diff --git a/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/layer/geoimage/ImageMetadata.java b/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/layer/geoimage/ImageMetadata.java
index e678a472bc4..473e8e5752b 100644
--- a/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/layer/geoimage/ImageMetadata.java
+++ b/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/layer/geoimage/ImageMetadata.java
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 import java.io.InputStream;
 import java.io.UncheckedIOException;
 import java.net.URI;
+import java.nio.file.FileSystemNotFoundException;
 import java.time.Instant;
 import java.util.List;
 
@@ -261,7 +262,7 @@ default Integer getExifOrientation() {
 
     /**
      * Extract GPS metadata from image EXIF. Has no effect if the image file is not set
-     *
+     * <p>
      * If successful, fills in the LatLon, speed, elevation, image direction, and other attributes
      * @since 18592 (interface), 9270 (GpxImageEntry)
      */
@@ -271,6 +272,8 @@ default void extractExif() {
             ImageUtils.applyExif(this, bufferedInputStream);
         } catch (IOException e) {
             throw new UncheckedIOException(e);
+        } catch (IllegalArgumentException | FileSystemNotFoundException e) {
+            throw new UncheckedIOException(new IOException(e));
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/test/unit/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/layer/markerlayer/ImageMarkerTest.java b/test/unit/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/layer/markerlayer/ImageMarkerTest.java
index 99bd426d69b..484b683a484 100644
--- a/test/unit/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/layer/markerlayer/ImageMarkerTest.java
+++ b/test/unit/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/layer/markerlayer/ImageMarkerTest.java
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 
 import java.io.File;
 import java.net.MalformedURLException;
+import java.net.URI;
+import java.net.URL;
 
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.AfterEach;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
@@ -16,6 +18,7 @@
 import org.openstreetmap.josm.gui.layer.geoimage.ImageViewerDialog;
 import org.openstreetmap.josm.testutils.annotations.BasicPreferences;
 import org.openstreetmap.josm.testutils.annotations.Main;
+import org.openstreetmap.josm.tools.PlatformManager;
 
 /**
  * Unit tests of {@link ImageMarker} class.
@@ -59,4 +62,23 @@ void testTicket22638() throws MalformedURLException {
                 1d, 2d);
         assertDoesNotThrow(() -> marker.actionPerformed(null));
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Windows does not like {@code :} to appear multiple times in a path.
+     * @throws MalformedURLException if the URI fails to create and convert to a URL.
+     */
+    @Test
+    void testNonRegression23978() throws MalformedURLException {
+        final URL testURL;
+        if (PlatformManager.isPlatformWindows()) {
+            // This throws the InvalidPathException (subclass of IllegalArgumentException), and is what the initial problem was.
+            testURL = URI.create("file:/c:/foo/c:/bar/image.jpg").toURL();
+        } else {
+            // This throws an IllegalArgumentException.
+            testURL = new URL("file:/foobar/image.jpg#hashtagForIAE");
+        }
+        ImageMarker imageMarker = new ImageMarker(LatLon.ZERO, testURL,
+                new MarkerLayer(new GpxData(), null, null, null), 0, 0);
+        assertDoesNotThrow(() -> imageMarker.actionPerformed(null));
+    }
 }