diff --git a/boot.php b/boot.php
index 955b89e56c..4ef30eadac 100644
--- a/boot.php
+++ b/boot.php
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ define ( 'FRIENDICA_PLATFORM',     'Friendica');
 define ( 'FRIENDICA_CODENAME',     'Asparagus');
 define ( 'FRIENDICA_VERSION',      '3.5-dev' );
 define ( 'DFRN_PROTOCOL_VERSION',  '2.23'    );
-define ( 'DB_UPDATE_VERSION',      1193      );
+define ( 'DB_UPDATE_VERSION',      1194      );
 
 /**
  * @brief Constant with a HTML line break.
diff --git a/include/Contact.php b/include/Contact.php
index 86e67bbe86..3799e0b189 100644
--- a/include/Contact.php
+++ b/include/Contact.php
@@ -486,21 +486,16 @@ function get_contact($url, $uid = 0) {
 
 	require_once("Photo.php");
 
-	$photos = import_profile_photo($data["photo"],$uid,$contactid);
+	update_contact_avatar($data["photo"],$uid,$contactid);
 
-	q("UPDATE `contact` SET `photo` = '%s', `thumb` = '%s', `micro` = '%s',
-		`addr` = '%s', `alias` = '%s', `name` = '%s', `nick` = '%s',
-		`name-date` = '%s', `uri-date` = '%s', `avatar-date` = '%s' WHERE `id` = %d",
-		dbesc($photos[0]),
-		dbesc($photos[1]),
-		dbesc($photos[2]),
+	q("UPDATE `contact` SET `addr` = '%s', `alias` = '%s', `name` = '%s', `nick` = '%s',
+		`name-date` = '%s', `uri-date` = '%s' WHERE `id` = %d",
 		dbesc($data["addr"]),
 		dbesc($data["alias"]),
 		dbesc($data["name"]),
 		dbesc($data["nick"]),
 		dbesc(datetime_convert()),
 		dbesc(datetime_convert()),
-		dbesc(datetime_convert()),
 		intval($contactid)
 	);
 
diff --git a/include/Photo.php b/include/Photo.php
index 5fdd682e74..3f1608d3ec 100644
--- a/include/Photo.php
+++ b/include/Photo.php
@@ -720,65 +720,100 @@ function guess_image_type($filename, $fromcurl=false) {
 
 }
 
-function import_profile_photo($photo,$uid,$cid) {
+/**
+ * @brief Updates the avatar links in a contact only if needed
+ *
+ * @param string $avatar Link to avatar picture
+ * @param int $uid User id of contact owner
+ * @param int $cid Contact id
+ *
+ * @return array Returns array of the different avatar sizes
+ */
+function update_contact_avatar($avatar,$uid,$cid) {
 
-    $a = get_app();
+	$r = q("SELECT `avatar`, `photo`, `thumb`, `micro` FROM `contact` WHERE `id` = %d LIMIT 1", intval($cid));
+	if (!$r)
+		return false;
+	else
+		$data = array($r[0]["photo"], $r[0]["thumb"], $r[0]["micro"]);
 
-    $r = q("select `resource-id` from photo where `uid` = %d and `contact-id` = %d and `scale` = 4 and `album` = 'Contact Photos' limit 1",
-	intval($uid),
-	intval($cid)
-    );
-    if(count($r) && strlen($r[0]['resource-id'])) {
-	$hash = $r[0]['resource-id'];
-    }
-    else {
-	$hash = photo_new_resource();
-    }
+	if ($r[0]["avatar"] != $avatar) {
+		$photos = import_profile_photo($avatar,$uid,$cid, true);
 
-    $photo_failure = false;
+		if ($photos) {
+			q("UPDATE `contact` SET `avatar` = '%s', `photo` = '%s', `thumb` = '%s', `micro` = '%s', `avatar-date` = '%s' WHERE `id` = %d",
+				dbesc($avatar), dbesc($photos[0]), dbesc($photos[1]), dbesc($photos[2]),
+				dbesc(datetime_convert()), intval($cid));
+			return $photos;
+		}
+	}
 
