diff --git a/Documentation/SOGoInstallationGuide.asciidoc b/Documentation/SOGoInstallationGuide.asciidoc
index ca602a3a9a..2a6ec3db18 100644
--- a/Documentation/SOGoInstallationGuide.asciidoc
+++ b/Documentation/SOGoInstallationGuide.asciidoc
@@ -1973,6 +1973,16 @@ SOGo webmail interface. The parameter is an array, for example:
 
 `SOGoMailListViewColumnsOrder = (Flagged, Attachment, Priority, From, Subject, Unread, Date, Size);`
 
+|D |SOGoExternalAvatarsEnabled
+|Parameter used to enable fetching of avatars from remote services.
+
+Defaults to `YES` when unset.
+
+|U |SOGoGravatarEnabled
+|Parameter used to activate fetching of avatars from http://gravatar.com/[Gravatar].
+
+Defaults to `YES` when unset.
+
 |D |SOGoVacationEnabled
 |Parameter used to activate the edition from the preferences window of a
 vacation message.
diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 2c06ee4191..3829d04542 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 Enhancements
  - [web] expose all email addresses in autocompletion of message editor (#3443)
+ - [web] Gravatar service can now be disabled (#3600)
 
 Bug fixes
  - [web] fixed creation of chip on blur (sgTransformOnBlur directive)
diff --git a/SoObjects/SOGo/SOGoDefaults.plist b/SoObjects/SOGo/SOGoDefaults.plist
index d26d32e182..f2a83a1518 100644
--- a/SoObjects/SOGo/SOGoDefaults.plist
+++ b/SoObjects/SOGo/SOGoDefaults.plist
@@ -54,12 +54,14 @@
     SOGoFirstWeekOfYear = "January1";
     SOGoShortDateFormat = "%d-%b-%y";
     SOGoLongDateFormat = "%A, %B %d, %Y";
+    SOGoExternalAvatarsEnabled = YES;
+    SOGoGravatarEnabled = NO;
+    SOGoAlternateAvatar = "none";
 
     SOGoIMAPServer = "localhost";
     SOGoMailDomain = "localhost";
     SOGoSelectedAddressBook = "collected";
     SOGoRefreshViewCheck = "manually";
-    SOGoAlternateAvatar = "none";
     SOGoMailMessageForwarding = "inline";
     SOGoMailReplyPlacement = "below";
     SOGoMailSignaturePlacement = "below";
diff --git a/SoObjects/SOGo/SOGoDomainDefaults.h b/SoObjects/SOGo/SOGoDomainDefaults.h
index b8cc6f30bc..d603d8eac2 100644
--- a/SoObjects/SOGo/SOGoDomainDefaults.h
+++ b/SoObjects/SOGo/SOGoDomainDefaults.h
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
 - (NSString *) imapFolderSeparator;
 - (BOOL) imapAclConformsToIMAPExt;
 - (BOOL) forceExternalLoginWithEmail;
+- (BOOL) externalAvatarsEnabled;
 - (BOOL) sieveScriptsEnabled;
 - (BOOL) forwardEnabled;
 - (int) forwardConstraints;
diff --git a/SoObjects/SOGo/SOGoDomainDefaults.m b/SoObjects/SOGo/SOGoDomainDefaults.m
index 72893fedad..55fc9cd248 100644
--- a/SoObjects/SOGo/SOGoDomainDefaults.m
+++ b/SoObjects/SOGo/SOGoDomainDefaults.m
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /* SOGoDomainDefaults.m - this file is part of SOGo
  *
- * Copyright (C) 2009-2015 Inverse inc.
+ * Copyright (C) 2009-2016 Inverse inc.
  *
  * This file is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
  * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
@@ -191,6 +191,11 @@ - (BOOL) forceExternalLoginWithEmail
   return [self boolForKey: @"SOGoForceIMAPLoginWithEmail"];
 }
 
+- (BOOL) externalAvatarsEnabled
+{
+  return [self boolForKey: @"SOGoExternalAvatarsEnabled"];
+}
+
 - (BOOL) sieveScriptsEnabled
 {
   return [self boolForKey: @"SOGoSieveScriptsEnabled"];
diff --git a/SoObjects/SOGo/SOGoUserDefaults.h b/SoObjects/SOGo/SOGoUserDefaults.h
index fcf97c7b20..828fbaf89e 100644
--- a/SoObjects/SOGo/SOGoUserDefaults.h
+++ b/SoObjects/SOGo/SOGoUserDefaults.h
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ extern NSString *SOGoWeekStartFirstFullWeek;
 - (void) setRefreshViewCheck: (NSString *) newValue;
 - (NSString *) refreshViewCheck;
 
