diff --git a/phpBB/includes/functions_posting.php b/phpBB/includes/functions_posting.php
index 2cce77e092..0fb4ef2c49 100644
--- a/phpBB/includes/functions_posting.php
+++ b/phpBB/includes/functions_posting.php
@@ -52,9 +52,28 @@ function generate_smilies($mode, $forum_id)
 
 		page_header($user->lang['SMILIES']);
 
-		$sql = 'SELECT COUNT(smiley_id) AS item_count
-			FROM ' . SMILIES_TABLE . '
-			GROUP BY smiley_url';
+		$sql_ary = [
+			'SELECT'	=> 'COUNT(s.smiley_id) AS item_count',
+			'FROM'		=> [
+				SMILIES_TABLE => 's',
+			],
+			'GROUP_BY'	=> 's.smiley_url',
+		];
+
+		/**
+		* Modify SQL query that fetches the total number of smilies in window mode
+		*
+		* @event core.generate_smilies_count_sql_before
+		* @var int		forum_id	Forum where smilies are generated
+		* @var array	sql_ary		Array with the SQL query
+		* @since 3.2.9-RC1
+		*/
+		$vars = [
+			'forum_id',
+			'sql_ary',
+		];
+		extract($phpbb_dispatcher->trigger_event('core.generate_smilies_count_sql_before', compact($vars)));
+
 		$result = $db->sql_query($sql, 3600);
 
 		$smiley_count = 0;