diff --git a/keyserver/src/fetchers/thread-fetchers.js b/keyserver/src/fetchers/thread-fetchers.js
--- a/keyserver/src/fetchers/thread-fetchers.js
+++ b/keyserver/src/fetchers/thread-fetchers.js
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
   const threadsQuery = SQL`
     SELECT t.id, t.name, t.parent_thread_id, t.containing_thread_id,
       t.community, t.depth, t.color, t.description, t.type, t.creation_time,
-      t.source_message, t.replies_count, m.user, m.role, m.permissions,
+      t.source_message, t.replies_count, t.avatar, m.user, m.role, m.permissions,
       m.subscription, m.last_read_message < m.last_message AS unread, m.sender
     FROM threads t
     LEFT JOIN memberships m ON m.thread = t.id AND m.role >= 0
@@ -75,6 +75,12 @@
         roles: {},
         repliesCount: threadsRow.replies_count,
       };
+      if (threadsRow.avatar) {
+        threadInfos[threadID] = {
+          ...threadInfos[threadID],
+          avatar: JSON.parse(threadsRow.avatar),
+        };
+      }
     }
     const sourceMessageID = threadsRow.source_message?.toString();
     if (sourceMessageID) {
diff --git a/lib/shared/thread-utils.js b/lib/shared/thread-utils.js
--- a/lib/shared/thread-utils.js
+++ b/lib/shared/thread-utils.js
@@ -803,6 +803,9 @@
   if (sourceMessageID) {
     rawThreadInfo = { ...rawThreadInfo, sourceMessageID };
   }
+  if (serverThreadInfo.avatar) {
+    rawThreadInfo = { ...rawThreadInfo, avatar: serverThreadInfo.avatar };
+  }
   if (includeVisibilityRules) {
     return {
       ...rawThreadInfo,
diff --git a/lib/types/thread-types.js b/lib/types/thread-types.js
--- a/lib/types/thread-types.js
+++ b/lib/types/thread-types.js
@@ -2,7 +2,11 @@
 
 import invariant from 'invariant';
 
-import type { ClientAvatar, UpdateUserAvatarRequest } from './avatar-types.js';
+import type {
+  AvatarDBContent,
+  ClientAvatar,
+  UpdateUserAvatarRequest,
+} from './avatar-types.js';
 import type { Shape } from './core.js';
 import type { CalendarQuery, RawEntryInfo } from './entry-types.js';
 import type { Media } from './media-types.js';
@@ -264,6 +268,7 @@
   +id: string,
   +type: ThreadType,
   +name: ?string,
+  +avatar?: AvatarDBContent,
   +description: ?string,
   +color: string, // hex, without "#" or "0x"
   +creationTime: number, // millisecond timestamp