diff --git a/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/gr-account-manager.html b/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/gr-ajax.html
similarity index 72%
rename from polygerrit-ui/app/elements/gr-account-manager.html
rename to polygerrit-ui/app/elements/gr-ajax.html
index 10b60528cd..f2adc063d9 100644
--- a/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/gr-account-manager.html
+++ b/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/gr-ajax.html
@@ -16,26 +16,36 @@ limitations under the License.
 
 <link rel="import" href="../bower_components/polymer/polymer.html">
 
-<dom-module id="gr-account-manager">
+<dom-module id="gr-ajax">
   <template>
     <iron-ajax id="xhr"
-        auto
-        url="/accounts/self/detail"
-        json-prefix=")]}'"></iron-ajax>
+        auto="{{auto}}"
+        url="{{url}}"
+        params="{{params}}"
+        json-prefix=")]}'"
+        debounce-duration="300"></iron-ajax>
   </template>
   <script>
   (function() {
     'use strict';
 
     Polymer({
-      is: 'gr-account-manager',
+      is: 'gr-ajax',
 
       hostAttributes: {
         hidden: true
       },
 
       properties: {
-        account: {
+        auto: Boolean,
+        url: String,
+        params: {
+          type: Object,
+          value: function() {
+            return {};
+          },
+        },
+        response: {
           type: Object,
           notify: true,
         },
@@ -48,9 +58,9 @@ limitations under the License.
 
       _handleResponse: function(e, req) {
         if (req.status >= 200 && req.status < 300) {
-          this.account = req.response;
+          this.response = req.response;
         } else {
-          this.account = {};
+          this.response = {};
         }
       },
 
diff --git a/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/gr-app.html b/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/gr-app.html
index bbe5b2d442..87f069815d 100644
--- a/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/gr-app.html
+++ b/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/gr-app.html
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 <link rel="import" href="../bower_components/polymer/polymer.html">
 <link rel="import" href="../styles/app-theme.html">
 <link rel="import" href="gr-account-dropdown.html">
-<link rel="import" href="gr-account-manager.html">
+<link rel="import" href="gr-ajax.html">
 <link rel="import" href="gr-change-list-view.html">
 <link rel="import" href="gr-change-view.html">
 <link rel="import" href="gr-dashboard-view.html">
@@ -78,7 +78,8 @@ limitations under the License.
         margin-left: var(--default-horizontal-margin);
       }
     </style>
-    <gr-account-manager account="{{account}}"></gr-account-manager>
+    <gr-ajax auto url="/accounts/self/detail" response="{{account}}"></gr-ajax>
+    <gr-ajax auto url="/config/server/info" response="{{config}}"></gr-ajax>
     <header role="banner">
       <a href="/" class="bigTitle">PolyGerrit</a>
       <div class="headerRightItems">
@@ -124,6 +125,20 @@ limitations under the License.
             }.bind(this));
           },
         },
+        config: {
+          type: Object,
+          observer: '_configChanged',
+        },
+        configReady: {
+          type: Object,
+          readOnly: true,
+          notify: true,
+          value: function() {
+            return new Promise(function(resolve) {
+              this._resolveConfigReady = resolve;
+            }.bind(this));
+          },
+        },
         constrained: {
           type: Boolean,
           value: false,
@@ -145,6 +160,10 @@ limitations under the License.
         this._resolveAccountReady();
       },
 
+      _configChanged: function(config) {
+        this._resolveConfigReady(config);
+      },
+
       _routeChanged: function(route) {
         this.set('_showChangeListView', route == 'gr-change-list-view');
         this.set('_showDashboardView', route == 'gr-dashboard-view');
diff --git a/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/gr-change-list-item.html b/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/gr-change-list-item.html
index be48424632..d6465523cc 100644
--- a/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/gr-change-list-item.html
+++ b/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/gr-change-list-item.html
@@ -85,7 +85,9 @@ limitations under the License.
       </td>
       <td>[[_computeChangeStatusString(change)]]</td>
       <td>
-        <img class="avatarImage" src$="[[_computeAvatarURL(change.owner)]]">
+        <template is="dom-if" if="[[showAvatar]]">
+          <img class="avatarImage" src$="[[_computeAvatarURL(change.owner)]]">
+        </template>
         <a href$="[[_computeOwnerLink(change.owner.email)]]"
            title$="[[_computeOwnerTitle(change.owner)]]">[[change.owner.name]]</a>
       </td>
@@ -126,7 +128,14 @@ limitations under the License.
         changeURL: {
           type: String,
           computed: '_computeChangeURL(change._number)',
-        }
+        },
+        showAvatar: Boolean,
+      },
+
+      ready: function() {
+        app.configReady.then(function(cfg) {
+          this.showAvatar = cfg && cfg.plugin && cfg.plugin.has_avatars;
+        }.bind(this));
       },
 
