diff --git a/backend/gochat.db b/backend/gochat.db
deleted file mode 100644
index 80b0c45..0000000
Binary files a/backend/gochat.db and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/backend/internal/rest/handler_auth.go b/backend/internal/rest/handler_auth.go
index d525906..65534b9 100644
--- a/backend/internal/rest/handler_auth.go
+++ b/backend/internal/rest/handler_auth.go
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ func (h *Handler) signup(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 
 	auth.SigninSetup(w, h.cfg.Cookies.SessionName, session.Token, session.ExpiresAt, h.cfg.Cookies.Secure)
 	h.refreshCsrf(w)
-	writeJson(w, http.StatusCreated, newUserResponse(u))
+	h.respondUser(w, r, u, http.StatusCreated)
 }
 
 func (h *Handler) signin(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ func (h *Handler) signin(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 
 	auth.SigninSetup(w, h.cfg.Cookies.SessionName, session.Token, session.ExpiresAt, h.cfg.Cookies.Secure)
 	h.refreshCsrf(w)
-	writeJson(w, http.StatusOK, newUserResponse(u))
+	h.respondUser(w, r, u, http.StatusOK)
 }
 
 func (h *Handler) signout(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
diff --git a/backend/internal/rest/handler_profile.go b/backend/internal/rest/handler_profile.go
index 46c26c1..bb5f58c 100644
--- a/backend/internal/rest/handler_profile.go
+++ b/backend/internal/rest/handler_profile.go
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ type updatePasswordRequest struct {
 
 func (h *Handler) getProfile(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	u := userFromRequest(r)
-	writeJson(w, http.StatusOK, newUserResponse(u))
+	h.respondUser(w, r, u, http.StatusOK)
 }
 
 func (h *Handler) updateProfile(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ func (h *Handler) updateProfile(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	writeJson(w, http.StatusOK, newUserResponse(updated))
+	h.respondUser(w, r, updated, http.StatusOK)
 }
 
 func (h *Handler) updatePassword(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
@@ -109,6 +109,19 @@ func (h *Handler) uploadAvatar(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	writeNoContent(w)
 }
 
+// deleteAvatar removes the caller's avatar. It is idempotent: deleting an
+// avatar that does not exist still succeeds.
+func (h *Handler) deleteAvatar(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	u := userFromRequest(r)
+
+	if err := h.users.DeleteAvatar(r.Context(), u); err != nil {
+		h.fail(w, err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	writeNoContent(w)
+}
+
 func (h *Handler) getAvatar(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	u := userFromRequest(r)
 
diff --git a/backend/internal/rest/handler_users.go b/backend/internal/rest/handler_users.go
index 049e29c..34015b6 100644
--- a/backend/internal/rest/handler_users.go
+++ b/backend/internal/rest/handler_users.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ type userResponse struct {
 	FullName    *string    `json:"fullName"`
 	Email       *string    `json:"email"`
 	IsAdmin     bool       `json:"isAdmin"`
+	HasAvatar   bool       `json:"hasAvatar"`
 	CreatedAt   time.Time  `json:"createdAt"`
 	UpdatedAt   time.Time  `json:"updatedAt"`
 	ActivatedAt *time.Time `json:"activatedAt"`
@@ -38,7 +39,12 @@ func (h *Handler) listUsers(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 
 	result := make([]userResponse, 0, len(users))
 	for _, u := range users {
-		result = append(result, newUserResponse(u))
+		hasAvatar, err := h.users.HasAvatar(r.Context(), u)
+		if err != nil {
+			h.fail(w, err)
+			return
+		}
+		result = append(result, newUserResponse(u, hasAvatar))
 	}
 
 	writeJson(w, http.StatusOK, result)
@@ -131,7 +137,18 @@ func (h *Handler) getUserAvatar(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 
 // avatarURL builds the absolute URL of a user's avatar, preferring the
 // configured PublicBaseURL and falling back to the request's scheme and Host.
+// It returns an empty string when the user has no avatar.
 func (h *Handler) avatarURL(r *http.Request, id int64) string {
+	user, err := h.users.UserById(r.Context(), id)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+
+	hasAvatar, err := h.users.HasAvatar(r.Context(), user)
+	if err != nil || !hasAvatar {
+		return ""
+	}
+
 	base := h.cfg.PublicBaseURL
 	if base == "" {
 		scheme := "http"
@@ -146,13 +163,25 @@ func (h *Handler) avatarURL(r *http.Request, id int64) string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf("%s/api/users/%d/avatar", base, id)
 }
 
