# OVERRIDE Hyrax 6.0: %>
+<%# show uploaded thumbnail or default with alttext %>
+<%= collection_thumbnail(presenter.solr_document, "", {class: "representative-media"}) %>
diff --git a/app/views/hyrax/dashboard/collections/_list_collections.html.erb b/app/views/hyrax/dashboard/collections/_list_collections.html.erb
index 61fd4a3da..7d0f5bfcc 100644
--- a/app/views/hyrax/dashboard/collections/_list_collections.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/hyrax/dashboard/collections/_list_collections.html.erb
@@ -22,19 +22,14 @@
   <td>
     <div class="thumbnail-title-wrapper">
       <div class="thumbnail-wrapper">
-        <% if (collection_presenter.thumbnail_path == nil) %>
-          <%= image_tag(Site.instance.default_collection_image) %>
-        <% else %>
-          <%# OVERRIDE begin %>
-          <%= image_tag(collection_presenter.thumbnail_path, alt: block_for(name: 'default_collection_image_text') || "#{collection_presenter.title_or_label} #{t('hyrax.dashboard.my.sr.thumbnail')}") %>
-          <%# OVERRIDE end %>
-        <% end %>
+        <%# Use appropriate collection thumbnail + alttext %>
+        <%= collection_thumbnail(collection_presenter.solr_document) %>
       </div>
       <%= link_to collection_presenter.show_path do %>
           <span class="sr-only"><%= t("hyrax.dashboard.my.sr.show_label") %> </span>
           <%= markdown(collection_presenter.title_or_label) %>
       <% end %>
-
+   <div class="thumbnail-title-wrapper">
       <%# Expand arrow %>
       <a href="#" class="small show-more" title="Click for more details">
         <i id="expand_<%= id %>" class="fa fa-chevron-right" aria-hidden="true"></i>
diff --git a/app/views/hyrax/my/collections/_list_collections.html.erb b/app/views/hyrax/my/collections/_list_collections.html.erb
index ea239ca2b..893942d2c 100644
--- a/app/views/hyrax/my/collections/_list_collections.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/hyrax/my/collections/_list_collections.html.erb
@@ -24,13 +24,8 @@
   <td>
     <div class="thumbnail-title-wrapper">
       <div class="thumbnail-wrapper">
-        <% if (collection_presenter.thumbnail_path == nil) %>
-          <span class="<%= Hyrax::ModelIcon.css_class_for(::Collection) %> collection-icon-small"></span>
-        <% else %>
-          <%# OVERRIDE begin %>
-          <%= image_tag(collection_presenter.thumbnail_path, alt: collection_presenter.thumbnail_file.first&.[](:alttext) || block_for(name: 'default_collection_image_text') || "#{collection_presenter.title_or_label} #{t('hyrax.dashboard.my.sr.thumbnail')}") %>
-          <%# OVERRIDE end %>
-        <% end %>
+        <%# Use appropriate collection thumbnail + alttext %>
+        <%= collection_thumbnail(collection_presenter.solr_document) %>
       </div>
       <%= link_to collection_presenter.show_path, id: "src_copy_link#{id}" do %>
         <span class="sr-only"><%= t("hyrax.dashboard.my.sr.show_label") %></span>