diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/AdapterMessage.java b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/AdapterMessage.java
index a6df66fe..15e8ab39 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/AdapterMessage.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/AdapterMessage.java
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import android.content.ContentResolver;
 import android.content.ContentUris;
 import android.content.Context;
 import android.content.Intent;
+import android.content.SharedPreferences;
 import android.content.pm.PackageManager;
 import android.database.Cursor;
 import android.graphics.Typeface;
@@ -66,8 +67,8 @@ public class AdapterMessage extends PagedListAdapter<TupleMessageEx, AdapterMess
     private LifecycleOwner owner;
     private ViewType viewType;
 
+    private boolean avatars;
     private boolean debug;
-    private boolean hasContactsPermission;
     private DateFormat df = SimpleDateFormat.getDateTimeInstance(SimpleDateFormat.SHORT, SimpleDateFormat.LONG);
 
     enum ViewType {UNIFIED, FOLDER, THREAD, SEARCH}
@@ -135,7 +136,7 @@ public class AdapterMessage extends PagedListAdapter<TupleMessageEx, AdapterMess
             pbLoading.setVisibility(View.GONE);
 
             ivAvatar.setVisibility(View.GONE);
-            if (hasContactsPermission && message.from != null && message.from.length > 0) {
+            if (avatars && message.from != null && message.from.length > 0) {
                 itemView.setHasTransientState(true);
 
                 Bundle args = new Bundle();
@@ -339,8 +340,12 @@ public class AdapterMessage extends PagedListAdapter<TupleMessageEx, AdapterMess
         this.context = context;
         this.owner = owner;
         this.viewType = viewType;
-        this.hasContactsPermission = (ContextCompat.checkSelfPermission(context, Manifest.permission.READ_CONTACTS) == PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED);
-        this.debug = PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(context).getBoolean("debug", false);
+
+        SharedPreferences prefs = PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(context);
+
+        this.avatars = (prefs.getBoolean("avatars", false) &&
+                ContextCompat.checkSelfPermission(context, Manifest.permission.READ_CONTACTS) == PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED);
+        this.debug = prefs.getBoolean("debug", false);
     }
 
     private static final DiffUtil.ItemCallback<TupleMessageEx> DIFF_CALLBACK =
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptions.java b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptions.java
index 1272177d..b59fbace 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptions.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptions.java
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ public class FragmentOptions extends FragmentEx {
     private TextView tvCustomTabs;
     private CheckBox cbSanitize;
     private CheckBox cbCompressImap;
+    private CheckBox cbAvatars;
     private CheckBox cbDebug;
 
     @Override
@@ -52,6 +53,7 @@ public class FragmentOptions extends FragmentEx {
         tvCustomTabs = view.findViewById(R.id.tvCustomTabs);
         cbSanitize = view.findViewById(R.id.cbSanitize);
         cbCompressImap = view.findViewById(R.id.cbCompressImap);
+        cbAvatars = view.findViewById(R.id.cbAvatars);
         cbDebug = view.findViewById(R.id.cbDebug);
 
         // Wire controls
@@ -82,6 +84,14 @@ public class FragmentOptions extends FragmentEx {
             }
         });
 
+        cbAvatars.setChecked(prefs.getBoolean("avatars", false));
+        cbAvatars.setOnCheckedChangeListener(new CompoundButton.OnCheckedChangeListener() {
+            @Override
+            public void onCheckedChanged(CompoundButton compoundButton, boolean checked) {
+                prefs.edit().putBoolean("avatars", checked).apply();
+            }
+        });
+
         cbDebug.setChecked(prefs.getBoolean("debug", false));
         cbDebug.setOnCheckedChangeListener(new CompoundButton.OnCheckedChangeListener() {
             @Override
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/layout/fragment_options.xml b/app/src/main/res/layout/fragment_options.xml
index 03a18b83..845208cf 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/layout/fragment_options.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/layout/fragment_options.xml
@@ -51,6 +51,16 @@
             app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
             app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@id/cbSanitize" />
 
+        <CheckBox
+            android:id="@+id/cbAvatars"
+            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
+            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+            android:layout_marginStart="12dp"
+            android:layout_marginTop="12dp"
+            android:text="@string/title_advanced_avatars"
+            app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
+            app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@id/cbCompressImap" />
+
         <CheckBox
             android:id="@+id/cbDebug"
             android:layout_width="wrap_content"
@@ -59,6 +69,6 @@
             android:layout_marginTop="12dp"
             android:text="@string/title_advanced_debug"
             app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
-            app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@id/cbCompressImap" />
+            app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@id/cbAvatars" />
     </androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout>
 </ScrollView>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index 0a585181..d9fae1f1 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@
     <string name="title_advanced_customtabs">Instead of <a href="https://developer.chrome.com/multidevice/android/customtabs">Chrome Custom Tabs</a></string>
     <string name="title_advanced_sanitize">Remove HTML formatting from messages</string>
     <string name="title_advanced_compress_imap">Compress IMAP data</string>
+    <string name="title_advanced_avatars">Show contact photos</string>
     <string name="title_advanced_debug">Debug</string>
 
     <string name="title_select">Select &#8230;</string>