diff --git a/native/avatars/avatar-hooks.js b/native/avatars/avatar-hooks.js
--- a/native/avatars/avatar-hooks.js
+++ b/native/avatars/avatar-hooks.js
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@
 
 function useUploadSelectedMedia(
   setProcessingOrUploadInProgress: SetState<boolean>,
-): (selection: ?NativeMediaSelection) => Promise<?string> {
+): (selection: ?NativeMediaSelection) => Promise<?ImageAvatarDBContent> {
   const processSelectedMedia = useProcessSelectedMedia();
   const uploadProcessedMedia = useUploadProcessedMedia();
 
@@ -177,7 +177,14 @@
         return;
       }
 
-      return uploadedMedia.id;
+      if (!uploadedMedia.id) {
+        return;
+      }
+
+      return {
+        type: 'image',
+        uploadID: uploadedMedia.id,
+      };
     },
     [
       processSelectedMedia,
@@ -218,17 +225,12 @@
   const selectFromGalleryAndUpdateThreadAvatar = React.useCallback(async () => {
     const selection: ?MediaLibrarySelection = await selectFromGallery();
 
-    const uploadedMediaID = await uploadSelectedMedia(selection);
+    const imageAvatarUpdateRequest = await uploadSelectedMedia(selection);
 
-    if (!uploadedMediaID) {
+    if (!imageAvatarUpdateRequest) {
       return;
     }
 
-    const imageAvatarUpdateRequest: ImageAvatarDBContent = {
-      type: 'image',
-      uploadID: uploadedMediaID,
-    };
-
     const updateThreadRequest: UpdateThreadRequest = {
       threadID,
       changes: {
diff --git a/native/avatars/edit-user-avatar-provider.react.js b/native/avatars/edit-user-avatar-provider.react.js
--- a/native/avatars/edit-user-avatar-provider.react.js
+++ b/native/avatars/edit-user-avatar-provider.react.js
@@ -57,37 +57,39 @@
     userAvatarMediaUploadInProgress ||
     updateUserAvatarLoadingStatus === 'loading';
 
+  const updateImageUserAvatarPromise = React.useCallback(
+    async (imageAvatarUpdateRequest: ImageAvatarDBContent) => {
+      setUserAvatarMediaUploadInProgress(false);
+      try {
+        return await updateUserAvatarCall(imageAvatarUpdateRequest);
+      } catch (e) {
+        Alert.alert('Avatar update failed', 'Unable to update avatar.');
+        throw e;
+      }
+    },
+    [updateUserAvatarCall],
+  );
+
   const uploadUserAvatarSelectedMedia = useUploadSelectedMedia(
     setUserAvatarMediaUploadInProgress,
   );
   const selectFromGalleryAndUpdateUserAvatar = React.useCallback(async () => {
     const selection: ?MediaLibrarySelection = await selectFromGallery();
-    const uploadedMediaID = await uploadUserAvatarSelectedMedia(selection);
+    const imageAvatarUpdateRequest = await uploadUserAvatarSelectedMedia(
+      selection,
+    );
 
-    if (!uploadedMediaID) {
+    if (!imageAvatarUpdateRequest) {
       return;
     }
 
-    const imageAvatarUpdateRequest: ImageAvatarDBContent = {
-      type: 'image',
-      uploadID: uploadedMediaID,
-    };
-
     dispatchActionPromise(
       updateUserAvatarActionTypes,
-      (async () => {
-        setUserAvatarMediaUploadInProgress(false);
-        try {
-          return await updateUserAvatarCall(imageAvatarUpdateRequest);
-        } catch (e) {
-          Alert.alert('Avatar update failed', 'Unable to update avatar.');
-          throw e;
-        }
-      })(),
+      updateImageUserAvatarPromise(imageAvatarUpdateRequest),
     );
   }, [
     dispatchActionPromise,
-    updateUserAvatarCall,
+    updateImageUserAvatarPromise,
     uploadUserAvatarSelectedMedia,
   ]);