diff --git a/src/components/notification/notification.js b/src/components/notification/notification.js
index f95a329ffb..7d9807deb3 100644
--- a/src/components/notification/notification.js
+++ b/src/components/notification/notification.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import Status from '../status/status.vue'
-import StillImage from '../still-image/still-image.vue'
+import UserAvatar from '../user_avatar/user_avatar.vue'
 import UserCardContent from '../user_card_content/user_card_content.vue'
 import { highlightClass, highlightStyle } from '../../services/user_highlighter/user_highlighter.js'
 import generateProfileLink from 'src/services/user_profile_link_generator/user_profile_link_generator'
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ const Notification = {
   },
   props: [ 'notification' ],
   components: {
-    Status, StillImage, UserCardContent
+    Status, UserAvatar, UserCardContent
   },
   methods: {
     toggleUserExpanded () {
diff --git a/src/components/notification/notification.vue b/src/components/notification/notification.vue
index f91c90cc57..a0a55cbafc 100644
--- a/src/components/notification/notification.vue
+++ b/src/components/notification/notification.vue
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   <status v-if="notification.type === 'mention'" :compact="true" :statusoid="notification.status"></status>
   <div class="non-mention" :class="[userClass, { highlighted: userStyle }]" :style="[ userStyle ]"v-else>
     <a class='avatar-container' :href="notification.action.user.statusnet_profile_url" @click.stop.prevent.capture="toggleUserExpanded">
-      <StillImage class='avatar-compact' :class="{'better-shadow': betterShadow}" :src="notification.action.user.profile_image_url_original"/>
+      <UserAvatar :compact="true" :betterShadow="betterShadow" :src="notification.action.user.profile_image_url_original"/>
     </a>
     <div class='notification-right'>
       <div class="usercard notification-usercard" v-if="userExpanded">
diff --git a/src/components/notifications/notifications.scss b/src/components/notifications/notifications.scss
index 5c4ca1b971..bc81d45c3b 100644
--- a/src/components/notifications/notifications.scss
+++ b/src/components/notifications/notifications.scss
@@ -36,26 +36,7 @@
   border-color: $fallback--border;
   border-color: var(--border, $fallback--border);
 
-  .avatar-compact {
-    width: 32px;
-    height: 32px;
-    box-shadow: var(--avatarStatusShadow);
-    border-radius: $fallback--avatarAltRadius;
-    border-radius: var(--avatarAltRadius, $fallback--avatarAltRadius);
-    overflow: hidden;
-    line-height: 0;
-
-    &.better-shadow {
-      box-shadow: var(--avatarStatusShadowInset);
-      filter: var(--avatarStatusShadowFilter)
-    }
-
-    &.animated::before {
-      display: none;
-    }
-  }
-
-  &:hover .animated.avatar-compact {
+  &:hover .animated.avatar {
     canvas {
       display: none;
     }
diff --git a/src/components/status/status.js b/src/components/status/status.js
index c718fe9f69..7bf4fa2d09 100644
--- a/src/components/status/status.js
+++ b/src/components/status/status.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import RetweetButton from '../retweet_button/retweet_button.vue'
 import DeleteButton from '../delete_button/delete_button.vue'
 import PostStatusForm from '../post_status_form/post_status_form.vue'
 import UserCardContent from '../user_card_content/user_card_content.vue'
-import StillImage from '../still-image/still-image.vue'
+import UserAvatar from '../user_avatar/user_avatar.vue'
 import Gallery from '../gallery/gallery.vue'
 import LinkPreview from '../link-preview/link-preview.vue'
 import generateProfileLink from 'src/services/user_profile_link_generator/user_profile_link_generator'
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ const Status = {
     DeleteButton,
     PostStatusForm,
     UserCardContent,
-    StillImage,
+    UserAvatar,
     Gallery,
     LinkPreview
   },
diff --git a/src/components/status/status.vue b/src/components/status/status.vue
index 3e3e82bf0d..7581f7493d 100644
--- a/src/components/status/status.vue
+++ b/src/components/status/status.vue
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
     </template>
     <template v-else>
       <div v-if="retweet && !noHeading" :class="[repeaterClass, { highlighted: repeaterStyle }]" :style="[repeaterStyle]" class="media container retweet-info">
-        <StillImage v-if="retweet" class='avatar' :class='{ "better-shadow": betterShadow }' :src="statusoid.user.profile_image_url_original"/>
+        <UserAvatar v-if="retweet" :betterShadow="betterShadow" :src="statusoid.user.profile_image_url_original"/>
         <div class="media-body faint">
           <a v-if="retweeterHtml" :href="statusoid.user.statusnet_profile_url" class="user-name" :title="'@'+statusoid.user.screen_name" v-html="retweeterHtml"></a>
           <a v-else :href="statusoid.user.statusnet_profile_url" class="user-name" :title="'@'+statusoid.user.screen_name">{{retweeter}}</a>
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
       <div :class="[userClass, { highlighted: userStyle, 'is-retweet': retweet }]" :style="[ userStyle ]" class="media status">
         <div v-if="!noHeading" class="media-left">
           <router-link :to="userProfileLink" @click.stop.prevent.capture.native="toggleUserExpanded">
-            <StillImage class='avatar' :class="{'avatar-compact': compact, 'better-shadow': betterShadow}"  :src="status.user.profile_image_url_original"/>
+            <UserAvatar :compact="compact" :betterShadow="betterShadow" :src="status.user.profile_image_url_original"/>
           </router-link>
         </div>
         <div class="status-body">
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@
     padding: 0.4em 0.6em 0 0.6em;
     margin: 0;
 
