diff --git a/homeassistant/components/kodi/browse_media.py b/homeassistant/components/kodi/browse_media.py
index 1106a2ea80ae..aa4dfd8ccbdb 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/kodi/browse_media.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/kodi/browse_media.py
@@ -351,12 +351,27 @@ async def get_media_info(media_library, search_id, search_type):
             title = season["seasondetails"]["label"]
 
     elif search_type == MediaType.CHANNEL:
-        media = await media_library.get_channels(
-            channel_group_id="alltv",
-            properties=["thumbnail", "channeltype", "channel", "broadcastnow"],
+        # A channel is asked for by id when its thumbnail is fetched through the
+        # media player proxy, the route an external client takes. There is no
+        # call for a single channel, so it is picked out of the list; the EPG
+        # that the listing needs is then not worth fetching.
+        channel_properties = ["thumbnail"]
+        if not search_id:
+            channel_properties += ["channeltype", "channel", "broadcastnow"]
+
+        channels = await media_library.get_channels(
+            channel_group_id="alltv", properties=channel_properties
         )
-        media = media.get("channels")
+        media = channels.get("channels")
 
         title = "Channels"
 
+        if search_id:
+            channel = next(
+                (item for item in media or [] if str(item["channelid"]) == search_id),
+                None,
+            )
+            if channel:
+                thumbnail = media_library.thumbnail_url(channel.get("thumbnail"))
+
     return thumbnail, title, media
diff --git a/tests/components/kodi/test_browse_media.py b/tests/components/kodi/test_browse_media.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..767f45fb7efc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/components/kodi/test_browse_media.py
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+"""Tests for the Kodi media browser."""
+
+from unittest.mock import AsyncMock, MagicMock
+
+from homeassistant.components.kodi.browse_media import get_media_info
+from homeassistant.components.media_player import MediaType
+
+CHANNELS = {
+    "channels": [
+        {
+            "channelid": 917,
+            "label": "Das Erste HD",
+            "thumbnail": "image://pvrchannel_tv%40das_erste/",
+        },
+        {
+            "channelid": 902,
+            "label": "ZDF HD",
+            "thumbnail": "image://pvrchannel_tv%40zdf/",
+        },
+        {
+            "channelid": 850,
+            "label": "3sat HD",
+        },
+    ]
+}
+
+
+def create_media_library() -> MagicMock:
+    """Return a Kodi library that answers with the TV channels above."""
+    library = MagicMock()
+    library.get_channels = AsyncMock(return_value=CHANNELS)
+    library.thumbnail_url = MagicMock(
+        side_effect=lambda thumbnail: (
+            f"http://1.1.1.1:8080/image/{thumbnail}" if thumbnail else None
+        )
+    )
+    return library
+
+
+async def test_channel_folder_lists_the_channels() -> None:
+    """The folder itself is listed and has no thumbnail of its own."""
+    library = create_media_library()
+
+    thumbnail, title, media = await get_media_info(library, "", MediaType.CHANNEL)
+
+    assert title == "Channels"
+    assert media == CHANNELS["channels"]
+    assert thumbnail is None
+
+
+async def test_channel_asked_for_by_id_carries_its_thumbnail() -> None:
+    """A single channel returns the image the media player proxy serves.
+
+    An external client fetches a browse thumbnail over
+    /api/media_player_proxy/<entity>/browse_media/channel/<id>, which asks the
+    integration for the image by id. Without this the view answers 404.
+    """
+    library = create_media_library()
+
+    thumbnail, _, _ = await get_media_info(library, "902", MediaType.CHANNEL)
+
+    assert thumbnail == "http://1.1.1.1:8080/image/image://pvrchannel_tv%40zdf/"
+
+
+async def test_channel_without_a_thumbnail_has_no_picture() -> None:
+    """Kodi does not promise a thumbnail for every channel."""
+    library = create_media_library()
+
+    thumbnail, _, _ = await get_media_info(library, "850", MediaType.CHANNEL)
+
+    assert thumbnail is None
+
+
+async def test_channel_no_longer_in_the_group_has_no_thumbnail() -> None:
+    """An id that is not in the list leaves the thumbnail unset."""
+    library = create_media_library()
+
+    thumbnail, _, _ = await get_media_info(library, "123", MediaType.CHANNEL)
+
+    assert thumbnail is None
+
+
+async def test_channel_listing_asks_for_the_epg() -> None:
+    """The listing needs what it shows: the current broadcast."""
+    library = create_media_library()
+
+    await get_media_info(library, "", MediaType.CHANNEL)
+
+    assert library.get_channels.call_args.kwargs["properties"] == [
+        "thumbnail",
+        "channeltype",
+        "channel",
+        "broadcastnow",
+    ]
+
+
+async def test_single_channel_asks_for_no_more_than_the_thumbnail() -> None:
+    """One image needs no EPG for a hundred and fifty channels."""
+    library = create_media_library()
+
+    await get_media_info(library, "902", MediaType.CHANNEL)
+
+    assert library.get_channels.call_args.kwargs["properties"] == ["thumbnail"]