diff --git a/lib/private/user.php b/lib/private/user.php
index f15fdf1dbb..d4be8eb9bd 100644
--- a/lib/private/user.php
+++ b/lib/private/user.php
@@ -412,6 +412,22 @@ class OC_User {
 		}
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * @brief Check whether user can change his avatar
+	 * @param string $uid The username
+	 * @return bool
+	 *
+	 * Check whether a specified user can change his avatar
+	 */
+	public static function canUserChangeAvatar($uid) {
+		$user = self::getManager()->get($uid);
+		if ($user) {
+			return $user->canChangeAvatar();
+		} else {
+			return false;
+		}
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * @brief Check whether user can change his password
 	 * @param string $uid The username
diff --git a/lib/private/user/backend.php b/lib/private/user/backend.php
index e9be08e429..02c93d13bd 100644
--- a/lib/private/user/backend.php
+++ b/lib/private/user/backend.php
@@ -31,13 +31,13 @@ define('OC_USER_BACKEND_NOT_IMPLEMENTED',   -501);
 /**
  * actions that user backends can define
  */
-define('OC_USER_BACKEND_CREATE_USER',       0x000001);
-define('OC_USER_BACKEND_SET_PASSWORD',      0x000010);
-define('OC_USER_BACKEND_CHECK_PASSWORD',    0x000100);
-define('OC_USER_BACKEND_GET_HOME',			0x001000);
-define('OC_USER_BACKEND_GET_DISPLAYNAME',	0x010000);
-define('OC_USER_BACKEND_SET_DISPLAYNAME',	0x100000);
-
+define('OC_USER_BACKEND_CREATE_USER',       0x0000001);
+define('OC_USER_BACKEND_SET_PASSWORD',      0x0000010);
+define('OC_USER_BACKEND_CHECK_PASSWORD',    0x0000100);
+define('OC_USER_BACKEND_GET_HOME',			0x0001000);
+define('OC_USER_BACKEND_GET_DISPLAYNAME',	0x0010000);
+define('OC_USER_BACKEND_SET_DISPLAYNAME',	0x0100000);
+define('OC_USER_BACKEND_PROVIDE_AVATAR',	0x1000000);
 
 /**
  * Abstract base class for user management. Provides methods for querying backend
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ abstract class OC_User_Backend implements OC_User_Interface {
 		OC_USER_BACKEND_GET_HOME => 'getHome',
 		OC_USER_BACKEND_GET_DISPLAYNAME => 'getDisplayName',
 		OC_USER_BACKEND_SET_DISPLAYNAME => 'setDisplayName',
+		OC_USER_BACKEND_PROVIDE_AVATAR => 'canChangeAvatar',
 	);
 
 	/**
diff --git a/lib/private/user/user.php b/lib/private/user/user.php
index e5f842944f..e773473ec4 100644
--- a/lib/private/user/user.php
+++ b/lib/private/user/user.php
@@ -139,6 +139,18 @@ class User {
 		return \OC_Config::getValue("datadirectory", \OC::$SERVERROOT . "/data") . '/' . $this->uid; //TODO switch to Config object once implemented
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * check if the backend allows the user to change his avatar on Personal page
+	 *
+	 * @return bool
+	 */
+	public function canChangeAvatar() {
+		if($this->backend->implementsActions(\OC_USER_BACKEND_PROVIDE_AVATAR)) {
+			return $this->backend->canChangeAvatar($this->uid);
+		}
+		return true;
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * check if the backend supports changing passwords
 	 *
diff --git a/settings/personal.php b/settings/personal.php
index 670e18e20e..44e1048941 100644
--- a/settings/personal.php
+++ b/settings/personal.php
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ $tmpl->assign('displayNameChangeSupported', OC_User::canUserChangeDisplayName(OC
 $tmpl->assign('displayName', OC_User::getDisplayName());
 $tmpl->assign('enableDecryptAll' , $enableDecryptAll);
 $tmpl->assign('enableAvatars', \OC_Config::getValue('enable_avatars', true));
+$tmpl->assign('avatarChangeSupported', OC_User::canUserChangeAvatar(OC_User::getUser()));
 