-    .avatar {
+    .avatar.still-image {
       border-radius: $fallback--avatarAltRadius;
       border-radius: var(--avatarAltRadius, $fallback--avatarAltRadius);
       margin-left: 28px;
@@ -497,46 +497,6 @@
   color: var(--cBlue, $fallback--cBlue);
 }
 
-.status .avatar-compact {
-  width: 32px;
-  height: 32px;
-  box-shadow: var(--avatarStatusShadow);
-  border-radius: $fallback--avatarAltRadius;
-  border-radius: var(--avatarAltRadius, $fallback--avatarAltRadius);
-
-  &.better-shadow {
-    box-shadow: var(--avatarStatusShadowInset);
-    filter: var(--avatarStatusShadowFilter)
-  }
-}
-
-.avatar.still-image {
-  width: 48px;
-  height: 48px;
-  box-shadow: var(--avatarStatusShadow);
-  border-radius: $fallback--avatarRadius;
-  border-radius: var(--avatarRadius, $fallback--avatarRadius);
-  overflow: hidden;
-  position: relative;
-
-  &.better-shadow {
-    box-shadow: var(--avatarStatusShadowInset);
-    filter: var(--avatarStatusShadowFilter)
-  }
-
-  img {
-    width: 100%;
-    height: 100%;
-  }
-
-  &.animated::before {
-    display: none;
-  }
-
-  &.retweeted {
-  }
-}
-
 .status:hover .animated.avatar {
   canvas {
     display: none;
@@ -594,7 +554,7 @@ a.unmute {
 @media all and (max-width: 800px) {
   .status-el {
     .retweet-info {
-      .avatar {
+      .avatar.still-image {
         margin-left: 20px;
       }
     }
@@ -603,14 +563,14 @@ a.unmute {
     max-width: 100%;
   }
 
-  .status .avatar {
+  .status .avatar.still-image {
     width: 40px;
     height: 40px;
-  }
 
-  .status .avatar-compact {
-    width: 32px;
-    height: 32px;
+    &.avatar-compact {
+      width: 32px;
+      height: 32px;
+    }
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/components/still-image/still-image.js b/src/components/still-image/still-image.js
index 5ad06dc2fb..8f3a7206f0 100644
--- a/src/components/still-image/still-image.js
+++ b/src/components/still-image/still-image.js
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ const StillImage = {
   props: [
     'src',
     'referrerpolicy',
-    'mimetype'
+    'mimetype',
+    'imageLoadError'
   ],
   data () {
     return {
diff --git a/src/components/still-image/still-image.vue b/src/components/still-image/still-image.vue
index 1dcb7ce655..29c59e420d 100644
--- a/src/components/still-image/still-image.vue
+++ b/src/components/still-image/still-image.vue
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <template>
   <div class='still-image' :class='{ animated: animated }' >
     <canvas ref="canvas" v-if="animated"></canvas>
-    <img ref="src" :src="src" :referrerpolicy="referrerpolicy" v-on:load="onLoad"/>
+    <img ref="src" :src="src" :referrerpolicy="referrerpolicy" v-on:load="onLoad" @error="imageLoadError"/>
   </div>
 </template>
 
