diff --git a/avatar.php b/avatar.php
index 1134dc2e71..17417a470e 100644
--- a/avatar.php
+++ b/avatar.php
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 <?php
 
+/**
+ * * @todo work on hashing userstrings, so one can't guess usernames
+ */
+
 require_once 'lib/base.php';
 
 $mode = \OC_Avatar::getMode();
diff --git a/lib/avatar.php b/lib/avatar.php
index 49c8270915..f503d01304 100644
--- a/lib/avatar.php
+++ b/lib/avatar.php
@@ -86,16 +86,19 @@ class OC_Avatar {
 	 * @param $user string which user to get the gravatar for
 	 * @param size integer size in px of the avatar, defaults to 64
 	 * @return string link to the gravatar, or \OC_Image with the default avatar
+	 * @todo work on hashing userstrings, so one can't guess usernames
 	*/
 	public static function getGravatar ($user, $size = 64) {
 		$email = \OC_Preferences::getValue($user, 'settings', 'email');
 		if ($email !== null) {
 			$emailhash = md5(strtolower(trim($email)));
-			$url = "http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/".$emailhash."?s=".$size;
-			return $url;
-		} else {
-			return self::getDefaultAvatar($size);
+			$url = "http://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/".$emailhash."?d=404&s=".$size;
+			$headers = get_headers($url, 1);
+			if (strpos($headers[0], "404 Not Found") === false) {
+				return $url;
+			}
 		}
+		return self::getDefaultAvatar($size);
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -121,7 +124,7 @@ class OC_Avatar {
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 *
+	 * @todo todo
 	*/
 	public static function getCustomAvatar($user, $size) {
 		// TODO
@@ -129,8 +132,10 @@ class OC_Avatar {
 
 	/**
 	 * @brief gets the default avatar
+	 * @todo when custom default images arive @param $user string which user to get the avatar for
 	 * @param $size integer size of the avatar in px, defaults to 64
 	 * @return \OC_Image containing the default avatar
+	 * @todo use custom default images, when they arive
 	*/
 	public static function getDefaultAvatar ($size = 64) {
 		$default = new OC_Image(OC::$SERVERROOT."/core/img/defaultavatar.png");
diff --git a/lib/public/avatar.php b/lib/public/avatar.php
index 5d432f07cc..768d292346 100644
--- a/lib/public/avatar.php
+++ b/lib/public/avatar.php
@@ -10,10 +10,10 @@ namespace OCP;
 
 class Avatar {
 	public static function get ($user, $size = 64) {
-		\OC_Avatar::get($user, $size);
+		return \OC_Avatar::get($user, $size);
 	}
 
 	public static function getMode () {
-		\OC_Avatar::getMode();
+		return \OC_Avatar::getMode();
 	}
 }
diff --git a/settings/js/personal.js b/settings/js/personal.js
index 8336e9c836..74ea7f26eb 100644
--- a/settings/js/personal.js
+++ b/settings/js/personal.js
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ function selectAvatar (path) {
 }
 
 function updateAvatar () {
-	$('#avatar img').attr('src', OC.filePath('', '', 'avatar.php?user='+OC.currentUser+'&size=128'));
+	$('#avatar img').attr('src', $('#avatar img').attr('src') + '#');
 }
 
 $(document).ready(function(){
diff --git a/settings/templates/admin.php b/settings/templates/admin.php
index f7d6a576d9..64c1b1112c 100644
--- a/settings/templates/admin.php
+++ b/settings/templates/admin.php
@@ -117,38 +117,30 @@ if (!$_['internetconnectionworking']) {
 </fieldset>
 
