diff --git a/lib/shared/avatar-utils.js b/lib/shared/avatar-utils.js
--- a/lib/shared/avatar-utils.js
+++ b/lib/shared/avatar-utils.js
@@ -34,6 +34,15 @@
   { color: selectedThreadColors[8], emoji: '🏀', type: 'emoji' },
 ];
 
+function getDefaultAvatar(hashKey: string, color?: string): ClientEmojiAvatar {
+  const avatarIndex = stringHash(hashKey) % defaultEmojiAvatars.length;
+
+  return {
+    ...defaultEmojiAvatars[avatarIndex],
+    color: color ? color : defaultEmojiAvatars[avatarIndex].color,
+  };
+}
+
 function getAvatarForUser(
   user: ?{ +avatar?: ?ClientAvatar, +username?: ?string, ... },
 ): ClientAvatar {
@@ -45,8 +54,7 @@
     return defaultAnonymousUserEmojiAvatar;
   }
 
-  const avatarIndex = stringHash(user.username) % defaultEmojiAvatars.length;
-  return defaultEmojiAvatars[avatarIndex];
+  return getDefaultAvatar(user.username);
 }
 
 export { getAvatarForUser };