diff --git a/.changeset/friendly-news-sin.md b/.changeset/friendly-news-sin.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..af64190f9c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/friendly-news-sin.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/core-components': patch
+---
+
+Create a component abstraction to consume system icons.
diff --git a/.changeset/red-taxis-swim.md b/.changeset/red-taxis-swim.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..13c758d552
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/red-taxis-swim.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/plugin-api-docs': patch
+---
+
+Use the `AppIcon` component in the navigation item extension.
diff --git a/packages/core-components/api-report.md b/packages/core-components/api-report.md
index 27b9c62653..7641386176 100644
--- a/packages/core-components/api-report.md
+++ b/packages/core-components/api-report.md
@@ -66,6 +66,15 @@ export type AlertDisplayProps = {
   transientTimeoutMs?: number;
 };
 
+// @public
+export function AppIcon(props: AppIconProps): React_2.JSX.Element;
+
+// @public
+export type AppIconProps = IconComponentProps & {
+  id: string;
+  Fallback?: IconComponent;
+};
+
 // @public
 export const AutoLogout: (props: AutoLogoutProps) => JSX.Element | null;
 
@@ -130,8 +139,6 @@ export type BreadcrumbsClickableTextClassKey = 'root';
 // @public (undocumented)
 export type BreadcrumbsStyledBoxClassKey = 'root';
 
-// Warning: (ae-forgotten-export) The symbol "IconComponentProps" needs to be exported by the entry point index.d.ts
-//
 // @public
 export function BrokenImageIcon(props: IconComponentProps): React_2.JSX.Element;
 
@@ -541,6 +548,9 @@ export type HorizontalScrollGridClassKey =
   | 'buttonLeft'
   | 'buttonRight';
 
+// @public
+export type IconComponentProps = ComponentProps<IconComponent>;
+
 // @public (undocumented)
 export function IconLinkVertical({
   color,
diff --git a/packages/core-components/src/icons/icons.test.tsx b/packages/core-components/src/icons/icons.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7cd54f37d0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core-components/src/icons/icons.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2024 The Backstage Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+import React from 'react';
+import { screen } from '@testing-library/react';
+import { renderInTestApp } from '@backstage/test-utils';
+import { AppIcon } from './icons';
+
+describe('AppIcon', () => {
+  it('should render the correct system icon', async () => {
+    await renderInTestApp(<AppIcon data-testid="Api Icon" id="kind:api" />);
+    expect(screen.getByTestId('Api Icon')).toBeDefined();
+  });
+
+  it('should render the default fallback component', async () => {
+    await renderInTestApp(
+      <AppIcon data-testid="Fallback Icon" id="kind:api" />,
+    );
+    expect(screen.getByTestId('Fallback Icon')).toBeDefined();
+  });
+
+  it('should render the custom fallback component', async () => {
+    await renderInTestApp(
+      <AppIcon id="unknown" Fallback={() => <div>Fallback Icon</div>} />,
+    );
+    expect(screen.getByText('Fallback Icon')).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/core-components/src/icons/icons.tsx b/packages/core-components/src/icons/icons.tsx
index 8d22af4664..ca3b6fa76a 100644
--- a/packages/core-components/src/icons/icons.tsx
+++ b/packages/core-components/src/icons/icons.tsx
@@ -18,61 +18,80 @@ import { IconComponent, useApp } from '@backstage/core-plugin-api';
 import MuiBrokenImageIcon from '@material-ui/icons/BrokenImage';
 import React, { ComponentProps } from 'react';
 
-type IconComponentProps = ComponentProps<IconComponent>;
+/**
+ * @public
+ * Props for the {@link @backstage/core-plugin-api#IconComponent} component.
+ */
+export type IconComponentProps = ComponentProps<IconComponent>;
 