+- (BOOL) gravatarEnabled;
 - (void) setAlternateAvatar: (NSString *) newValue;
 - (NSString *) alternateAvatar;
 
diff --git a/SoObjects/SOGo/SOGoUserDefaults.m b/SoObjects/SOGo/SOGoUserDefaults.m
index 910fad1027..e895f2cf73 100644
--- a/SoObjects/SOGo/SOGoUserDefaults.m
+++ b/SoObjects/SOGo/SOGoUserDefaults.m
@@ -514,6 +514,11 @@ - (NSString *) refreshViewCheck
   return [self stringForKey: @"SOGoRefreshViewCheck"];
 }
 
+- (BOOL) gravatarEnabled
+{
+  return [self boolForKey: @"SOGoGravatarEnabled"];
+}
+
 - (void) setAlternateAvatar: (NSString *) newValue
 {
   [self setObject: newValue forKey: @"SOGoAlternateAvatar"];
diff --git a/UI/PreferencesUI/English.lproj/Localizable.strings b/UI/PreferencesUI/English.lproj/Localizable.strings
index 5b3174fae8..b073da2e0f 100644
--- a/UI/PreferencesUI/English.lproj/Localizable.strings
+++ b/UI/PreferencesUI/English.lproj/Localizable.strings
@@ -365,6 +365,7 @@
 "TLS" = "TLS";
 
 /* Avatars */
+"Use Gravatar" = "Use Gravatar";
 "Alternate Avatar" = "Alternate Avatar";
 "none" =  "None";
 "identicon" = "Ident Icon";
diff --git a/UI/PreferencesUI/UIxJSONPreferences.m b/UI/PreferencesUI/UIxJSONPreferences.m
index 7ea1b4fe26..3548ea5871 100644
--- a/UI/PreferencesUI/UIxJSONPreferences.m
+++ b/UI/PreferencesUI/UIxJSONPreferences.m
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 
 #import <SOGo/NSObject+Utilities.h>
 #import <SOGo/NSString+Utilities.h>
+#import <SOGo/SOGoDomainDefaults.h>
 #import <SOGo/SOGoUser.h>
 #import <SOGo/SOGoUserDefaults.h>
 #import <SOGo/SOGoUserSettings.h>
@@ -73,6 +74,7 @@ - (WOResponse *) jsonDefaultsAction
 {
   NSMutableDictionary *values, *account;
   SOGoUserDefaults *defaults;
+  SOGoDomainDefaults *domainDefaults;
   NSMutableArray *accounts;
   NSDictionary *categoryLabels;
   NSDictionary *locale;
@@ -84,6 +86,7 @@ - (WOResponse *) jsonDefaultsAction
     }
 
   defaults = [[context activeUser] userDefaults];
+  domainDefaults = [[context activeUser] domainDefaults];
   categoryLabels = nil;
 
   //
@@ -110,8 +113,18 @@ - (WOResponse *) jsonDefaultsAction
   if (![[defaults source] objectForKey: @"SOGoRefreshViewCheck"])
     [[defaults source] setObject: [defaults refreshViewCheck]  forKey: @"SOGoRefreshViewCheck"];
 
-  if (![[defaults source] objectForKey: @"SOGoAlternateAvatar"])
-      [[defaults source] setObject: [defaults alternateAvatar]  forKey: @"SOGoAlternateAvatar"];
+  if ([domainDefaults externalAvatarsEnabled])
+    {
+      if (![[defaults source] objectForKey: @"SOGoGravatarEnabled"])
+        [[defaults source] setObject: [NSNumber numberWithBool: [defaults gravatarEnabled]]  forKey: @"SOGoGravatarEnabled"];
+      if (![[defaults source] objectForKey: @"SOGoAlternateAvatar"])
+        [[defaults source] setObject: [defaults alternateAvatar]  forKey: @"SOGoAlternateAvatar"];
+    }
+  else
+    {
+      [[defaults source] setObject: [NSNumber numberWithInt: 0]  forKey: @"SOGoGravatarEnabled"];
+      [[defaults source] removeObjectForKey: @"SOGoAlternateAvatar"];
+    }
 
