diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/helpers/application_helpers.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/helpers/application_helpers.js
index 791d39eea4a..c3c3dfb1c70 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/helpers/application_helpers.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/helpers/application_helpers.js
@@ -121,23 +121,28 @@ Handlebars.registerHelper('lower', function(property, options) {
   @for Handlebars
 **/
 Handlebars.registerHelper('avatar', function(user, options) {
-  var title, username;
+
   if (typeof user === 'string') {
     user = Ember.Handlebars.get(this, user, options);
   }
-  username = Em.get(user, 'username');
-  if (!username) {
-    username = Em.get(user, options.hash.usernamePath);
-  }
+
+  var username = Em.get(user, 'username');
+  if (!username) username = Em.get(user, options.hash.usernamePath);
+
+  var avatarTemplate = Ember.get(user, 'avatar_template');
+  if (!avatarTemplate) avatarTemplate = Em.get(user, 'user.avatar_template');
+
+  var title;
   if (!options.hash.ignoreTitle) {
     title = Em.get(user, 'title') || Em.get(user, 'description');
   }
+
   return new Handlebars.SafeString(Discourse.Utilities.avatarImg({
     size: options.hash.imageSize,
     extraClasses: Em.get(user, 'extras') || options.hash.extraClasses,
     username: username,
     title: title || username,
-    avatarTemplate: Ember.get(user, 'avatar_template') || options.hash.avatarTemplate
+    avatarTemplate: avatarTemplate
   }));
 });
 
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/topic_summary/private_message.js.handlebars b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/topic_summary/private_message.js.handlebars
index 550f7118f91..f6892acd33e 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/topic_summary/private_message.js.handlebars
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/topic_summary/private_message.js.handlebars
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   {{#each content.allowed_users}}
   <div class='user'>
     <a href='/users/{{lower username}}'>
-      {{avatar this avatarTemplatePath="avatar_template" imageSize="small"}}
+      {{avatar this imageSize="small"}}
     </a>
     <a href='/users/{{lower username}}'>
       {{unbound username}}
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/user/stream.js.handlebars b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/user/stream.js.handlebars
index cf98fc5d322..b174b42cf5b 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/user/stream.js.handlebars
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/user/stream.js.handlebars
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   {{#collection contentBinding="stream" itemClass="item"}}
     {{#with view.content}}
       <div class='clearfix info'>
-        <a href="/users/{{unbound username}}" class='avatar-link'><div class='avatar-wrapper'>{{avatar this imageSize="large" extraClasses="actor" avatarTemplatePath="avatar_template" ignoreTitle="true"}}</div></a>
+        <a href="/users/{{unbound username}}" class='avatar-link'><div class='avatar-wrapper'>{{avatar this imageSize="large" extraClasses="actor" ignoreTitle="true"}}</div></a>
         <span class='time'>{{date path="created_at" leaveAgo="true"}}</span>
         <span class="title">
           <a href="{{unbound postUrl}}">{{unbound title}}</a>
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
         <div class='child-actions'>
           <i class="icon {{unbound icon}}"></i>
         {{#each items}}
-        <a href="/users/{{unbound username}}" class='avatar-link'><div class='avatar-wrapper'>{{avatar this imageSize="tiny" extraClasses="actor" avatarTemplatePath="avatar_template" ignoreTitle="true"}}</div></a>
+        <a href="/users/{{unbound username}}" class='avatar-link'><div class='avatar-wrapper'>{{avatar this imageSize="tiny" extraClasses="actor" ignoreTitle="true"}}</div></a>
         {{/each}}
         </div>
       {{/each}}