 <fieldset class="personalblock" id="avatar">
-	<legend><strong><?php p($l->t('Avatars')); ?></strong></legend>
-	<table class="nostyle">
-		<tr>
-			<td>
-				<input type="radio" name="avatarmode" value="gravatar" id="avatar_gravatar"
-					<?php if ($_['avatar'] === "gravatar") { p('checked'); } ?>
-					<?php if (!$_['internetconnectionworking']) { p('disabled'); } ?>>
-				<label for="avatar_gravatar">Gravatar</label><br>
-				<em><?php print_unescaped($l->t('Use <a href="http://gravatar.com/">gravatar</a> for avatars')); ?></em><br>
-				<em><?php p($l->t('This sends data to gravatar')); ?></em>
-				<?php if (!$_['internetconnectionworking']): ?>
-				<br><em><?php p($l->t('Gravatar needs an internet connection!')); ?></em>
-				<?php endif; ?>
-			</td>
-		</tr>
-		<tr>
-			<td>
-				<input type="radio" name="avatarmode" value="local" id="avatar_local"
-					<?php if ($_['avatar'] === "local") { p('checked'); } ?>>
-				<label for="avatar_local"><?php p($l->t('Local avatars')); ?></label><br>
-				<em><?php p($l->t('Use local avatars, which each user has to upload themselves')); ?></em>
-			</td>
-		</tr>
-		<tr>
-			<td>
-				<input type="radio" name="avatarmode" value="none" id="avatar_none"
-					<?php if ($_['avatar'] === "none") { p('checked'); } ?>>
-				<label for="avatar_none"><?php p($l->t('No avatars')); ?></label><br>
-				<em><?php p($l->t('Do not provide avatars')); ?></em>
-			</td>
-		</tr>
-	</table>
+	<legend><strong><?php p($l->t('Profile images')); ?></strong></legend>
+	<p>
+		<input type="radio" name="avatarmode" value="gravatar" id="avatar_gravatar"
+			<?php if ($_['avatar'] === "gravatar") { p('checked'); } ?>
+			<?php if (!$_['internetconnectionworking']) { p('disabled'); } ?>>
+		<label for="avatar_gravatar">Gravatar</label><br>
+		<em><?php print_unescaped($l->t('Use <a href="http://gravatar.com/">gravatar</a> for profile images')); ?></em><br>
+		<em><?php p($l->t('This sends data to gravatar and may slow down loading')); ?></em>
+		<?php if (!$_['internetconnectionworking']): ?>
+		<br><em><?php p($l->t('Gravatar needs an internet connection!')); ?></em>
+		<?php endif; ?>
+	</p>
+	<p>
+		<input type="radio" name="avatarmode" value="local" id="avatar_local"
+			<?php if ($_['avatar'] === "local") { p('checked'); } ?>>
+		<label for="avatar_local"><?php p($l->t('Local avatars')); ?></label><br>
+		<em><?php p($l->t('Use local avatars, which each user has to upload themselves')); ?></em>
+	</p>
+	<p>
+		<input type="radio" name="avatarmode" value="none" id="avatar_none"
+			<?php if ($_['avatar'] === "none") { p('checked'); } ?>>
+		<label for="avatar_none"><?php p($l->t('No avatars')); ?></label><br>
+		<em><?php p($l->t('Do not provide avatars')); ?></em>
+	</p>
 </fieldset>
 
 <fieldset class="personalblock" id="shareAPI">
diff --git a/settings/templates/personal.php b/settings/templates/personal.php
index 93aaa5ac1e..e047ff9dcc 100644
--- a/settings/templates/personal.php
+++ b/settings/templates/personal.php
@@ -86,18 +86,18 @@ if($_['passwordChangeSupported']) {
 <?php if ($_['avatar'] !== "none"): ?>
 <form id="avatar" method="post" action="<?php p(\OC_Helper::linkToRoute('settings_ajax_newavatar')); ?>">
 	<fieldset class="personalblock">
-		<legend><strong><?php p($l->t('Avatar')); ?></strong></legend>
+		<legend><strong><?php p($l->t('Profile Image')); ?></strong></legend>
 		<img src="<?php print_unescaped(link_to('', 'avatar.php').'?user='.OC_User::getUser().'&size=128'); ?>"><br>
 		<?php if ($_['avatar'] === "local"): ?>
-			<em><?php p($l->t('Your avatar has to be a square and either a PNG or JPG image')); ?></em><br>
-			<div class="inlineblock button" id="uploadavatarbutton"><?php p($l->t('Upload a new avatar')); ?></div>
+			<em><?php p($l->t('Your profile image has to be a square and either a PNG or JPG image')); ?></em><br>
+			<div class="inlineblock button" id="uploadavatarbutton"><?php p($l->t('Upload a new image')); ?></div>
 			<input type="file" class="hidden" name="files[]" id="uploadavatar">
-			<div class="inlineblock button" id="selectavatar"><?php p($l->t('Select a new avatar from your files')); ?></div>
-			<div class="inlineblock button" id="removeavatar"><?php p($l->t('Remove my avatar')); ?></div>
+			<div class="inlineblock button" id="selectavatar"><?php p($l->t('Select a new image from your files')); ?></div>
+			<div class="inlineblock button" id="removeavatar"><?php p($l->t('Remove my image')); ?></div>
 		<?php elseif ($_['avatar'] === "gravatar"): ?>
-			<em><?php p($l->t('Your avatar is provided by gravatar, which is based on your Email.')); ?></em>
+			<em><?php p($l->t('Your profile image is provided by gravatar, which is based on your Email.')); ?></em>
 		<?php else: ?>
-			<em><?php p($l->t('Your avatar is provided by a custom service, ask your administrator, on how to change your avatar.')); ?></em>
+			<em><?php p($l->t('Your profile image is provided by a custom service, ask your administrator, on how to change your image.')); ?></em>
 		<?php endif; ?>
 	</fieldset>
 </form>
diff --git a/settings/templates/users.php b/settings/templates/users.php
index 32840233d1..78bdbcd8c4 100644
--- a/settings/templates/users.php
+++ b/settings/templates/users.php
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ $_['subadmingroups'] = array_flip($items);
 	<thead>
 		<tr>
 			<?php if(\OC_Avatar::getMode() !== "none"): ?>
-				<th id='headerAvatar'><?php p($l->t('Avatar')); ?></th>
+				<th id='headerAvatar'></th>
 			<?php endif; ?>
 			<th id='headerName'><?php p($l->t('Username'))?></th>
 			<th id="headerDisplayName"><?php p($l->t( 'Display Name' )); ?></th>