-    $filename = basename($photo);
-    $img_str = fetch_url($photo,true);
+	return $data;
+}
 
-    $type = guess_image_type($photo,true);
-    $img = new Photo($img_str, $type);
-    if($img->is_valid()) {
+function import_profile_photo($photo,$uid,$cid, $quit_on_error = false) {
 
-	$img->scaleImageSquare(175);
+	$a = get_app();
 
-	$r = $img->store($uid, $cid, $hash, $filename, 'Contact Photos', 4 );
+	$r = q("select `resource-id` from photo where `uid` = %d and `contact-id` = %d and `scale` = 4 and `album` = 'Contact Photos' limit 1",
+		intval($uid),
+		intval($cid)
+	);
+	if(count($r) && strlen($r[0]['resource-id'])) {
+		$hash = $r[0]['resource-id'];
+	} else {
+		$hash = photo_new_resource();
+    	}
 
-	if($r === false)
-	    $photo_failure = true;
+	$photo_failure = false;
 
-	$img->scaleImage(80);
+	$filename = basename($photo);
+	$img_str = fetch_url($photo,true);
 
-	$r = $img->store($uid, $cid, $hash, $filename, 'Contact Photos', 5 );
+	if ($quit_on_error AND ($img_str == ""))
+		return false;
 
-	if($r === false)
-	    $photo_failure = true;
+	$type = guess_image_type($photo,true);
+	$img = new Photo($img_str, $type);
+	if($img->is_valid()) {
 
-	$img->scaleImage(48);
+		$img->scaleImageSquare(175);
 
-	$r = $img->store($uid, $cid, $hash, $filename, 'Contact Photos', 6 );
+		$r = $img->store($uid, $cid, $hash, $filename, 'Contact Photos', 4 );
 
-	if($r === false)
-	    $photo_failure = true;
+		if($r === false)
+			$photo_failure = true;
 
-	$photo = $a->get_baseurl() . '/photo/' . $hash . '-4.' . $img->getExt();
-	$thumb = $a->get_baseurl() . '/photo/' . $hash . '-5.' . $img->getExt();
-	$micro = $a->get_baseurl() . '/photo/' . $hash . '-6.' . $img->getExt();
-    }
-    else
-	$photo_failure = true;
+		$img->scaleImage(80);
 
-    if($photo_failure) {
-	$photo = $a->get_baseurl() . '/images/person-175.jpg';
-	$thumb = $a->get_baseurl() . '/images/person-80.jpg';
-	$micro = $a->get_baseurl() . '/images/person-48.jpg';
-    }
+		$r = $img->store($uid, $cid, $hash, $filename, 'Contact Photos', 5 );
 
-    return(array($photo,$thumb,$micro));
+		if($r === false)
+			$photo_failure = true;
+
+		$img->scaleImage(48);
+
+		$r = $img->store($uid, $cid, $hash, $filename, 'Contact Photos', 6 );
+
+		if($r === false)
+			$photo_failure = true;
+
+		$photo = $a->get_baseurl() . '/photo/' . $hash . '-4.' . $img->getExt();
+		$thumb = $a->get_baseurl() . '/photo/' . $hash . '-5.' . $img->getExt();
+		$micro = $a->get_baseurl() . '/photo/' . $hash . '-6.' . $img->getExt();
+	} else
+		$photo_failure = true;
+
+	if($photo_failure AND $quit_on_error)
+		return false;
+
+	if($photo_failure) {
+		$photo = $a->get_baseurl() . '/images/person-175.jpg';
+		$thumb = $a->get_baseurl() . '/images/person-80.jpg';
+		$micro = $a->get_baseurl() . '/images/person-48.jpg';
+	}
+
+	return(array($photo,$thumb,$micro));
 
