diff --git a/api/src/com/todoroo/astrid/data/RemoteModel.java b/api/src/com/todoroo/astrid/data/RemoteModel.java
index 62e403aeb..627b2a49d 100644
--- a/api/src/com/todoroo/astrid/data/RemoteModel.java
+++ b/api/src/com/todoroo/astrid/data/RemoteModel.java
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import android.text.TextUtils;
 import com.todoroo.andlib.data.AbstractModel;
 import com.todoroo.andlib.data.Property.LongProperty;
 import com.todoroo.andlib.data.Property.StringProperty;
+import com.todoroo.andlib.data.TodorooCursor;
 
 /**
  * A model that is synchronized to a remote server and has a remote id
@@ -88,4 +89,14 @@ abstract public class RemoteModel extends AbstractModel {
             return value;
         }
     }
+
+    public static String getPictureUrlFromCursor(TodorooCursor<?> cursor, StringProperty pictureProperty, String size) {
+        String value = cursor.get(pictureProperty);
+        try {
+            JSONObject pictureJson = new JSONObject(value);
+            return pictureJson.optString(size);
+        } catch (JSONException e) {
+            return value;
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/activity/TaskListFragment.java b/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/activity/TaskListFragment.java
index 1de0eddbf..efba351e5 100644
--- a/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/activity/TaskListFragment.java
+++ b/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/activity/TaskListFragment.java
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ import com.todoroo.astrid.dao.Database;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.data.Metadata;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.data.TagData;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.data.Task;
+import com.todoroo.astrid.data.User;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.helper.SyncActionHelper;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.helper.TaskListContextMenuExtensionLoader;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.helper.TaskListContextMenuExtensionLoader.ContextMenuItem;
@@ -101,8 +102,8 @@ import com.todoroo.astrid.service.ThemeService;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.service.UpgradeService;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.subtasks.SubtasksListFragment;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.sync.SyncProviderPreferences;
-import com.todoroo.astrid.tags.TaskToTagMetadata;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.tags.TagService;
+import com.todoroo.astrid.tags.TaskToTagMetadata;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.taskrabbit.TaskRabbitMetadata;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.timers.TimerPlugin;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.ui.QuickAddBar;
@@ -910,6 +911,8 @@ public class TaskListFragment extends ListFragment implements OnScrollListener,
 
     public static final String TAGS_METADATA_JOIN = "for_tags"; //$NON-NLS-1$
 
+    public static final String USER_IMAGE_JOIN = "for_images"; // //$NON-NLS-1$
+
     /**
      * Fill in the Task List with current items
      *
@@ -969,6 +972,7 @@ public class TaskListFragment extends ListFragment implements OnScrollListener,
                                 Task.ID.eq(Field.field(TR_METADATA_JOIN + "." + Metadata.TASK.name)))).toString() //$NON-NLS-1$
                 + Join.left(Metadata.TABLE.as(TAGS_METADATA_JOIN),
                         tagsJoinCriterion).toString() //$NON-NLS-1$
+                + Join.left(User.TABLE.as(USER_IMAGE_JOIN), Task.USER_ID.eq(User.UUID)).toString()
                 + filter.getSqlQuery();
 
         sqlQueryTemplate.set(SortHelper.adjustQueryForFlagsAndSort(
diff --git a/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/adapter/TaskAdapter.java b/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/adapter/TaskAdapter.java
index 4762152ee..480419af4 100644
--- a/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/adapter/TaskAdapter.java
+++ b/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/adapter/TaskAdapter.java
@@ -80,7 +80,9 @@ import com.todoroo.astrid.api.TaskDecoration;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.api.TaskDecorationExposer;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.core.LinkActionExposer;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.data.Metadata;
+import com.todoroo.astrid.data.RemoteModel;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.data.Task;
+import com.todoroo.astrid.data.User;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.files.FileMetadata;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.files.FilesAction;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.files.FilesControlSet;
@@ -140,6 +142,7 @@ public class TaskAdapter extends CursorAdapter implements Filterable {
         Task.USER,
         Task.REMINDER_LAST,
         Task.SOCIAL_REMINDER,
+        User.PICTURE,
         TASK_RABBIT_ID, // Task rabbit metadata id (non-zero means it exists)
         TAGS // Concatenated list of tags
     };
@@ -390,6 +393,7 @@ public class TaskAdapter extends CursorAdapter implements Filterable {
         if (!titleOnlyLayout) {
             viewHolder.isTaskRabbit = (cursor.get(TASK_RABBIT_ID) > 0);
             viewHolder.tagsString = cursor.get(TAGS);
+            viewHolder.imageUrl = RemoteModel.getPictureUrlFromCursor(cursor, User.PICTURE, RemoteModel.PICTURE_THUMB);
         }
 
         Task task = viewHolder.task;
@@ -422,6 +426,7 @@ public class TaskAdapter extends CursorAdapter implements Filterable {
         public ImageView taskActionIcon;
         public boolean isTaskRabbit; // From join query, not part of the task model
         public String tagsString; // From join query, not part of the task model
+        public String imageUrl; // From join query, not part of the task model
 
         public View[] decorations;
     }
@@ -1145,12 +1150,14 @@ public class TaskAdapter extends CursorAdapter implements Filterable {
                             pictureView.setDefaultImageResource(R.drawable.icn_anyone_transparent);
                         else {
                             pictureView.setDefaultImageResource(R.drawable.icn_default_person_image);
-                            try {
-                                JSONObject user = new JSONObject(task.getValue(Task.USER));
-                                pictureView.setUrl(user.optString("picture")); //$NON-NLS-1$
-                            } catch (JSONException e) {
-                                if (Task.isRealUserId(task.getValue(Task.USER_ID))) {
-                                    // TODO: Implement a join here
+                            if (!TextUtils.isEmpty(viewHolder.imageUrl)) {
+                                pictureView.setUrl(viewHolder.imageUrl);
+                            } else if (!TextUtils.isEmpty(task.getValue(Task.USER))) {
+                                try {
+                                    JSONObject user = new JSONObject(task.getValue(Task.USER));
+                                    pictureView.setUrl(user.optString("picture")); //$NON-NLS-1$
+                                } catch (JSONException e) {
+                                    //
                                 }
                             }
                         }