diff --git a/migrations/20210429224354-settings-add-valueBlob.js b/migrations/20210429224354-settings-add-valueBlob.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1a8098824
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migrations/20210429224354-settings-add-valueBlob.js
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+'use strict';
+
+const fs = require('fs');
+
+exports.up = function(db, callback) {
+    db.runSql('ALTER TABLE settings ADD COLUMN valueBlob MEDIUMBLOB', function (error) {
+        if (error) return callback(error);
+
+        fs.readFile('/home/yellowtent/boxdata/avatar.png', { encoding: 'base64' }, function (error, avatar) {
+            if (error && error.code === 'ENOENT') return callback();
+            if (error) return callback(error);
+
+            db.runSql('INSERT INTO settings (name, valueBlob) VALUES (?, ?)', [ 'cloudron_avatar', avatar ], callback);
+        });
+    });
+};
+
+exports.down = function(db, callback) {
+    callback();
+};
diff --git a/migrations/schema.sql b/migrations/schema.sql
index 54142db8c..e197c03bc 100644
--- a/migrations/schema.sql
+++ b/migrations/schema.sql
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS appPortBindings(
 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS settings(
     name VARCHAR(128) NOT NULL UNIQUE,
     value TEXT,
+    valueBlob MEDIUMBLOB,
     PRIMARY KEY(name));
 
 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS appAddonConfigs(
diff --git a/src/paths.js b/src/paths.js
index 2571dad12..32490acfc 100644
--- a/src/paths.js
+++ b/src/paths.js
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@ exports = module.exports = {
     SFTP_KEYS_DIR: path.join(baseDir(), 'boxdata/sftp/ssh'),
     ACME_ACCOUNT_KEY_FILE: path.join(baseDir(), 'boxdata/acme/acme.key'),
     APP_CERTS_DIR: path.join(baseDir(), 'boxdata/certs'),
-    CLOUDRON_AVATAR_FILE: path.join(baseDir(), 'boxdata/avatar.png'),
     ADDON_TURN_SECRET_FILE: path.join(baseDir(), 'boxdata/addon-turn-secret'),
     FIREWALL_BLOCKLIST_FILE: path.join(baseDir(), 'boxdata/firewall/blocklist.txt'),
 
diff --git a/src/routes/branding.js b/src/routes/branding.js
index a437367da..ee44ec96b 100644
--- a/src/routes/branding.js
+++ b/src/routes/branding.js
@@ -92,7 +92,8 @@ function setCloudronAvatar(req, res, next) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof req.files, 'object');
 
     if (!req.files.avatar) return next(new HttpError(400, 'avatar must be provided'));
-    var avatar = safe.fs.readFileSync(req.files.avatar.path);
+    const avatar = safe.fs.readFileSync(req.files.avatar.path);
+    if (!avatar) return next(500, safe.error.message);
 
     settings.setCloudronAvatar(avatar, function (error) {
         if (error) return next(BoxError.toHttpError(error));
diff --git a/src/settings.js b/src/settings.js
index d3fbaab3c..bfca1c42b 100644
--- a/src/settings.js
+++ b/src/settings.js
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ exports = module.exports = {
     FOOTER_KEY: 'footer',
 
     // blobs
-    CLOUDRON_AVATAR_KEY: 'cloudron_avatar', // not stored in db but can be used for locked flag
+    CLOUDRON_AVATAR_KEY: 'cloudron_avatar',
 
     // testing
     _setApiServerOrigin: setApiServerOrigin
@@ -132,7 +132,6 @@ const assert = require('assert'),
     settingsdb = require('./settingsdb.js'),
     sysinfo = require('./sysinfo.js'),
     translation = require('./translation.js'),
-    util = require('util'),
     _ = require('underscore');
 
 let gDefaults = (function () {
@@ -296,25 +295,28 @@ function setCloudronName(name, callback) {
 function getCloudronAvatar(callback) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof callback, 'function');
 
-    var avatar = safe.fs.readFileSync(paths.CLOUDRON_AVATAR_FILE);
-    if (avatar) return callback(null, avatar);
+    settingsdb.getBlob(exports.CLOUDRON_AVATAR_KEY, function (error, avatar) {
+        if (error && error.reason !== BoxError.NOT_FOUND) return callback(error);
 
-    // try default fallback
-    avatar = safe.fs.readFileSync(paths.CLOUDRON_DEFAULT_AVATAR_FILE);
-    if (avatar) return callback(null, avatar);
+        if (avatar) return callback(null, avatar);
 
-    callback(new BoxError(BoxError.FS_ERROR, safe.error));
+        // try default fallback
+        avatar = safe.fs.readFileSync(paths.CLOUDRON_DEFAULT_AVATAR_FILE);
+        if (avatar) return callback(null, avatar);
+
+        callback(new BoxError(BoxError.FS_ERROR, safe.error));
+    });
 }
 
 function setCloudronAvatar(avatar, callback) {
     assert(Buffer.isBuffer(avatar));
     assert.strictEqual(typeof callback, 'function');
 
-    if (!safe.fs.writeFileSync(paths.CLOUDRON_AVATAR_FILE, avatar)) {
-        return callback(new BoxError(BoxError.FS_ERROR, safe.error));
-    }
+    settingsdb.setBlob(exports.CLOUDRON_AVATAR_KEY, avatar, function (error) {
+        if (error) return callback(error);
 
-    return callback(null);
+        return callback(null);
+    });
 }
 
 function getDynamicDnsConfig(callback) {
diff --git a/src/settingsdb.js b/src/settingsdb.js
index 7c2324eef..ebe2a208f 100644
--- a/src/settingsdb.js
+++ b/src/settingsdb.js
@@ -3,9 +3,11 @@
 'use strict';
 
 exports = module.exports = {
-    get: get,
-    getAll: getAll,
-    set: set,
+    get,
+    getAll,
+    set,
+    getBlob,
+    setBlob,
     _clear: clear
 };
 
@@ -14,6 +16,7 @@ var assert = require('assert'),
     database = require('./database.js');
 
 const SETTINGS_FIELDS = [ 'name', 'value' ].join(',');
+const SETTINGS_BLOB_FIELDS = [ 'name', 'valueBlob' ].join(',');
 
 function get(key, callback) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof key, 'string');
@@ -47,6 +50,31 @@ function set(key, value, callback) {
     });
 }
 
+function getBlob(key, callback) {
+    assert.strictEqual(typeof key, 'string');
+    assert.strictEqual(typeof callback, 'function');
+
+    database.query(`SELECT ${SETTINGS_BLOB_FIELDS} FROM settings WHERE name = ?`, [ key ], function (error, result) {
+        if (error) return callback(new BoxError(BoxError.DATABASE_ERROR, error));
+        if (result.length === 0) return callback(new BoxError(BoxError.NOT_FOUND, 'Setting not found'));
+
+        callback(null, result[0].valueBlob);
+    });
+}
+
+function setBlob(key, value, callback) {
+    assert.strictEqual(typeof key, 'string');
+    assert(value === null || Buffer.isBuffer(value));
+    assert.strictEqual(typeof callback, 'function');
+
+    database.query('INSERT INTO settings (name, valueBlob) VALUES (?, ?) ON DUPLICATE KEY UPDATE valueBlob=VALUES(valueBlob)', [ key, value ], function (error) {
+        if (error) return callback(new BoxError(BoxError.DATABASE_ERROR, error)); // don't rely on affectedRows here since it gives 2
+
+        callback(null);
+    });
+}
+
+
 function clear(callback) {
     database.query('DELETE FROM settings', function (error) {
         if (error) return callback(new BoxError(BoxError.DATABASE_ERROR, error));