diff --git a/yt_dlp/YoutubeDL.py b/yt_dlp/YoutubeDL.py
index 3186a999de..3130deda31 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/YoutubeDL.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/YoutubeDL.py
@@ -4381,7 +4381,9 @@ def _write_thumbnails(self, label, info_dict, filename, thumb_filename_base=None
             return None
 
         for idx, t in list(enumerate(thumbnails))[::-1]:
-            thumb_ext = (f'{t["id"]}.' if multiple else '') + determine_ext(t['url'], 'jpg')
+            thumb_ext = t.get('ext') or determine_ext(t['url'], 'jpg')
+            if multiple:
+                thumb_ext = f'{t["id"]}.{thumb_ext}'
             thumb_display_id = f'{label} thumbnail {t["id"]}'
             thumb_filename = replace_extension(filename, thumb_ext, info_dict.get('ext'))
             thumb_filename_final = replace_extension(thumb_filename_base, thumb_ext, info_dict.get('ext'))
diff --git a/yt_dlp/extractor/common.py b/yt_dlp/extractor/common.py
index 01915acf23..23f6fc6c46 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/extractor/common.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/extractor/common.py
@@ -279,6 +279,7 @@ class InfoExtractor:
     thumbnails:     A list of dictionaries, with the following entries:
                         * "id" (optional, string) - Thumbnail format ID
                         * "url"
+                        * "ext" (optional, string) - actual image extension if not given in URL
                         * "preference" (optional, int) - quality of the image
                         * "width" (optional, int)
                         * "height" (optional, int)