       _computeChangeURL: function(changeNum) {
diff --git a/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/gr-message.html b/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/gr-message.html
index 6cbc8be090..0d8f49b11d 100644
--- a/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/gr-message.html
+++ b/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/gr-message.html
@@ -30,33 +30,36 @@ limitations under the License.
       }
       .avatar {
         border-radius: 50%;
+        position: absolute;
+        left: var(--default-horizontal-margin);
+      }
+      .hideAvatar .avatar {
+        display: none;
       }
       .collapsed .contentContainer {
-        padding: 10px;
-        padding-right: 60px;
+        color: #777;
         white-space: nowrap;
         overflow-x: hidden;
         text-overflow: ellipsis;
       }
-      .expanded .contentContainer {
-        padding: 7px 0 10px;
+      .showAvatar.expanded .contentContainer {
+        margin-left: calc(var(--default-horizontal-margin) + 2.5em);
+        padding: 10px 0;
       }
-      .expanded .contentContainer {
-        margin-left: calc(var(--default-horizontal-margin) + 25px);
+      .showAvatar.collapsed .contentContainer {
+        margin-left: calc(var(--default-horizontal-margin) + 1.75em);
+        padding: 10px 75px 10px 0;
       }
-      .collapsed .contentContainer {
-        color: #777;
-        margin-left: calc(var(--default-horizontal-margin) + 15px);
-      }
-      .avatar {
-        position: absolute;
-        left: var(--default-horizontal-margin);
+      .hideAvatar.collapsed .contentContainer,
+      .hideAvatar.expanded .contentContainer {
+        margin-left: 0;
+        padding: 10px 75px 10px 0;
       }
       .collapsed .avatar {
         top: 8px;
       }
       .expanded .avatar {
-        top: 10px;
+        top: 12px;
       }
       .collapsed .avatar {
         height: 1.75em;
@@ -111,7 +114,7 @@ limitations under the License.
         flex: 1;
       }
     </style>
-    <div class$="[[_computeClass(expanded)]]">
+    <div class$="[[_computeClass(expanded, showAvatar)]]">
       <img class="avatar" src$="[[_computeAvatarURL(message.author)]]">
       <div class="contentContainer">
         <div class="name" id="name">[[message.author.name]]</div>
@@ -168,6 +171,13 @@ limitations under the License.
           value: true,
           reflectToAttribute: true,
         },
+        showAvatar: Boolean,
+      },
+
+      ready: function() {
+        app.configReady.then(function(cfg) {
+          this.showAvatar = cfg && cfg.plugin && cfg.plugin.has_avatars;
+        }.bind(this));
       },
 
       _commentsChanged: function(value) {
@@ -202,8 +212,11 @@ limitations under the License.
         this.expanded = false;
       },
 
-      _computeClass: function(expanded) {
-        return expanded ? 'expanded' : 'collapsed';
+      _computeClass: function(expanded, showAvatar) {
+        var classes = [];
+        classes.push(expanded ? 'expanded' : 'collapsed');
+        classes.push(showAvatar ? 'showAvatar' : 'hideAvatar');
+        return classes.join(' ');
       },
 
       _computeAvatarURL: function(author) {
diff --git a/polygerrit-ui/server.go b/polygerrit-ui/server.go
index e36ba3f35e..eec8cf9163 100644
--- a/polygerrit-ui/server.go
+++ b/polygerrit-ui/server.go
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ func main() {
 
 	http.HandleFunc("/changes/", handleRESTProxy)
 	http.HandleFunc("/accounts/", handleRESTProxy)
+	http.HandleFunc("/config/", handleRESTProxy)
 	log.Println("Serving on port", *port)
 	log.Fatal(http.ListenAndServe(*port, &server{}))
 }