diff --git a/lisp/tab-bar.el b/lisp/tab-bar.el
index abefd996a8a..777837f4db7 100644
--- a/lisp/tab-bar.el
+++ b/lisp/tab-bar.el
@@ -155,25 +155,34 @@ tab-bar--undefine-keys
 
 (defun tab-bar--load-buttons ()
   "Load the icons for the tab buttons."
-  (when (and tab-bar-new-button
-             (not (get-text-property 0 'display tab-bar-new-button)))
-    ;; This file is pre-loaded so only here we can use the right data-directory:
-    (add-text-properties 0 (length tab-bar-new-button)
-                         `(display (image :type xpm
-                                          :file "tabs/new.xpm"
-                                          :margin ,tab-bar-button-margin
-                                          :ascent center))
-                         tab-bar-new-button))
+  (require 'icons)
 
-  (when (and tab-bar-close-button
-             (not (get-text-property 0 'display tab-bar-close-button)))
-    ;; This file is pre-loaded so only here we can use the right data-directory:
-    (add-text-properties 0 (length tab-bar-close-button)
-                         `(display (image :type xpm
-                                          :file "tabs/close.xpm"
-                                          :margin ,tab-bar-button-margin
-                                          :ascent center))
-                         tab-bar-close-button)))
+  (unless (iconp 'tab-bar-new)
+    (define-icon tab-bar-new nil
+      `((image "tabs/new.xpm"
+               :margin ,tab-bar-button-margin
+               :ascent center)
+        ;; (emoji "➕")
+        ;; (symbol "＋")
+        (text " + "))
+      "Icon for creating a new tab."
+      :version "29.1"
+      :help-echo "New tab"))
+  (setq tab-bar-new-button (icon-string 'tab-bar-new))
+
+  (unless (iconp 'tab-bar-close)
+    (define-icon tab-bar-close nil
+      `((image "tabs/close.xpm"
+               :margin ,tab-bar-button-margin
+               :ascent center)
+        ;; (emoji " ❌")
+        ;; (symbol "ⓧ")
+        (text " x"))
+      "Icon for closing the clicked tab."
+      :version "29.1"
+      :help-echo "Click to close tab"))
+  (setq tab-bar-close-button (propertize (icon-string 'tab-bar-close)
+                                         'close-tab t)))
 
 (defun tab-bar--tab-bar-lines-for-frame (frame)
   "Determine and return the value of `tab-bar-lines' for FRAME.
@@ -1916,22 +1933,27 @@ tab-bar-history-mode
   :global t :group 'tab-bar
   (if tab-bar-history-mode
       (progn
-        (when (and tab-bar-mode (not (get-text-property 0 'display tab-bar-back-button)))
-          ;; This file is pre-loaded so only here we can use the right data-directory:
-          (add-text-properties 0 (length tab-bar-back-button)
-                               `(display (image :type xpm
-                                                :file "tabs/left-arrow.xpm"
-                                                :margin ,tab-bar-button-margin
-                                                :ascent center))
-                               tab-bar-back-button))
-        (when (and tab-bar-mode (not (get-text-property 0 'display tab-bar-forward-button)))
-          ;; This file is pre-loaded so only here we can use the right data-directory:
-          (add-text-properties 0 (length tab-bar-forward-button)
-                               `(display (image :type xpm
-                                                :file "tabs/right-arrow.xpm"
-                                                :margin ,tab-bar-button-margin
-                                                :ascent center))
-                               tab-bar-forward-button))
+        (require 'icons)
+
+        (unless (iconp 'tab-bar-back)
+          (define-icon tab-bar-back nil
+            `((image "tabs/left-arrow.xpm"
+                     :margin ,tab-bar-button-margin
+                     :ascent center)
+              (text " < "))
+            "Icon for going back in tab history."
+            :version "29.1"))
+        (setq tab-bar-back-button (icon-string 'tab-bar-back))
+
+        (unless (iconp 'tab-bar-forward)
+          (define-icon tab-bar-forward nil
+            `((image "tabs/right-arrow.xpm"
+                     :margin ,tab-bar-button-margin
+                     :ascent center)
+              (text " > "))
+            "Icon for going forward in tab history."
+            :version "29.1"))
+        (setq tab-bar-forward-button (icon-string 'tab-bar-forward))
 
         (add-hook 'pre-command-hook 'tab-bar--history-pre-change)
         (add-hook 'window-configuration-change-hook 'tab-bar--history-change))