 $forms=OC_App::getForms('personal');
 $tmpl->assign('forms', array());
diff --git a/settings/templates/personal.php b/settings/templates/personal.php
index 9d21e18e73..27a581af9c 100644
--- a/settings/templates/personal.php
+++ b/settings/templates/personal.php
@@ -87,11 +87,15 @@ if($_['passwordChangeSupported']) {
 		<div id="displayavatar">
 			<div class="avatardiv"></div><br>
 			<div class="warning hidden"></div>
+			<?php if ($_['avatarChangeSupported']): ?>
 			<div class="inlineblock button" id="uploadavatarbutton"><?php p($l->t('Upload new')); ?></div>
 			<input type="file" class="hidden" name="files[]" id="uploadavatar">
 			<div class="inlineblock button" id="selectavatar"><?php p($l->t('Select new from Files')); ?></div>
 			<div class="inlineblock button" id="removeavatar"><?php p($l->t('Remove image')); ?></div><br>
 			<?php p($l->t('Either png or jpg. Ideally square but you will be able to crop it.')); ?>
+			<?php else: ?>
+			<?php p($l->t('Your avatar is provided by your original account.')); ?>
+			<?php endif; ?>
 		</div>
 		<div id="cropper" class="hidden">
 			<div class="inlineblock button" id="abortcropperbutton"><?php p($l->t('Abort')); ?></div>
diff --git a/tests/lib/user/avataruserdummy.php b/tests/lib/user/avataruserdummy.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..738b10492e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/lib/user/avataruserdummy.php
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+<?php
+/**
+* ownCloud
+*
+* @author Arthur Schiwon
+* @copyright 2013 Arthur Schiwon blizzz@owncloud.com
+*
+* This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+* modify it under the terms of the GNU AFFERO GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE
+* License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+* version 3 of the License, or any later version.
+*
+* This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+* but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+* MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+* GNU AFFERO GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE for more details.
+*
+* You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public
+* License along with this library.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+*
+*/
+
+class Avatar_User_Dummy extends \OC_User_Dummy {
+	public function canChangeAvatar($uid) {
+		return true;
+	}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/lib/user/user.php b/tests/lib/user/user.php
index de5ccbf38c..0bbcda013c 100644
--- a/tests/lib/user/user.php
+++ b/tests/lib/user/user.php
@@ -87,6 +87,75 @@ class User extends \PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase {
 		$this->assertFalse($user->setPassword('bar',''));
 	}
 
+	public function testChangeAvatarSupportedYes() {
+		/**
+		 * @var \OC_User_Backend | \PHPUnit_Framework_MockObject_MockObject $backend
+		 */
+		require_once 'avataruserdummy.php';
+		$backend = $this->getMock('Avatar_User_Dummy');
+		$backend->expects($this->once())
+			->method('canChangeAvatar')
+			->with($this->equalTo('foo'))
+			->will($this->returnValue(true));
+
+		$backend->expects($this->any())
+			->method('implementsActions')
+			->will($this->returnCallback(function ($actions) {
+				if ($actions === \OC_USER_BACKEND_PROVIDE_AVATAR) {
+					return true;
+				} else {
+					return false;
+				}
+			}));
+
+		$user = new \OC\User\User('foo', $backend);
+		$this->assertTrue($user->canChangeAvatar());
+	}
+
+	public function testChangeAvatarSupportedNo() {
+		/**
+		 * @var \OC_User_Backend | \PHPUnit_Framework_MockObject_MockObject $backend
+		 */
+		require_once 'avataruserdummy.php';
+		$backend = $this->getMock('Avatar_User_Dummy');
+		$backend->expects($this->once())
+			->method('canChangeAvatar')
+			->with($this->equalTo('foo'))
+			->will($this->returnValue(false));
+
+		$backend->expects($this->any())
+			->method('implementsActions')
+			->will($this->returnCallback(function ($actions) {
+				if ($actions === \OC_USER_BACKEND_PROVIDE_AVATAR) {
+					return true;
+				} else {
+					return false;
+				}
+			}));
+
+		$user = new \OC\User\User('foo', $backend);
+		$this->assertFalse($user->canChangeAvatar());
+	}
+
+	public function testChangeAvatarNotSupported() {
+		/**
+		 * @var \OC_User_Backend | \PHPUnit_Framework_MockObject_MockObject $backend
+		 */
+		require_once 'avataruserdummy.php';
+		$backend = $this->getMock('Avatar_User_Dummy');
+		$backend->expects($this->never())
+			->method('canChangeAvatar');
+
+		$backend->expects($this->any())
+			->method('implementsActions')
+			->will($this->returnCallback(function ($actions) {
+					return false;
+			}));
+
+		$user = new \OC\User\User('foo', $backend);
+		$this->assertTrue($user->canChangeAvatar());
+	}
+
 	public function testDelete() {
 		/**
 		 * @var \OC_User_Backend | \PHPUnit_Framework_MockObject_MockObject $backend