diff --git a/lib/private/avatar.php b/lib/private/avatar.php
index a9d9346d50..5e234d77bb 100644
--- a/lib/private/avatar.php
+++ b/lib/private/avatar.php
@@ -42,6 +42,15 @@ class OC_Avatar implements \OCP\IAvatar {
 		return $avatar;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Check if an avatar exists for the user
+	 *
+	 * @return bool
+	 */
+	public function exists() {
+		return $this->view->file_exists('avatar.jpg') || $this->view->file_exists('avatar.png');
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * sets the users avatar
 	 * @param \OC_Image|resource|string $data OC_Image, imagedata or path to set a new avatar
diff --git a/lib/private/helper.php b/lib/private/helper.php
index c87eb63b66..887c3f3340 100644
--- a/lib/private/helper.php
+++ b/lib/private/helper.php
@@ -289,12 +289,7 @@ class OC_Helper {
 	**/
 	public static function userAvatarSet($user) {
 		$avatar = new \OC_Avatar($user);
-		$image = $avatar->get(1);
-		if ($image instanceof \OC_Image) {
-			return true;
-		} else {
-			return false;
-		}
+		return $avatar->exists();
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/lib/public/iavatar.php b/lib/public/iavatar.php
index 213d2e6cef..fdb044f9e5 100644
--- a/lib/public/iavatar.php
+++ b/lib/public/iavatar.php
@@ -20,6 +20,13 @@ interface IAvatar {
 	 */
 	function get($size = 64);
 
+	/**
+	 * Check if an avatar exists for the user
+	 *
+	 * @return bool
+	 */
+	public function exists();
+
 	/**
 	 * sets the users avatar
 	 * @param Image $data mixed imagedata or path to set a new avatar