diff --git a/src/Wt/WMenuItem.C b/src/Wt/WMenuItem.C
index 9f52d804..99889dac 100644
--- a/src/Wt/WMenuItem.C
+++ b/src/Wt/WMenuItem.C
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 #include "Wt/WStackedWidget.h"
 #include "Wt/WText.h"
 #include "Wt/WTheme.h"
+#include "Wt/WIcon.h"
 
 #include "StdWidgetItemImpl.h"
 
@@ -42,6 +43,14 @@ WMenuItem::WMenuItem(const std::string& iconPath, const WString& text,
   create(iconPath, text, std::move(contents), policy);
 }
 
+WMenuItem::WMenuItem(std::unique_ptr<WIcon> wicon, const WString& text,
+                     std::unique_ptr<WWidget> contents, ContentLoading policy)
+  : separator_(false)
+{
+  create(std::string(), text, std::move(contents), policy);
+  setIcon(std::move(wicon));
+}
+
 WMenuItem::WMenuItem(bool separator, const WString& text)
   : separator_(true)
 {
@@ -73,6 +82,7 @@ void WMenuItem::create(const std::string& iconPath, const WString& text,
 
   text_ = nullptr;
   icon_ = nullptr;
+  wIcon_ = nullptr;
   checkBox_ = nullptr;
   subMenu_ = nullptr;
   data_ = nullptr;
@@ -162,6 +172,32 @@ void WMenuItem::setIcon(const std::string& path)
   icon_->decorationStyle().setBackgroundImage(WLink(path));
 }
 
+WIcon* WMenuItem::setIcon(std::unique_ptr<WIcon> iconPtr)
+{
+  if (!wIcon_) {
+    WAnchor *a = anchor();
+    if (!a)
+      return nullptr;
+
+    wIcon_ = a->insertWidget(0, std::move(iconPtr));
+  }
+  else
+  {
+    WAnchor *a = anchor();
+    // if the Icon exists, so should the anchor()
+
+    a->removeWidget(wIcon_);
+    wIcon_ = a->insertWidget(0, std::move(iconPtr));
+  }
+
+  // Setting the theme misaligns the Icon. But there is also no distance to the icon.
+  // distance classes can be used in the Icon itself (bootstrap5: me-2)
+  // WApplication *app = WApplication::instance();
+  // app->theme()->apply(this, wIcon_, MenuItemIcon);
+
+  return wIcon_;
+}
+
 std::string WMenuItem::icon() const
 {
   if (icon_)
@@ -170,6 +206,12 @@ std::string WMenuItem::icon() const
     return std::string();
 }
 
+WIcon* WMenuItem::wIcon() const
+{
+  // its either set or nullptr
+  return wIcon_;
+}
+
 void WMenuItem::setText(const WString& text)
 {
   if (!text_) {
diff --git a/src/Wt/WMenuItem.h b/src/Wt/WMenuItem.h
index feff4500..94cf8f39 100644
--- a/src/Wt/WMenuItem.h
+++ b/src/Wt/WMenuItem.h
@@ -54,6 +54,16 @@ public:
             std::unique_ptr<WWidget> contents = nullptr,
             ContentLoading policy = ContentLoading::Lazy);
 
+            
+  /*
+   * The icon is displayed left to the text.
+   *
+   * \note The Icon is created with Webfonts.
+   */
+  WMenuItem(std::unique_ptr<WIcon> iconPtr, const WString& label,
+            std::unique_ptr<WWidget> contents = nullptr,
+            ContentLoading policy = ContentLoading::Lazy);
+
   /* !\brief Destructor.
    *
    * Removes the item from the menu (if it was added previously to one), and
@@ -85,15 +95,31 @@ public:
    * The icon should have a width of 16 pixels.
    *
    * \sa setText()
+   * 
+   * \note To use xhtml icons use \sa anchor() to insert WText
    */
   void setIcon(const std::string& path);
 
+  /*! \brief Sets the item icon.
+   *.
+   * \sa setText()
+   * 
+   * \note To use xhtml icons use \sa anchor() to insert WText
+   */
+  WIcon* setIcon(std::unique_ptr<WIcon> iconPtr);
+
   /*! \brief Returns the item icon path.
    *
    * \sa setIcon()
    */
   std::string icon() const;
 
+  /*! \brief Returns the item pointer.
+   *
+   * \sa setIcon()
+   */
+  WIcon* wIcon() const;
+
   /*! \brief Sets if the item is checkable.
    *
    * When an item is checkable, a checkbox is displayed to the left of the
@@ -332,7 +358,15 @@ public:
 
   /*! \brief Returns the anchor of this menu item.
    *
-   *  Can be used to add widgets to the menu.
+   *  Can be used to add widgets to the item.
+   * 
+   *  If you want to use xhtml Items like Icons:
+   * \code {.cpp}
+   * auto iconText = std::make_unique<WText>("<i class=\"bi bi-play\"></i>");
+   * iconText->setTextFormat(TextFormat::XHTML);
+   * item->anchor()->insertWidget(0, std::move(iconText));
+   * \endcode
+   * 
    */
   WAnchor *anchor() const;
 
@@ -371,6 +405,7 @@ private:
 
   WMenu *menu_, *subMenu_;
   WText *icon_;
+  WIcon *wIcon_;
   WLabel *text_;
   WCheckBox *checkBox_;
   void *data_;