 }
 
diff --git a/include/dbstructure.php b/include/dbstructure.php
index 43dfbd7b35..96d18cd789 100644
--- a/include/dbstructure.php
+++ b/include/dbstructure.php
@@ -453,6 +453,7 @@ function db_definition() {
 					"keywords" => array("type" => "text", "not null" => "1"),
 					"gender" => array("type" => "varchar(32)", "not null" => "1", "default" => ""),
 					"attag" => array("type" => "varchar(255)", "not null" => "1", "default" => ""),
+					"avatar" => array("type" => "varchar(255)", "not null" => "1", "default" => ""),
 					"photo" => array("type" => "text", "not null" => "1"),
 					"thumb" => array("type" => "text", "not null" => "1"),
 					"micro" => array("type" => "text", "not null" => "1"),
diff --git a/include/diaspora.php b/include/diaspora.php
index f1e6f7ff02..93fe2a472f 100644
--- a/include/diaspora.php
+++ b/include/diaspora.php
@@ -729,7 +729,7 @@ function diaspora_request($importer,$xml) {
 
 		require_once('include/Photo.php');
 
-		$photos = import_profile_photo($contact_record['photo'],$importer['uid'],$contact_record['id']);
+		update_contact_avatar($contact_record['photo'],$importer['uid'],$contact_record['id']);
 
 		// technically they are sharing with us (CONTACT_IS_SHARING),
 		// but if our page-type is PAGE_COMMUNITY or PAGE_SOAPBOX
@@ -740,26 +740,17 @@ function diaspora_request($importer,$xml) {
 		else
 			$new_relation = CONTACT_IS_FOLLOWER;
 
-		$r = q("UPDATE `contact` SET
-			`photo` = '%s',
-			`thumb` = '%s',
-			`micro` = '%s',
-			`rel` = %d,
+		$r = q("UPDATE `contact` SET `rel` = %d,
 			`name-date` = '%s',
 			`uri-date` = '%s',
-			`avatar-date` = '%s',
 			`blocked` = 0,
 			`pending` = 0,
 			`writable` = 1
 			WHERE `id` = %d
 			",
-			dbesc($photos[0]),
-			dbesc($photos[1]),
-			dbesc($photos[2]),
 			intval($new_relation),
 			dbesc(datetime_convert()),
 			dbesc(datetime_convert()),
-			dbesc(datetime_convert()),
 			intval($contact_record['id'])
 		);
 
@@ -2432,7 +2423,7 @@ function diaspora_profile($importer,$xml,$msg) {
 
 	require_once('include/Photo.php');
 
-	$images = import_profile_photo($image_url,$importer['uid'],$contact['id']);
+	update_contact_avatar($image_url,$importer['uid'],$contact['id']);
 
 	// Generic birthday. We don't know the timezone. The year is irrelevant.
 
@@ -2450,15 +2441,12 @@ function diaspora_profile($importer,$xml,$msg) {
 	/// @TODO Update name on item['author-name'] if the name changed. See consume_feed()
 	/// (Not doing this currently because D* protocol is scheduled for revision soon).
 
-	$r = q("UPDATE `contact` SET `name` = '%s', `nick` = '%s', `addr` = '%s', `name-date` = '%s', `photo` = '%s', `thumb` = '%s', `micro` = '%s', `avatar-date` = '%s' , `bd` = '%s', `location` = '%s', `about` = '%s', `keywords` = '%s', `gender` = '%s' WHERE `id` = %d AND `uid` = %d",
+	$r = q("UPDATE `contact` SET `name` = '%s', `nick` = '%s', `addr` = '%s', `name-date` = '%s', `bd` = '%s',
+			`location` = '%s', `about` = '%s', `keywords` = '%s', `gender` = '%s' WHERE `id` = %d AND `uid` = %d",
 		dbesc($name),
 		dbesc($nick),
 		dbesc($diaspora_handle),
 		dbesc(datetime_convert()),
-		dbesc($image_url),
-		dbesc($images[1]),
-		dbesc($images[2]),
-		dbesc(datetime_convert()),
 		dbesc($birthday),
 		dbesc($location),
 		dbesc($about),
diff --git a/include/follow.php b/include/follow.php
index 21c05c8f3e..22ff079b63 100644
--- a/include/follow.php
+++ b/include/follow.php
@@ -264,24 +264,8 @@ function new_contact($uid,$url,$interactive = false) {
 
 	require_once("include/Photo.php");
 
