diff --git a/deepface/modules/preprocessing.py b/deepface/modules/preprocessing.py
index 23edb5d..5a6ebf5 100644
--- a/deepface/modules/preprocessing.py
+++ b/deepface/modules/preprocessing.py
@@ -3,12 +3,13 @@ import os
 from typing import Union, Tuple
 import base64
 from pathlib import Path
-import imghdr
+import io
 
 # 3rd party
 import numpy as np
 import cv2
 import requests
+from PIL import Image
 
 
 def load_image(img: Union[str, np.ndarray]) -> Tuple[np.ndarray, str]:
@@ -86,7 +87,9 @@ def load_base64(uri: str) -> np.ndarray:
 
     encoded_data = encoded_data_parts[1]
     decoded_bytes = base64.b64decode(encoded_data)
-    file_type = imghdr.what(None, h=decoded_bytes)
+
+    img = Image.open(io.BytesIO(decoded_bytes))
+    file_type = img.format.lower()
 
     # similar to find functionality, we are just considering these extensions
     # content type is safer option than file extension
diff --git a/deepface/modules/recognition.py b/deepface/modules/recognition.py
index 18e1a93..7d11abf 100644
--- a/deepface/modules/recognition.py
+++ b/deepface/modules/recognition.py
@@ -3,12 +3,12 @@ import os
 import pickle
 from typing import List, Union, Optional, Dict, Any
 import time
-import imghdr
 
 # 3rd party dependencies
 import numpy as np
 import pandas as pd
 from tqdm import tqdm
+from PIL import Image
 
 # project dependencies
 from deepface.commons.logger import Logger
@@ -298,7 +298,16 @@ def __list_images(path: str) -> List[str]:
     for r, _, f in os.walk(path):
         for file in f:
             exact_path = os.path.join(r, file)
-            file_type = imghdr.what(exact_path)
+
+            _, ext = os.path.splitext(exact_path)
+            ext_lower = ext.lower()
+
+            if ext_lower not in {".jpg", ".jpeg", ".png"}:
+                continue
+
+            img = Image.open(exact_path)  # lazy
+
+            file_type = img.format.lower()
             if file_type in ["jpeg", "png"]:
                 images.append(exact_path)
     return images