   //
   // Default Calendar preferences
diff --git a/UI/PreferencesUI/UIxPreferences.m b/UI/PreferencesUI/UIxPreferences.m
index 7b0c97f846..b9c24eed57 100644
--- a/UI/PreferencesUI/UIxPreferences.m
+++ b/UI/PreferencesUI/UIxPreferences.m
@@ -686,7 +686,7 @@ - (NSArray *) hoursList
 //   SOGoUserSettings *us;
 //   NSMutableDictionary *moduleSettings;
 //   NSArray *whiteList;
-  
+
 //   us = [user userSettings];
 //   moduleSettings = [us objectForKey: @"Calendar"];
 //   whiteList = [moduleSettings objectForKey:@"PreventInvitationsWhitelist"];
@@ -697,7 +697,7 @@ - (NSArray *) hoursList
 // {
 //   SOGoUserSettings *us;
 //   NSMutableDictionary *moduleSettings;
-  
+
 //   us = [user userSettings];
 //   moduleSettings = [us objectForKey: @"Calendar"];
 //   [moduleSettings setObject: whiteListString forKey: @"PreventInvitationsWhitelist"];
@@ -890,7 +890,7 @@ - (NSArray *) refreshViewList
         value = @"every_minute";
       else if (interval == 60)
         value = @"once_per_hour";
-      else if (interval == 2 || interval == 5 || interval == 10 
+      else if (interval == 2 || interval == 5 || interval == 10
                || interval == 20 || interval == 30)
         value = [NSString stringWithFormat: @"every_%d_minutes", interval];
       else
@@ -1417,6 +1417,11 @@ - (NSString *) itemModuleText
   return [self labelForKey: item];
 }
 
+- (BOOL) externalAvatarsEnabled
+{
+  return [[user domainDefaults] externalAvatarsEnabled];
+}
+
 - (NSArray *) alternateAvatar
 {
   // See: https://en.gravatar.com/site/implement/images/
@@ -1795,7 +1800,7 @@ - (BOOL) mailAuxiliaryUserAccountsEnabled
 //
 - (void) _extractMainIdentity: (NSDictionary *) identity
                  inDictionary: (NSMutableDictionary *) target
-  
+
 {
   /* We perform some validation here as we have no guaranty on the input
      validity. */
@@ -1825,7 +1830,7 @@ - (void) _extractMainIdentity: (NSDictionary *) identity
             [target setObject: value  forKey: @"SOGoMailCustomEmail"];
           else
             [target removeObjectForKey: @"SOGoMailCustomEmail"];
-        
+
           value = [[identity objectForKey: @"fullName"]
                     stringByTrimmingSpaces];
           if ([value length] == 0
@@ -1878,11 +1883,11 @@ - (void) _extractMainReceiptsPreferences: (NSDictionary *) receipts
       action = [receipts objectForKey: @"receiptNonRecipientAction"];
       if ([self _validateReceiptAction: action])
         [target setObject: action  forKey: @"SOGoMailReceiptNonRecipientAction"];
-      
+
       action = [receipts objectForKey: @"receiptOutsideDomainAction"];
       if ([self _validateReceiptAction: action])
         [target setObject: action  forKey: @"SOGoMailReceiptOutsideDomainAction"];
-      
+
       action = [receipts objectForKey: @"receiptAnyAction"];
       if ([self _validateReceiptAction: action])
         [target setObject: action  forKey: @"SOGoMailReceiptAnyAction"];
@@ -2128,10 +2133,10 @@ - (NSString *) forwardEnabled
 {
   id <WOActionResults> results;
   id o, v;
-  
+
   o = [[[context request] contentAsString] objectFromJSONString];
   results = nil;
-  
+
   // Proceed with data sanitization of the "defaults"
   if ((v = [o objectForKey: @"defaults"]))
     {
@@ -2156,7 +2161,15 @@ - (NSString *) forwardEnabled
 
       if ([[v objectForKey: @"SOGoLongDateFormat"] isEqualToString: @"default"])
         [v removeObjectForKey: @"SOGoLongDateFormat"];
-      
+
+      if (![self externalAvatarsEnabled])
+        {
+          [v removeObjectForKey: @"SOGoGravatarEnabled"];
+          [[[user userDefaults] source] removeObjectForKey: @"SOGoGravatarEnabled"];
+          [v removeObjectForKey: @"SOGoAlternateAvatar"];
+          [[[user userDefaults] source] removeObjectForKey: @"SOGoAlternateAvatar"];
+        }
+
       //
       // We sanitize mail labels
       //
@@ -2166,20 +2179,20 @@ - (NSString *) forwardEnabled
           // We encode correctly our keys
           sanitizedLabels = [NSMutableDictionary dictionary];
           allKeys = [newLabels allKeys];
-          
+
           for (i = 0; i < [allKeys count]; i++)
             {
               name = [allKeys objectAtIndex: i];
-              
+
               if (![name is7bitSafe])
                 name = [name stringByEncodingImap4FolderName];
-              
+
               name = [name lowercaseString];
-              
+
               [sanitizedLabels setObject: [newLabels objectForKey: [allKeys objectAtIndex: i]]
                                   forKey: name];
             }
-          
+
           [v setObject: sanitizedLabels  forKey: @"SOGoMailLabelsColors"];
         }
 