-	$photos = import_profile_photo($ret['photo'],$uid,$contact_id);
-
-	$r = q("UPDATE `contact` SET `photo` = '%s',
-			`thumb` = '%s',
-			`micro` = '%s',
-			`name-date` = '%s',
-			`uri-date` = '%s',
-			`avatar-date` = '%s'
-			WHERE `id` = %d",
-			dbesc($photos[0]),
-			dbesc($photos[1]),
-			dbesc($photos[2]),
-			dbesc(datetime_convert()),
-			dbesc(datetime_convert()),
-			dbesc(datetime_convert()),
-			intval($contact_id)
-		);
-
+	// Update the avatar
+	update_contact_avatar($ret['photo'],$uid,$contact_id);
 
 	// pull feed and consume it, which should subscribe to the hub.
 
diff --git a/include/ostatus.php b/include/ostatus.php
index f2e33b1327..37b308db70 100644
--- a/include/ostatus.php
+++ b/include/ostatus.php
@@ -127,7 +127,8 @@ function ostatus_fetchauthor($xpath, $context, $importer, &$contact, $onlyfetch)
 	$author["owner-link"] = $author["author-link"];
 	$author["owner-avatar"] = $author["author-avatar"];
 
-	if ($r AND !$onlyfetch) {
+	// Only update the contacts if it is an OStatus contact
+	if ($r AND !$onlyfetch AND ($contact["network"] == NETWORK_OSTATUS)) {
 		// Update contact data
 
 		$value = $xpath->query("atom:link[@rel='salmon']", $context)->item(0)->nodeValue;
@@ -158,31 +159,25 @@ function ostatus_fetchauthor($xpath, $context, $importer, &$contact, $onlyfetch)
 
 			logger("Update contact data for contact ".$contact["id"], LOGGER_DEBUG);
 
-			q("UPDATE `contact` SET `name` = '%s', `nick` = '%s', `about` = '%s', `location` = '%s', `name-date` = '%s' WHERE `id` = %d AND `network` = '%s'",
+			q("UPDATE `contact` SET `name` = '%s', `nick` = '%s', `about` = '%s', `location` = '%s', `name-date` = '%s' WHERE `id` = %d",
 				dbesc($contact["name"]), dbesc($contact["nick"]), dbesc($contact["about"]), dbesc($contact["location"]),
-				dbesc(datetime_convert()), intval($contact["id"]), dbesc(NETWORK_OSTATUS));
+				dbesc(datetime_convert()), intval($contact["id"]));
 
 			poco_check($contact["url"], $contact["name"], $contact["network"], $author["author-avatar"], $contact["about"], $contact["location"],
 						"", "", "", datetime_convert(), 2, $contact["id"], $contact["uid"]);
 		}
 
-		if (isset($author["author-avatar"]) AND ($author["author-avatar"] != $r[0]['photo'])) {
+		if (isset($author["author-avatar"]) AND ($author["author-avatar"] != $r[0]['avatar'])) {
 			logger("Update profile picture for contact ".$contact["id"], LOGGER_DEBUG);
 
-			$photos = import_profile_photo($author["author-avatar"], $importer["uid"], $contact["id"]);
-
-			q("UPDATE `contact` SET `photo` = '%s', `thumb` = '%s', `micro` = '%s', `avatar-date` = '%s' WHERE `id` = %d AND `network` = '%s'",
-				dbesc($author["author-avatar"]), dbesc($photos[1]), dbesc($photos[2]),
-				dbesc(datetime_convert()), intval($contact["id"]), dbesc(NETWORK_OSTATUS));
+			update_contact_avatar($author["author-avatar"], $importer["uid"], $contact["id"]);
 		}
 
