diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/adapter/MessageAdapter.java b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/adapter/MessageAdapter.java
index 964cb1349..375c32db3 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/adapter/MessageAdapter.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/adapter/MessageAdapter.java
@@ -1173,9 +1173,6 @@ public class MessageAdapter extends ArrayAdapter<Message> {
                     viewHolder.message_box_inner = view.findViewById(R.id.message_box_inner);
                     viewHolder.message_box = view.findViewById(R.id.message_box);
                     viewHolder.contact_picture = view.findViewById(R.id.message_photo);
-                    if (activity.xmppConnectionService != null && !activity.xmppConnectionService.getBooleanPreference("show_less_avatars", R.bool.show_less_avatars)) {
-                        viewHolder.contact_picture.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
-                    }
                     viewHolder.download_button = view.findViewById(R.id.download_button);
                     viewHolder.indicator = view.findViewById(R.id.security_indicator);
                     viewHolder.edit_indicator = view.findViewById(R.id.edit_indicator);
@@ -1203,9 +1200,6 @@ public class MessageAdapter extends ArrayAdapter<Message> {
                     viewHolder.message_box_inner = view.findViewById(R.id.message_box_inner);
                     viewHolder.message_box = view.findViewById(R.id.message_box);
                     viewHolder.contact_picture = view.findViewById(R.id.message_photo);
-                    if (message.getConversation().getMode() == Conversation.MODE_SINGLE && activity.xmppConnectionService.getBooleanPreference("show_less_avatars", R.bool.show_less_avatars)) {
-                        viewHolder.contact_picture.setVisibility(View.GONE);
-                    }
                     viewHolder.download_button = view.findViewById(R.id.download_button);
                     viewHolder.indicator = view.findViewById(R.id.security_indicator);
                     viewHolder.edit_indicator = view.findViewById(R.id.edit_indicator);
@@ -1390,7 +1384,7 @@ public class MessageAdapter extends ArrayAdapter<Message> {
                 } else if (message.getCounterpart() != null
                         || message.getTrueCounterpart() != null
                         || (message.getCounterparts() != null
-                                && !message.getCounterparts().isEmpty())) {
+                                && message.getCounterparts().size() > 0)) {
                     showAvatar = true;
                     AvatarWorkerTask.loadAvatar(
                             message, viewHolder.contact_picture, R.dimen.avatar_on_status_message);
diff --git a/src/main/res/layout/item_message_received.xml b/src/main/res/layout/item_message_received.xml
index aeab5aaa8..1f7cc6ff9 100644
--- a/src/main/res/layout/item_message_received.xml
+++ b/src/main/res/layout/item_message_received.xml
@@ -33,8 +33,7 @@
             app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
             app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="@id/message_box"
             android:layout_marginEnd="0dp"
-            android:scaleType="centerCrop"
-            android:visibility="visible" />
+            android:scaleType="centerCrop" />
 
 
         <!-- TODO port app:layout_constraintWidth_max="@dimen/message_bubble_max_width" from c3 -->
diff --git a/src/main/res/layout/item_message_sent.xml b/src/main/res/layout/item_message_sent.xml
index 4746800b5..7eb5a9c66 100644
--- a/src/main/res/layout/item_message_sent.xml
+++ b/src/main/res/layout/item_message_sent.xml
@@ -40,8 +40,7 @@
                 android:id="@+id/message_photo"
                 android:layout_width="48dp"
                 android:layout_height="48dp"
-                android:scaleType="centerCrop"
-                android:visibility="gone" />
+                android:scaleType="centerCrop" />
         </LinearLayout>
 
         <LinearLayout
diff --git a/src/main/res/values/bools.xml b/src/main/res/values/bools.xml
index cb7e60b2e..81270f69b 100644
--- a/src/main/res/values/bools.xml
+++ b/src/main/res/values/bools.xml
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <resources>
     <bool name="show_avatar_incoming_call">true</bool>
-    <bool name="show_less_avatars">true</bool>
     <bool name="show_thread_feature">false</bool>
     <bool name="show_maps_inside">true</bool>
     <bool name="show_own_accounts">false</bool>
diff --git a/src/main/res/xml/preferences_interface.xml b/src/main/res/xml/preferences_interface.xml
index 2b5b1d46e..b416a86ad 100644
--- a/src/main/res/xml/preferences_interface.xml
+++ b/src/main/res/xml/preferences_interface.xml
@@ -97,12 +97,6 @@
             android:key="unicolored_chatbg"
             android:summary="@string/pref_use_unicolored_chatbg_summary"
             android:title="@string/pref_use_unicolored_chatbg" />
-        <SwitchPreferenceCompat
-            android:defaultValue="@bool/show_less_avatars"
-            android:icon="@drawable/ic_person_24dp"
-            android:key="show_less_avatars"
-            android:summary="@string/pref_show_less_avatars_summary"
-            android:title="@string/pref_show_less_avatars" />
         <SwitchPreferenceCompat
             android:defaultValue="@bool/show_own_accounts"
             android:icon="@drawable/ic_person_24dp"