-func newUserResponse(u *user.User) userResponse {
+// respondUser writes a user response that includes whether the user has an
+// avatar stored.
+func (h *Handler) respondUser(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, u *user.User, status int) {
+	hasAvatar, err := h.users.HasAvatar(r.Context(), u)
+	if err != nil {
+		h.fail(w, err)
+		return
+	}
+	writeJson(w, status, newUserResponse(u, hasAvatar))
+}
+
+func newUserResponse(u *user.User, hasAvatar bool) userResponse {
 	return userResponse{
 		Id:          u.Id,
 		Login:       u.Login,
 		FullName:    u.FullName,
 		Email:       u.Email,
 		IsAdmin:     u.IsAdmin,
+		HasAvatar:   hasAvatar,
 		CreatedAt:   u.CreatedAt,
 		UpdatedAt:   u.UpdatedAt,
 		ActivatedAt: u.ActivatedAt,
diff --git a/backend/internal/rest/routes.go b/backend/internal/rest/routes.go
index fe3597e..fb5500a 100644
--- a/backend/internal/rest/routes.go
+++ b/backend/internal/rest/routes.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ func (h *Handler) registerRoutes(mux *http.ServeMux) {
 	mux.Handle("PUT /api/profile/password", userChain.ThenFunc(h.updatePassword))
 	mux.Handle("POST /api/profile/avatar", userChain.ThenFunc(h.uploadAvatar))
 	mux.Handle("PUT /api/profile/avatar", userChain.ThenFunc(h.uploadAvatar))
+	mux.Handle("DELETE /api/profile/avatar", userChain.ThenFunc(h.deleteAvatar))
 	mux.Handle("GET /api/profile/avatar", userChain.ThenFunc(h.getAvatar))
 
 	mux.Handle("GET /api/sessions", userChain.ThenFunc(h.listSessions))
diff --git a/backend/internal/user/repository.go b/backend/internal/user/repository.go
index 162c7c4..75c21b7 100644
--- a/backend/internal/user/repository.go
+++ b/backend/internal/user/repository.go
@@ -179,6 +179,28 @@ func (r *Repository) SetAvatar(ctx context.Context, id int64, data []byte) error
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (r *Repository) DeleteAvatar(ctx context.Context, id int64) error {
+	query := "DELETE FROM avatars WHERE id = ?"
+	_, err := r.q.ExecContext(ctx, query, id)
+	if err != nil {
+		slog.Error("delete avatar", slog.String("op", "repo.DeleteAvatar"), slog.Int64("user_id", id), slog.Any("error", err))
+		return ErrInternal
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// HasAvatar reports whether the user currently has an avatar stored.
+func (r *Repository) HasAvatar(ctx context.Context, id int64) (bool, error) {
+	query := "SELECT EXISTS(SELECT 1 FROM avatars WHERE id = ?)"
+	var exists bool
+	err := r.q.QueryRowContext(ctx, query, id).Scan(&exists)
+	if err != nil {
+		slog.Error("has avatar", slog.String("op", "repo.HasAvatar"), slog.Int64("user_id", id), slog.Any("error", err))
+		return false, ErrInternal
+	}
+	return exists, nil
+}
+
 func (r *Repository) CleanupUsers(ctx context.Context) error {
 	query := "DELETE FROM users WHERE activated_at IS NULL and created_at < ?"
 	_, err := r.q.ExecContext(ctx, query, time.Now().UTC().Add(-5*time.Minute))
diff --git a/backend/internal/user/service.go b/backend/internal/user/service.go
index d1bbc5f..0cf3499 100644
--- a/backend/internal/user/service.go
+++ b/backend/internal/user/service.go
@@ -163,6 +163,17 @@ func (s *Service) Avatar(ctx context.Context, user *User) ([]byte, error) {
 	return s.r.Avatar(ctx, user.Id)
 }
 
