diff --git a/packages/frontend/src/components/avatar.tsx b/packages/frontend/src/components/avatar.tsx
index cbed993..3ccc9c2 100644
--- a/packages/frontend/src/components/avatar.tsx
+++ b/packages/frontend/src/components/avatar.tsx
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ export default function Avatar({
   size,
   textClass = "text-xs",
   strong = false,
+  skipOrgCheck = false,
   className,
 }: {
   avatarURL?: string | null;
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@ export default function Avatar({
   size?: number;
   textClass?: string;
   strong?: boolean;
+  skipOrgCheck?: boolean;
   className?: string;
 }) {
   // if the username matches the authed user, use their avatarURL and name (avoid stale data)
@@ -69,13 +71,15 @@ export default function Avatar({
     ? FALLBACK_COLOURS[hashStringToIndex(username, FALLBACK_COLOURS.length)]
     : "bg-muted";
 
+  const showAvatar = skipOrgCheck || selectedOrganisation?.Organisation.features.userAvatars;
+
   return (
     <div
       className={cn(
         "flex items-center justify-center rounded-full",
         "text-white font-medium select-none",
         name && "border",
-        (!avatarURL || !selectedOrganisation?.Organisation.features.userAvatars) && backgroundClass,
+        (!avatarURL || !showAvatar) && backgroundClass,
 
         "transition-colors",
         `w-${size || 6}`,
@@ -83,7 +87,7 @@ export default function Avatar({
         className,
       )}
     >
-      {selectedOrganisation?.Organisation.features.userAvatars && avatarURL ? (
+      {showAvatar && avatarURL ? (
         <img
           src={avatarURL}
           alt="Avatar"
diff --git a/packages/frontend/src/components/login-form.tsx b/packages/frontend/src/components/login-form.tsx
index aa4232f..b1d4d21 100644
--- a/packages/frontend/src/components/login-form.tsx
+++ b/packages/frontend/src/components/login-form.tsx
@@ -222,6 +222,7 @@ export default function LogInForm() {
                     username={username || undefined}
                     avatarURL={avatarURL}
                     onAvatarUploaded={setAvatarUrl}
+                    skipOrgCheck
                     className="mb-2"
                   />
                   {avatarURL && (
diff --git a/packages/frontend/src/components/upload-avatar.tsx b/packages/frontend/src/components/upload-avatar.tsx
index 048d3fd..fb3149f 100644
--- a/packages/frontend/src/components/upload-avatar.tsx
+++ b/packages/frontend/src/components/upload-avatar.tsx
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ export function UploadAvatar({
   username,
   avatarURL,
   onAvatarUploaded,
+  skipOrgCheck = false,
   className,
 }: {
   name?: string;
@@ -20,6 +21,7 @@ export function UploadAvatar({
   avatarURL?: string | null;
   onAvatarUploaded: (avatarURL: string) => void;
   label?: string;
+  skipOrgCheck?: boolean;
   className?: string;
 }) {
   const [uploading, setUploading] = useState(false);
@@ -71,6 +73,7 @@ export function UploadAvatar({
           size={24}
           textClass={"text-4xl"}
           strong
+          skipOrgCheck={skipOrgCheck}
         />
 
         {!uploading && showEdit && (