-function useSystemIcon(key: string, props: IconComponentProps) {
+/**
+ * @public
+ * Props for the {@link AppIcon} component.
+ */
+export type AppIconProps = IconComponentProps & {
+  // The key of the system icon to render.
+  id: string;
+  // An optional fallback icon component to render when the system icon is not found.
+  // Default to () => null.
+  Fallback?: IconComponent;
+};
+
+/**
+ * @public
+ * A component that renders a system icon by its id.
+ */
+export function AppIcon(props: AppIconProps) {
+  const { id: key, Fallback = MuiBrokenImageIcon, ...rest } = props;
   const app = useApp();
-  const Icon = app.getSystemIcon(key);
-  return Icon ? <Icon {...props} /> : <MuiBrokenImageIcon {...props} />;
+  const Icon = app.getSystemIcon(key) ?? Fallback;
+  return <Icon {...rest} />;
 }
 
 // Should match the list of overridable system icon keys in @backstage/core-app-api
 /**
  * Broken Image Icon
- *
  * @public
- *
  */
 export function BrokenImageIcon(props: IconComponentProps) {
-  return useSystemIcon('brokenImage', props);
+  return <AppIcon id="brokenImage" {...props} />;
 }
 /** @public */
 export function CatalogIcon(props: IconComponentProps) {
-  return useSystemIcon('catalog', props);
+  return <AppIcon id="catalog" {...props} />;
 }
 /** @public */
 export function ChatIcon(props: IconComponentProps) {
-  return useSystemIcon('chat', props);
+  return <AppIcon id="chat" {...props} />;
 }
 /** @public */
 export function DashboardIcon(props: IconComponentProps) {
-  return useSystemIcon('dashboard', props);
+  return <AppIcon id="dashboard" {...props} />;
 }
 /** @public */
 export function DocsIcon(props: IconComponentProps) {
-  return useSystemIcon('docs', props);
+  return <AppIcon id="docs" {...props} />;
 }
 /** @public */
 export function EmailIcon(props: IconComponentProps) {
-  return useSystemIcon('email', props);
+  return <AppIcon id="email" {...props} />;
 }
 /** @public */
 export function GitHubIcon(props: IconComponentProps) {
-  return useSystemIcon('github', props);
+  return <AppIcon id="github" {...props} />;
 }
 /** @public */
 export function GroupIcon(props: IconComponentProps) {
-  return useSystemIcon('group', props);
+  return <AppIcon id="group" {...props} />;
 }
 /** @public */
 export function HelpIcon(props: IconComponentProps) {
-  return useSystemIcon('help', props);
+  return <AppIcon id="help" {...props} />;
 }
 /** @public */
 export function UserIcon(props: IconComponentProps) {
-  return useSystemIcon('user', props);
+  return <AppIcon id="user" {...props} />;
 }
 /** @public */
 export function WarningIcon(props: IconComponentProps) {
-  return useSystemIcon('warning', props);
+  return <AppIcon id="warning" {...props} />;
 }
diff --git a/plugins/api-docs/src/alpha.tsx b/plugins/api-docs/src/alpha.tsx
index 38b8db89c6..8cb43e9108 100644
--- a/plugins/api-docs/src/alpha.tsx
+++ b/plugins/api-docs/src/alpha.tsx
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ import {
   compatWrapper,
   convertLegacyRouteRef,
 } from '@backstage/core-compat-api';
-import { useApp } from '@backstage/core-plugin-api';
 
 import {
   createEntityCardExtension,
@@ -45,17 +44,12 @@ import {
 import { defaultDefinitionWidgets } from './components/ApiDefinitionCard';
 import { rootRoute, registerComponentRouteRef } from './routes';
 import { apiDocsConfigRef } from './config';
-
-function ApiIcon() {
-  const app = useApp();
-  const KindApiSystemIcon = app.getSystemIcon('kind:api')!;
-  return <KindApiSystemIcon />;
-}
+import { AppIcon } from '@backstage/core-components';
 
 const apiDocsNavItem = createNavItemExtension({
   title: 'APIs',
   routeRef: convertLegacyRouteRef(rootRoute),
-  icon: () => compatWrapper(<ApiIcon />),
+  icon: () => compatWrapper(<AppIcon id="kind:api" />),
 });
 
 const apiDocsConfigApi = createApiExtension({