--- a/openide.util.ui/src/org/openide/util/ImageUtilities.java	
+++ a/openide.util.ui/src/org/openide/util/ImageUtilities.java	
@@ -118,6 +118,35 @@ 
     private static final Logger ERR = Logger.getLogger(ImageUtilities.class.getName());
     
     private static final String DARK_LAF_SUFFIX = "_dark"; //NOI18N
+
+    /**
+     * Finds image for given resource.<p>
+     * If a DarkLAF is enabed, then find images with '_dark' suffix first.
+     * If such an image cannot be found, then find the image using its original file name.
+     *
+     * @param name name of the resource
+     * @param loader classloader to use for locating it, or null to use classpath
+     * @param localizedQuery whether the name contains some localization suffix
+     * and is not optimized/interned
+     */
+    private static Image getIconWithDarkLaFSupport(String resource, ClassLoader loader, boolean localizedQuery) {
+        Image i = null;
+        if (isDarkLaF()) {
+            // NOTE: apply the '_dark' suffix as the very last suffix to support 
+            // languages and brandings from NbBundle.getLocalizingSuffixes() like before:
+            // 
+            // Example:
+            // a) request 'about.png'
+            // b) apply branding 'nb'       -> about_nb.png
+            // c) apply language 'en'       -> about_nb_en.png
+            // d) apply dark suffix '_dark' -> about_nb_en_dark.png
+            i = getIcon(addDarkSuffix(resource), loader, localizedQuery);
+        }
+        if (i == null) {
+            i = getIcon(resource, loader, localizedQuery);
+        }
+        return i;
+    }
     
     private ImageUtilities() {
     }
@@ -160,13 +189,7 @@ 
      * @return icon's Image or null if the icon cannot be loaded
      */
     public static final Image loadImage(String resource, boolean localized) {
-        Image image = null;
-        if( isDarkLaF() ) {
-            image = getIcon(addDarkSuffix(resource), localized);
-        }
-        if( null == image )
-            image = getIcon( resource, localized );
-        return image;
+        return getIcon(resource, localized);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -184,21 +207,10 @@ 
      * @since 7.22
      */
     public static final ImageIcon loadImageIcon( String resource, boolean localized ) {
-        Image image = null;
-        if( isDarkLaF() ) {
-            image = getIcon(addDarkSuffix(resource), localized);
-            if( null != image ) {
-                return ( ImageIcon ) image2Icon( image );
-            }
-        }
-        image = getIcon( resource, localized );
+        Image image = getIcon(resource, localized);
         if( image == null ) {
             return null;
         }
-        RGBImageFilter imageFilter = getImageIconFilter();
-        if( null != imageFilter ) {
-            image = Toolkit.getDefaultToolkit().createImage( new FilteredImageSource( image.getSource(), imageFilter ) );
-        }
         return ( ImageIcon ) image2Icon( image );
     }
     
@@ -219,6 +231,19 @@ 
         }
         return resourceName + DARK_LAF_SUFFIX;
     }
+    
+    private static boolean hasDarkSuffix(String resourceName) {
+        if (null == resourceName) {
+            return false;
+        }
+        // f.e. checks for '_dark' in 'about_nb_dark.png'
+        // f.e. checks for '_dark' in 'about_nb_dark'
+        int dotIndex = resourceName.lastIndexOf('.');
+        if (dotIndex > 0) {
+            return resourceName.substring(0, dotIndex).endsWith(DARK_LAF_SUFFIX);
+        }
+        return resourceName.endsWith(DARK_LAF_SUFFIX);
+    }
 
     private static RGBImageFilter getImageIconFilter() {
         if( null == imageIconFilter ) {
@@ -470,9 +495,9 @@ 
                     Image i;
 
                     if (suffix.length() == 0) {
-                        i = getIcon(resource, loader, false);
+                        i = getIconWithDarkLaFSupport(resource, loader, false);
                     } else {
-                        i = getIcon(base + suffix + ext, loader, true);
+                        i = getIconWithDarkLaFSupport(base + suffix + ext, loader, true);
                     }
 
                     if (i != null) {
@@ -601,6 +626,14 @@ 
                 }
                 name = new String(name).intern(); // NOPMD
                 result = ToolTipImage.createNew("", result, url);
+                if (isDarkLaF() && hasDarkSuffix(name)) {
+                    // a resource with '_dark' suffix like about_dark.png has been found, so no image filter necessary
+                    // DO NOT FILTER
+                } else {
+                    // apply image filter, if set in UIManager at 'nb.imageicon.filter'
+                    // f.e. DarkMetalLAF/DarculaLAF use it to invert icon colors
+                    result = applyIconFilter(result);
+                }
                 cache.put(name, new ActiveRef<String>(result, cache, name));
                 return result;
             } else { // no icon found
@@ -649,11 +682,23 @@ 
                 System.out.println("INTERRUPTED while loading Image");
             }
 
-            assert (tracker.statusID(id, false) == MediaTracker.COMPLETE) : "Image loaded";
+            // #262804 assertation disabled because of error, when using ImageFilter
+            // assert (tracker.statusID(id, false) == MediaTracker.COMPLETE) : "Image loaded";
             tracker.removeImage(image, id);
         }
     }
     
+    private static Image applyIconFilter(Image image) {
+        if (image == null) {
+            return null;
+        }
+        RGBImageFilter imageFilter = getImageIconFilter();
+        if (imageFilter != null) {
+            return Toolkit.getDefaultToolkit().createImage(new FilteredImageSource(image.getSource(), imageFilter));
+        }
+        return image;
+    }
+    
     private static final Image doMergeImages(Image image1, Image image2, int x, int y) {
         ensureLoaded(image1);
         ensureLoaded(image2);