-		// Only update the global contact if it is an OStatus contact
-		if ($contact["network"] == NETWORK_OSTATUS) {
-			/// @todo Add the "addr" field
-			$contact["generation"] = 2;
-			$contact["photo"] = $author["author-avatar"];
-			update_gcontact($contact);
-		}
+
+		/// @todo Add the "addr" field
+		$contact["generation"] = 2;
+		$contact["photo"] = $author["author-avatar"];
+		update_gcontact($contact);
 	}
 
 	return($author);
diff --git a/mod/contacts.php b/mod/contacts.php
index 21578a3295..0b421433e0 100644
--- a/mod/contacts.php
+++ b/mod/contacts.php
@@ -293,23 +293,8 @@ function _contact_update_profile($contact_id) {
 		intval(local_user())
 	);
 
-	$photos = import_profile_photo($data['photo'], local_user(), $contact_id);
-
-	$r = q("UPDATE `contact` SET `photo` = '%s',
-			`thumb` = '%s',
-			`micro` = '%s',
-			`name-date` = '%s',
-			`uri-date` = '%s',
-			`avatar-date` = '%s'
-			WHERE `id` = %d",
-			dbesc($data["photo"]),
-			dbesc($photos[1]),
-			dbesc($photos[2]),
-			dbesc(datetime_convert()),
-			dbesc(datetime_convert()),
-			dbesc(datetime_convert()),
-			intval($contact_id)
-		);
+	// Update the entry in the contact table
+	update_contact_avatar($data['photo'], local_user(), $contact_id);
 
 	// Update the entry in the gcontact table
 	update_gcontact_from_probe($data["url"]);
diff --git a/mod/crepair.php b/mod/crepair.php
index 6f951bdf6e..5b4db09dac 100644
--- a/mod/crepair.php
+++ b/mod/crepair.php
@@ -80,24 +80,7 @@ function crepair_post(&$a) {
 		logger('mod-crepair: updating photo from ' . $photo);
 		require_once("include/Photo.php");
 
-		$photos = import_profile_photo($photo,local_user(),$contact['id']);
-
-		$x = q("UPDATE `contact` SET `photo` = '%s',
-			`thumb` = '%s',
-			`micro` = '%s',
-			`name-date` = '%s',
-			`uri-date` = '%s',
-			`avatar-date` = '%s'
-			WHERE `id` = %d
-			",
-			dbesc($photos[0]),
-			dbesc($photos[1]),
-			dbesc($photos[2]),
-			dbesc(datetime_convert()),
-			dbesc(datetime_convert()),
-			dbesc(datetime_convert()),
-			intval($contact['id'])
-		);
+		update_contact_avatar($photo,local_user(),$contact['id']);
 	}
 
 	if($r)
diff --git a/mod/dfrn_confirm.php b/mod/dfrn_confirm.php
index d5dbab951e..27c04a908d 100644
--- a/mod/dfrn_confirm.php
+++ b/mod/dfrn_confirm.php
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ function dfrn_confirm_post(&$a,$handsfree = null) {
 
 		require_once('include/Photo.php');
 
-		$photos = import_profile_photo($contact['photo'],$uid,$contact_id);
+		update_contact_avatar($contact['photo'],$uid,$contact_id);
 
 		logger('dfrn_confirm: confirm - imported photos');
 
@@ -328,27 +328,18 @@ function dfrn_confirm_post(&$a,$handsfree = null) {
 			if(($relation == CONTACT_IS_SHARING) && ($duplex))
 				$duplex = 0;
 
-			$r = q("UPDATE `contact` SET
-				`photo` = '%s',
-				`thumb` = '%s',
-				`micro` = '%s',
-				`rel` = %d,
+			$r = q("UPDATE `contact` SET `rel` = %d,
 				`name-date` = '%s',
 				`uri-date` = '%s',
-				`avatar-date` = '%s',
 				`blocked` = 0,
 				`pending` = 0,
 				`duplex` = %d,
 				`hidden` = %d,
 				`network` = '%s' WHERE `id` = %d
 			",
-				dbesc($photos[0]),
-				dbesc($photos[1]),
-				dbesc($photos[2]),
 				intval($new_relation),
 				dbesc(datetime_convert()),
 				dbesc(datetime_convert()),
-				dbesc(datetime_convert()),
 				intval($duplex),
 				intval($hidden),
 				dbesc(NETWORK_DFRN),
@@ -394,12 +385,8 @@ function dfrn_confirm_post(&$a,$handsfree = null) {
 			);
 