+// DeleteAvatar removes a user's avatar. It is a no-op when no avatar is stored,
+// so the operation is idempotent.
+func (s *Service) DeleteAvatar(ctx context.Context, user *User) error {
+	return s.r.DeleteAvatar(ctx, user.Id)
+}
+
+// HasAvatar reports whether the user currently has an avatar stored.
+func (s *Service) HasAvatar(ctx context.Context, user *User) (bool, error) {
+	return s.r.HasAvatar(ctx, user.Id)
+}
+
 func (s *Service) ActivateUser(ctx context.Context, user *User) (*User, error) {
 	tx, err := s.r.Db.BeginTx(ctx, nil)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/frontend/src/api.js b/frontend/src/api.js
index 0da52ae..08552ef 100644
--- a/frontend/src/api.js
+++ b/frontend/src/api.js
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ export const api = {
     form.append('avatar', file)
     return request('PUT', '/api/profile/avatar', form)
   },
+  deleteAvatar: () => request('DELETE', '/api/profile/avatar'),
   avatarUrl: () => '/api/profile/avatar',
 
   // sessions
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/ProfilePage.jsx b/frontend/src/pages/ProfilePage.jsx
index aacb8d5..0ac4c54 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/ProfilePage.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/ProfilePage.jsx
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ export default function ProfilePage({ user, onUserChange }) {
   const fileRef = useRef(null)
 
   const initials = (user.fullName || user.login || '?').trim().charAt(0).toUpperCase()
+  const hasAvatar = Boolean(user.hasAvatar) && !avatarError
 
   const saveProfile = async (event) => {
     event.preventDefault()
@@ -46,6 +47,8 @@ export default function ProfilePage({ user, onUserChange }) {
     setAvatarMsg(null)
     try {
       await api.uploadAvatar(file)
+      const profile = await api.getProfile()
+      onUserChange(profile)
       setAvatarVersion(Date.now())
       setAvatarError(false)
       setAvatarMsg({ type: 'ok', text: 'Avatar updated' })
@@ -56,22 +59,36 @@ export default function ProfilePage({ user, onUserChange }) {
     }
   }
 
+  const removeAvatar = async () => {
+    if (!confirm('Remove your avatar?')) return
+    setAvatarMsg(null)
+    try {
+      await api.deleteAvatar()
+      const profile = await api.getProfile()
+      onUserChange(profile)
+      setAvatarError(false)
+      setAvatarMsg({ type: 'ok', text: 'Avatar removed' })
+    } catch (err) {
+      setAvatarMsg({ type: 'error', text: err.message })
+    }
+  }
+
   return (
     <div className="grid">
       <section className="card">
         <h2>Avatar</h2>
         <div className="avatar-row">
-          {avatarError ? (
-            <div className="avatar avatar-fallback" aria-label="No avatar">
-              {initials}
-            </div>
-          ) : (
+          {hasAvatar ? (
             <img
               className="avatar"
               src={`${api.avatarUrl()}?v=${avatarVersion}`}
               alt="avatar"
               onError={() => setAvatarError(true)}
             />
+          ) : (
+            <div className="avatar avatar-fallback" aria-label="No avatar">
+              {initials}
+            </div>
           )}
           <div>
             <input
@@ -81,6 +98,11 @@ export default function ProfilePage({ user, onUserChange }) {
               onChange={uploadAvatar}
             />
             <p className="hint">PNG or JPEG.</p>
+            {user.hasAvatar && (
+              <button className="btn-danger-sm" type="button" onClick={removeAvatar}>
+                Remove avatar
+              </button>
+            )}
           </div>
         </div>
         {avatarMsg && <p className={avatarMsg.type}>{avatarMsg.text}</p>}