@@ -2202,23 +2215,23 @@ - (NSString *) forwardEnabled
         }
 
       [[[user userDefaults] source] setValues: v];
-      
+
       if ([[user userDefaults] synchronize])
         {
           SOGoMailAccount *account;
           SOGoMailAccounts *folder;
           SOGoDomainDefaults *dd;
-          
+
           dd = [[context activeUser] domainDefaults];
 
           // We check if the Sieve server is available *ONLY* if at least one of the option is enabled
           if (!([dd sieveScriptsEnabled] || [dd vacationEnabled] || [dd forwardEnabled]) || [self _isSieveServerAvailable])
             {
-              
+
               folder = [[[context activeUser] homeFolderInContext: context]  mailAccountsFolder: @"Mail"
                                                                                       inContext: context];
               account = [folder lookupName: @"0" inContext: context acquire: NO];
-              
+
               if (![account updateFilters])
                 {
                   results = (id <WOActionResults>) [self responseWithStatus: 502
@@ -2230,7 +2243,7 @@ - (NSString *) forwardEnabled
                          andJSONRepresentation: [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObjectsAndKeys: @"Service temporarily unavailable", @"message", nil]];
         }
     }
-  
+
   if ((v = [o objectForKey: @"settings"]))
     {
       [[[user userSettings] source] setValues: v];
diff --git a/UI/Templates/PreferencesUI/UIxPreferences.wox b/UI/Templates/PreferencesUI/UIxPreferences.wox
index ff5517e8a3..8364b4630d 100644
--- a/UI/Templates/PreferencesUI/UIxPreferences.wox
+++ b/UI/Templates/PreferencesUI/UIxPreferences.wox
@@ -194,16 +194,28 @@
               </md-select>
             </md-input-container>
 
-            <md-input-container>
-              <label><var:string label:value="Alternate Avatar"/></label>
-              <md-select ng-model="app.preferences.defaults.SOGoAlternateAvatar">
-                <var:foreach list="alternateAvatar" item="item">
-                  <md-option var:value="item">
-                    <var:string value="itemAlternateAvatarText"/>
-                  </md-option>
-                </var:foreach>
-              </md-select>
-            </md-input-container>
+            <var:if condition="externalAvatarsEnabled">
+            <div layout="row" layout-align="start start">
+              <md-checkbox flex="20"
+                           ng-model="app.preferences.defaults.SOGoGravatarEnabled"
+                           ng-true-value="1"
+                           ng-false-value="0"
+                           label:aria-label="Use Gravatar">
+                <var:string label:value="Use Gravatar"/>
+              </md-checkbox>
+              <md-input-container class="md-flex">
+                <label><var:string label:value="Alternate Avatar"/></label>
+                <md-select ng-model="app.preferences.defaults.SOGoAlternateAvatar"
+                           ng-disabled="!app.preferences.defaults.SOGoGravatarEnabled">
+                  <var:foreach list="alternateAvatar" item="item">
+                    <md-option var:value="item">
+                      <var:string value="itemAlternateAvatarText"/>
+                    </md-option>
+                  </var:foreach>
+                </md-select>
+              </md-input-container>
+            </div>
+            </var:if>
           </div>
         </md-content>
       </md-tab>
diff --git a/UI/WebServerResources/js/Common/sgAvatarImage.directive.js b/UI/WebServerResources/js/Common/sgAvatarImage.directive.js
index 6f3ba1e615..1c568b2326 100644
--- a/UI/WebServerResources/js/Common/sgAvatarImage.directive.js
+++ b/UI/WebServerResources/js/Common/sgAvatarImage.directive.js
@@ -60,7 +60,8 @@
         if (email && vm.urlEmail != email) {
           // Email has changed or doesn't match the current URL (this happens when using md-virtual-repeat)
           showGenericAvatar();
-          getGravatar(email);
+          if (Preferences.defaults.SOGoGravatarEnabled)
+            getGravatar(email);
         }
         else if (!email)
           showGenericAvatar();