diff --git a/beetsplug/fetchart.py b/beetsplug/fetchart.py
index e6bd05119..9f5ed69fb 100644
--- a/beetsplug/fetchart.py
+++ b/beetsplug/fetchart.py
@@ -1101,6 +1101,16 @@ class FileSystem(LocalArtSource):
                 else:
                     remaining.append(fn)
 
+            # Fall back to a configured image.
+            if plugin.fallback:
+                self._log.debug(
+                    "using fallback art file {}",
+                    util.displayable_path(plugin.fallback),
+                )
+                yield self._candidate(
+                    path=plugin.fallback, match=MetadataMatch.FALLBACK
+                )
+
             # Fall back to any image in the folder.
             if remaining and not plugin.cautious:
                 self._log.debug(
@@ -1332,6 +1342,7 @@ class FetchArtPlugin(plugins.BeetsPlugin, RequestMixin):
                 "enforce_ratio": False,
                 "cautious": False,
                 "cover_names": ["cover", "front", "art", "album", "folder"],
+                "fallback": None,
                 "sources": [
                     "filesystem",
                     "coverart",
@@ -1380,6 +1391,9 @@ class FetchArtPlugin(plugins.BeetsPlugin, RequestMixin):
         cover_names = self.config["cover_names"].as_str_seq()
         self.cover_names = list(map(util.bytestring_path, cover_names))
         self.cautious = self.config["cautious"].get(bool)
+        self.fallback = self.config["fallback"].get(
+            confuse.Optional(confuse.Filename())
+        )
         self.store_source = self.config["store_source"].get(bool)
 
         self.cover_format = self.config["cover_format"].get(
diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index b292863ee..0cfc1af24 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ been dropped.
 
 New features:
 
+- :doc:`plugins/fetchart`: Added config setting for a fallback cover art image.
 - :doc:`plugins/ftintitle`: Added argument for custom feat. words in ftintitle.
 - :doc:`plugins/ftintitle`: Added album template value ``album_artist_no_feat``.
 - :doc:`plugins/musicbrainz`: Allow selecting tags or genres to populate the
diff --git a/docs/plugins/fetchart.rst b/docs/plugins/fetchart.rst
index 1d64f4b2e..fd578212a 100644
--- a/docs/plugins/fetchart.rst
+++ b/docs/plugins/fetchart.rst
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ file. The available options are:
   contain one of the keywords in ``cover_names``. Default: ``no``.
 - **cover_names**: Prioritize images containing words in this list. Default:
   ``cover front art album folder``.
+- **fallback**: Path to a fallback album art file if no album art was found
+  otherwise. Default: ``None`` (disabled).
 - **minwidth**: Only images with a width bigger or equal to ``minwidth`` are
   considered as valid album art candidates. Default: 0.
 - **maxwidth**: A maximum image width to downscale fetched images if they are
diff --git a/test/plugins/test_art.py b/test/plugins/test_art.py
index 285bb70e5..02d23d59b 100644
--- a/test/plugins/test_art.py
+++ b/test/plugins/test_art.py
@@ -261,7 +261,9 @@ class FSArtTest(UseThePlugin):
         os.mkdir(syspath(self.dpath))
 
         self.source = fetchart.FileSystem(logger, self.plugin.config)
-        self.settings = Settings(cautious=False, cover_names=("art",))
+        self.settings = Settings(
+            cautious=False, cover_names=("art",), fallback=None
+        )
 
     def test_finds_jpg_in_directory(self):
         _common.touch(os.path.join(self.dpath, b"a.jpg"))
@@ -285,6 +287,13 @@ class FSArtTest(UseThePlugin):
         with pytest.raises(StopIteration):
             next(self.source.get(None, self.settings, [self.dpath]))
 
+    def test_configured_fallback_is_used(self):
+        fallback = os.path.join(self.temp_dir, b"a.jpg")
+        _common.touch(fallback)
+        self.settings.fallback = fallback
+        candidate = next(self.source.get(None, self.settings, [self.dpath]))
+        assert candidate.path == fallback
+
     def test_empty_dir(self):
         with pytest.raises(StopIteration):
             next(self.source.get(None, self.settings, [self.dpath]))