diff --git a/server/subsonic/media_retrieval.go b/server/subsonic/media_retrieval.go
index 619545b03..ccc73c162 100644
--- a/server/subsonic/media_retrieval.go
+++ b/server/subsonic/media_retrieval.go
@@ -28,6 +28,11 @@ func (api *Router) GetAvatar(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) (*responses
 	ctx := r.Context()
 	u, err := api.ds.User(ctx).FindByUsername(username)
 	if err != nil {
+		// Preserve the pre-upload-avatar behaviour: an unresolvable user must not surface
+		// as an error when Gravatar is off, since the old handler never looked it up.
+		if !conf.Server.EnableGravatar {
+			return api.getPlaceHolderAvatar(w, r)
+		}
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	// An uploaded avatar wins regardless of Gravatar settings, so it must be checked first.
diff --git a/server/subsonic/media_retrieval_test.go b/server/subsonic/media_retrieval_test.go
index da22130ff..0b961e834 100644
--- a/server/subsonic/media_retrieval_test.go
+++ b/server/subsonic/media_retrieval_test.go
@@ -246,11 +246,22 @@ var _ = Describe("MediaRetrievalController", func() {
 			Expect(w.Code).To(Equal(http.StatusOK))
 		})
 
-		It("returns the same error as before for an unknown username", func() {
+		It("returns the same error as before for an unknown username when Gravatar is on", func() {
+			conf.Server.EnableGravatar = true
+
 			_, err := router.GetAvatar(w, newGetRequest("username=ghost"))
 
 			Expect(err).To(MatchError(model.ErrNotFound))
 		})
+
+		It("serves the placeholder for an unknown username when Gravatar is off, as before", func() {
+			conf.Server.EnableGravatar = false
+
+			_, err := router.GetAvatar(w, newGetRequest("username=ghost"))
+
+			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+			Expect(w.Code).To(Equal(http.StatusOK))
+		})
 	})
 
 	Describe("GetLyrics", func() {