diff --git a/resources/skins.vector.styles/images/unwatch-icon-hl.png b/resources/skins.vector.styles/images/unwatch-icon-hl.png
deleted file mode 100644
index b7397c7..0000000
Binary files a/resources/skins.vector.styles/images/unwatch-icon-hl.png and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/resources/skins.vector.styles/images/unwatch-icon.png b/resources/skins.vector.styles/images/unwatch-icon.png
deleted file mode 100644
index b4d3d9a..0000000
Binary files a/resources/skins.vector.styles/images/unwatch-icon.png and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/resources/skins.vector.styles/images/watch-icon-hl.png b/resources/skins.vector.styles/images/watch-icon-hl.png
deleted file mode 100644
index 21de7cb..0000000
Binary files a/resources/skins.vector.styles/images/watch-icon-hl.png and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/resources/skins.vector.styles/images/watch-icon.png b/resources/skins.vector.styles/images/watch-icon.png
deleted file mode 100644
index c0396fb..0000000
Binary files a/resources/skins.vector.styles/images/watch-icon.png and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/resources/skins.vector.styles/index.less b/resources/skins.vector.styles/index.less
index 87a5164..11ca945 100644
--- a/resources/skins.vector.styles/index.less
+++ b/resources/skins.vector.styles/index.less
@@ -15,5 +15,6 @@
 	@import 'externalLinks.less';
 }
 
+@import 'watchstar-ie8.less';
 @import 'hd.less';
 @import 'print.less';
diff --git a/resources/skins.vector.styles/legacy.less b/resources/skins.vector.styles/legacy.less
index d3e09bf..8687e54 100644
--- a/resources/skins.vector.styles/legacy.less
+++ b/resources/skins.vector.styles/legacy.less
@@ -14,5 +14,6 @@
 	@import 'externalLinks.less';
 }
 
+@import 'watchstar-ie8.less';
 @import 'hd.less';
 @import 'print.less';
diff --git a/resources/skins.vector.styles/watchstar-ie8.less b/resources/skins.vector.styles/watchstar-ie8.less
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b756572
--- /dev/null
+++ b/resources/skins.vector.styles/watchstar-ie8.less
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+/*!
+ * Convert watchstar to text label in IE 8.
+ *
+ * Hide the SVG icon and show the text label instead.
+ * This is in a separate file because it uses a
+ * @media query, which can't be nested, so we need to include
+ * this outside the overall '@media screen'.
+ */
+
+// stylelint-disable no-duplicate-selectors
+
+// Support IE 8: Show label instead (Grade C).
+// See https://stackoverflow.com/a/17699986/1696030
+// https://keithclark.co.uk/articles/moving-ie-specific-css-into-media-blocks/media-tests/
+@ie8-media-start: ~'@media \0screen {';
+@ie8-media-end: ~'} after';
+@{ie8-media-start}
+.vectorTabs .mw-watchlink.icon a {
+	width: auto;
+	height: auto;
+	// Copied from 'VectorTabs.less'.
+	padding: 1.25em 8px 0 8px;
+}
+
+// LESS nesting doesn't work in this hack.
+.vectorTabs .mw-watchlink.icon a:before {
+	display: none;
+}
+// Bogus extra rule for LESS compiler to render `@media` ending bracket.
+@{ie8-media-end} {
+	/* This comment makes the block non-empty. */
+}
diff --git a/resources/skins.vector.styles/watchstar.less b/resources/skins.vector.styles/watchstar.less
index 1afbfa6..f8dfb01 100644
--- a/resources/skins.vector.styles/watchstar.less
+++ b/resources/skins.vector.styles/watchstar.less
@@ -33,27 +33,27 @@
 	}
 
 	#ca-unwatch.icon a:before {
-		.background-image-svg( 'images/unwatch-icon.svg', 'images/unwatch-icon.png' );
+		background-image: linear-gradient( transparent, transparent ), url( images/unwatch-icon.svg );
 	}
 
 	#ca-watch.icon a:before {
-		.background-image-svg( 'images/watch-icon.svg', 'images/watch-icon.png' );
+		background-image: linear-gradient( transparent, transparent ), url( images/watch-icon.svg );
 	}
 
 	#ca-unwatch.icon a:hover:before,
 	#ca-unwatch.icon a:focus:before {
-		.background-image-svg( 'images/unwatch-icon-hl.svg', 'images/unwatch-icon-hl.png' );
+		background-image: linear-gradient( transparent, transparent ), url( images/unwatch-icon-hl.svg );
 	}
 
 	#ca-watch.icon a:hover:before,
 	#ca-watch.icon a:focus:before {
-		.background-image-svg( 'images/watch-icon-hl.svg', 'images/watch-icon-hl.png' );
+		background-image: linear-gradient( transparent, transparent ), url( images/watch-icon-hl.svg );
 	}
 
 	// Loading watchstar link class.
 	#ca-unwatch.icon .loading:before,
 	#ca-watch.icon .loading:before {
-		background-image: url( images/watch-icon-loading.svg );
+		background-image: linear-gradient( transparent, transparent ), url( images/watch-icon-loading.svg );
 		.rotation( 700ms );
 		/* Suppress the hilarious rotating focus outline on Firefox */
 		outline: 0;