diff --git a/src/components/user_avatar/user_avatar.js b/src/components/user_avatar/user_avatar.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e513b99359
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/user_avatar/user_avatar.js
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+import StillImage from '../still-image/still-image.vue'
+
+const UserAvatar = {
+  props: [
+    'src',
+    'betterShadow',
+    'compact'
+  ],
+  data () {
+    return {
+      showPlaceholder: false
+    }
+  },
+  components: {
+    StillImage
+  },
+  computed: {
+    imgSrc () {
+      return this.showPlaceholder ? '/images/avi.png' : this.src
+    }
+  },
+  methods: {
+    imageLoadError () {
+      this.showPlaceholder = true
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+export default UserAvatar
diff --git a/src/components/user_avatar/user_avatar.vue b/src/components/user_avatar/user_avatar.vue
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3ec25b21a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/user_avatar/user_avatar.vue
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+<template>
+  <StillImage class="avatar" :class="{ 'avatar-compact': compact, 'better-shadow': betterShadow }" :src="imgSrc" :imageLoadError="imageLoadError"/>
+</template>
+
+<script src="./user_avatar.js"></script>
+<style lang="scss">
+@import '../../_variables.scss';
+
+.avatar.still-image {
+  width: 48px;
+  height: 48px;
+  box-shadow: var(--avatarStatusShadow);
+  border-radius: $fallback--avatarRadius;
+  border-radius: var(--avatarRadius, $fallback--avatarRadius);
+
+  img {
+    width: 100%;
+    height: 100%;
+  }
+
+  &.better-shadow {
+    box-shadow: var(--avatarStatusShadowInset);
+    filter: var(--avatarStatusShadowFilter)
+  }
+
+  &.animated::before {
+    display: none;
+  }
+
+  &.avatar-compact {
+    width: 32px;
+    height: 32px;
+    border-radius: $fallback--avatarAltRadius;
+    border-radius: var(--avatarAltRadius, $fallback--avatarAltRadius);
+  }
+}
+</style>
diff --git a/src/components/user_card/user_card.js b/src/components/user_card/user_card.js
index 615e64879c..ecc36a4dd1 100644
--- a/src/components/user_card/user_card.js
+++ b/src/components/user_card/user_card.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import UserCardContent from '../user_card_content/user_card_content.vue'
-import StillImage from '../still-image/still-image.vue'
+import UserAvatar from '../user_avatar/user_avatar.vue'
 import generateProfileLink from 'src/services/user_profile_link_generator/user_profile_link_generator'
 
 const UserCard = {
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ const UserCard = {
   },
   components: {
     UserCardContent,
-    StillImage
+    UserAvatar
   },
   computed: {
     currentUser () { return this.$store.state.users.currentUser }
diff --git a/src/components/user_card/user_card.vue b/src/components/user_card/user_card.vue
index cf69606dfe..57a44dfb6b 100644
--- a/src/components/user_card/user_card.vue
+++ b/src/components/user_card/user_card.vue
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <template>
   <div class="card">
     <a href="#">
-      <StillImage @click.prevent="toggleUserExpanded" class="avatar" :src="user.profile_image_url"/>
+      <UserAvatar :compact="true" @click.prevent="toggleUserExpanded" :src="user.profile_image_url"/>
     </a>
     <div class="usercard" v-if="userExpanded">
       <user-card-content :user="user" :switcher="false"></user-card-content>
@@ -70,10 +70,6 @@
 
   .avatar {
     margin-top: 0.2em;
-    width:32px;
-    height: 32px;
-    border-radius: $fallback--avatarAltRadius;
-    border-radius: var(--avatarAltRadius, $fallback--avatarAltRadius);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/components/user_card_content/user_card_content.js b/src/components/user_card_content/user_card_content.js
index 541c73b489..6f6d04a794 100644
--- a/src/components/user_card_content/user_card_content.js
+++ b/src/components/user_card_content/user_card_content.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import StillImage from '../still-image/still-image.vue'
+import UserAvatar from '../user_avatar/user_avatar.vue'
 import { hex2rgb } from '../../services/color_convert/color_convert.js'
 import generateProfileLink from 'src/services/user_profile_link_generator/user_profile_link_generator'
 
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ export default {
     }
   },
   components: {
-    StillImage
+    UserAvatar
   },
   methods: {
     followUser () {
diff --git a/src/components/user_card_content/user_card_content.vue b/src/components/user_card_content/user_card_content.vue
index d1034d6850..ce65ec2f2b 100644
--- a/src/components/user_card_content/user_card_content.vue
+++ b/src/components/user_card_content/user_card_content.vue
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     <div class='user-info'>
       <div class='container'>
         <router-link :to="userProfileLink(user)">
-          <StillImage class="avatar" :class='{ "better-shadow": betterShadow }' :src="user.profile_image_url_original"/>
+          <UserAvatar :betterShadow="betterShadow" :src="user.profile_image_url_original"/>
         </router-link>
         <div class="name-and-screen-name">
           <div class="top-line">
@@ -169,23 +169,12 @@
     max-height: 56px;
 
     .avatar {
-      border-radius: $fallback--avatarRadius;
-      border-radius: var(--avatarRadius, $fallback--avatarRadius);
       flex: 1 0 100%;
       width: 56px;
       height: 56px;
       box-shadow: 0px 1px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.75);
       box-shadow: var(--avatarShadow);
       object-fit: cover;
-
-      &.better-shadow {
-        box-shadow: var(--avatarShadowInset);
-        filter: var(--avatarShadowFilter)
-      }
-
-      &.animated::before {
-        display: none;
-      }
     }
   }