 
-			$r = q("UPDATE `contact` SET `photo` = '%s',
-				`thumb` = '%s',
-				`micro` = '%s',
-				`name-date` = '%s',
+			$r = q("UPDATE `contact` SET `name-date` = '%s',
 				`uri-date` = '%s',
-				`avatar-date` = '%s',
 				`notify` = '%s',
 				`poll` = '%s',
 				`blocked` = 0,
@@ -410,10 +397,6 @@ function dfrn_confirm_post(&$a,$handsfree = null) {
 				`rel` = %d
 				WHERE `id` = %d
 			",
-				dbesc($photos[0]),
-				dbesc($photos[1]),
-				dbesc($photos[2]),
-				dbesc(datetime_convert()),
 				dbesc(datetime_convert()),
 				dbesc(datetime_convert()),
 				dbesc($notify),
@@ -683,7 +666,7 @@ function dfrn_confirm_post(&$a,$handsfree = null) {
 
 		require_once("include/Photo.php");
 
-		$photos = import_profile_photo($photo,$local_uid,$dfrn_record);
+		update_contact_avatar($photo,$local_uid,$dfrn_record);
 
 		logger('dfrn_confirm: request - photos imported');
 
@@ -695,13 +678,9 @@ function dfrn_confirm_post(&$a,$handsfree = null) {
 			$duplex = 0;
 
 		$r = q("UPDATE `contact` SET
-			`photo` = '%s',
-			`thumb` = '%s',
-			`micro` = '%s',
 			`rel` = %d,
 			`name-date` = '%s',
 			`uri-date` = '%s',
-			`avatar-date` = '%s',
 			`blocked` = 0,
 			`pending` = 0,
 			`duplex` = %d,
@@ -709,13 +688,9 @@ function dfrn_confirm_post(&$a,$handsfree = null) {
 			`prv` = %d,
 			`network` = '%s' WHERE `id` = %d
 		",
-			dbesc($photos[0]),
-			dbesc($photos[1]),
-			dbesc($photos[2]),
 			intval($new_relation),
 			dbesc(datetime_convert()),
 			dbesc(datetime_convert()),
-			dbesc(datetime_convert()),
 			intval($duplex),
 			intval($forum),
 			intval($prv),
diff --git a/mod/wall_upload.php b/mod/wall_upload.php
index 8bf471d3d2..b815348c70 100644
--- a/mod/wall_upload.php
+++ b/mod/wall_upload.php
@@ -158,13 +158,18 @@ function wall_upload_post(&$a, $desktopmode = true) {
 		killme();
 	}
 
-	$r = q("select sum(octet_length(data)) as total from photo where uid = %d and scale = 0 and album != 'Contact Photos' ",
-		intval($page_owner_uid)
-	);
 
 	$limit = service_class_fetch($page_owner_uid,'photo_upload_limit');
 
-	if(($limit !== false) && (($r[0]['total'] + strlen($imagedata)) > $limit)) {
+	if ($limit) {
+		$r = q("select sum(octet_length(data)) as total from photo where uid = %d and scale = 0 and album != 'Contact Photos' ",
+			intval($page_owner_uid)
+		);
+		$size = $r[0]['total'];
+	} else
+		$size = 0;
+
+	if(($limit !== false) && (($size + strlen($imagedata)) > $limit)) {
 		$msg = upgrade_message(true);
 		if ($r_json) {
 			echo json_encode(array('error'=>$msg));
@@ -266,6 +271,7 @@ function wall_upload_post(&$a, $desktopmode = true) {
 		return $picture;
 	}
 
+
 	if ($r_json) {
 	    echo json_encode(array('ok'=>true));
 	    killme();
diff --git a/update.php b/update.php
index a825c82e92..0689aa19b3 100644
--- a/update.php
+++ b/update.php
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <?php
 
-define( 'UPDATE_VERSION' , 1193 );
+define( 'UPDATE_VERSION' , 1194 );
 
 /**
  *