diff --git a/UI/WebServerResources/js/Common/Gravatar.service.js b/UI/WebServerResources/js/Common/Gravatar.service.js
index 3c9f37832..f96463374 100644
--- a/UI/WebServerResources/js/Common/Gravatar.service.js
+++ b/UI/WebServerResources/js/Common/Gravatar.service.js
@@ -8,12 +8,12 @@
    * @memberof SOGo.Common
    * @param {string} email
    * @param {number} [size] - the size of the image
-   * @param {string} alternate avatar to use
+   * @param {string} alternate avatar to use (none, identicon, monsterid, wavatar, retro)
    * @ngInject
    */
   function Gravatar() {
-    return function(email, size, alternate_avatar) {
-      var x, y, hash, s = size;
+    return function(email, size, alternate_avatar, options) {
+      var x, y, hash, s = size, a = alternate_avatar;
       if (!email) {
         return '';
       }
@@ -28,8 +28,12 @@
       }
       hash = email.md5();
 
-      if (alternate_avatar == "none")
-        alternate_avatar = "404";
+      if (!a || a == "none") {
+        if (options && options.no_404)
+          alternate_avatar = "mm"; // mystery man alternative
+        else
+          alternate_avatar = "404";
+      }
 
       return 'https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/' + hash + '?s=' + s + '&d=' + alternate_avatar;
     };
diff --git a/UI/WebServerResources/js/Common/User.service.js b/UI/WebServerResources/js/Common/User.service.js
index 3f44e91bd..1bb8d596a 100644
--- a/UI/WebServerResources/js/Common/User.service.js
+++ b/UI/WebServerResources/js/Common/User.service.js
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@
     if (!this.$$shortFormat)
       this.$$shortFormat = this.$shortFormat();
     if (!this.$$image)
-      this.$$image = this.image || User.$gravatar(this.c_email, 32, User.$alternateAvatar);
+      this.$$image = this.image || User.$gravatar(this.c_email, 32, User.$alternateAvatar, {no_404: true});
 
     // An empty attribute to trick md-autocomplete when adding users from the ACLs editor
     this.empty = ' ';
diff --git a/UI/WebServerResources/js/Contacts/Card.service.js b/UI/WebServerResources/js/Contacts/Card.service.js
index 52634135b..9f33c8504 100644
--- a/UI/WebServerResources/js/Contacts/Card.service.js
+++ b/UI/WebServerResources/js/Contacts/Card.service.js
@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@
       if (Preferences.defaults.SOGoContactsCategories) {
         Card.$categories = Preferences.defaults.SOGoContactsCategories;
       }
+      if (Preferences.defaults.SOGoAlternateAvatar)
+        Card.$alternateAvatar = Preferences.defaults.SOGoAlternateAvatar;
     });
 
     return Card; // return constructor
@@ -131,7 +133,7 @@
     if (!this.$$email)
       this.$$email = this.$preferredEmail(partial);
     if (!this.$$image)
-      this.$$image = this.image || Card.$gravatar(this.$preferredEmail(partial), 32);
+      this.$$image = this.image || Card.$gravatar(this.$preferredEmail(partial), 32, Card.$alternateAvatar, {no_404: true});
     this.selected = false;
 
     // An empty attribute to trick md-autocomplete when adding attendees from the appointment editor