diff --git a/src/public/javascripts/entities/note_short.js b/src/public/javascripts/entities/note_short.js
index 3a5c74337..4b937c26f 100644
--- a/src/public/javascripts/entities/note_short.js
+++ b/src/public/javascripts/entities/note_short.js
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ class NoteShort {
         this.archived = row.archived;
         /** @param {string} */
         this.cssClass = row.cssClass;
+        /** @param {string} */
+        this.iconClass = row.iconClass;
 
         /** @type {string[]} */
         this.parents = [];
diff --git a/src/public/javascripts/services/tree_builder.js b/src/public/javascripts/services/tree_builder.js
index 74f12b851..83e5aa10c 100644
--- a/src/public/javascripts/services/tree_builder.js
+++ b/src/public/javascripts/services/tree_builder.js
@@ -41,7 +41,10 @@ const NOTE_TYPE_ICONS = {
 async function getIcon(note) {
     const hoistedNoteId = await hoistedNoteService.getHoistedNoteId();
 
-    if (note.noteId === 'root') {
+    if (note.iconClass) {
+        return note.iconClass;
+    }
+    else if (note.noteId === 'root') {
         return "bx bx-chevrons-right";
     }
     else if (note.noteId === hoistedNoteId) {
diff --git a/src/routes/api/tree.js b/src/routes/api/tree.js
index 862998e8b..8a8a39429 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/tree.js
+++ b/src/routes/api/tree.js
@@ -4,37 +4,66 @@ const sql = require('../../services/sql');
 const optionService = require('../../services/options');
 const protectedSessionService = require('../../services/protected_session');
 const noteCacheService = require('../../services/note_cache');
+const log = require('../../services/log');
 
 async function getNotes(noteIds) {
     // we return also deleted notes which have been specifically asked for
     const notes = await sql.getManyRows(`
-      SELECT 
-             noteId, 
-             title, 
-             isProtected, 
-             type, 
-             mime,
-             isDeleted
-      FROM notes 
-      WHERE noteId IN (???)`, noteIds);
+        SELECT 
+          noteId,
+          title,
+          isProtected, 
+          type,
+          mime,
+          isDeleted
+        FROM notes
+        WHERE noteId IN (???)`, noteIds);
 
-    const cssClassLabels = await sql.getManyRows(`
-      SELECT noteId, value FROM attributes WHERE isDeleted = 0 AND type = 'label' 
-                                             AND name = 'cssClass' AND noteId IN (???)`, noteIds);
+    const noteMap = new Map(notes.map(note => [note.noteId, note]));
 
-    for (const label of cssClassLabels) {
-        // FIXME: inefficient!
-        const note = notes.find(note => note.noteId === label.noteId);
+    const templateClassLabels = await sql.getManyRows(`
+        SELECT 
+          templAttr.noteId, 
+          attr.name, 
+          attr.value 
+        FROM attributes templAttr
+        JOIN attributes attr ON attr.noteId = templAttr.value
+        WHERE 
+          templAttr.isDeleted = 0 
+          AND templAttr.type = 'relation'
+          AND templAttr.name = 'template'
+          AND templAttr.noteId IN (???)
+          AND attr.isDeleted = 0
+          AND attr.type = 'label'
+          AND attr.name IN ('cssClass', 'iconClass')`, noteIds);
 
-        if (!note) {
-            continue;
-        }
+    const noteClassLabels = await sql.getManyRows(`
+        SELECT 
+           noteId, name, value 
+        FROM attributes 
+        WHERE 
+           isDeleted = 0 
+           AND type = 'label' 
+           AND name IN ('cssClass', 'iconClass') 
+           AND noteId IN (???)`, noteIds);
 
-        if (note.cssClass) {
-            note.cssClass += " " + label.value;
-        }
-        else {
-            note.cssClass = label.value;
+    // first template ones, then on the note itself so that note class label have priority
+    // over template ones for iconClass (which can be only one)
+    const allClassLabels = templateClassLabels.concat(noteClassLabels);
+
+    for (const label of allClassLabels) {
+        const note = noteMap.get(label.noteId);
+
+        if (note) {
+            if (label.name === 'cssClass') {
+                note.cssClass = note.cssClass ? `${note.cssClass} ${label.value}` : label.value;
+            }
+            else if (label.name === 'iconClass') {
+                note.iconClass = label.value;
+            }
+            else {
+                log.error(`Unrecognized label name ${label.name}`);
+            }
         }
     }