diff --git a/app/jobs/scheduled/create_missing_avatars.rb b/app/jobs/scheduled/create_missing_avatars.rb
index a13dd520222..c5f45823ca2 100644
--- a/app/jobs/scheduled/create_missing_avatars.rb
+++ b/app/jobs/scheduled/create_missing_avatars.rb
@@ -2,14 +2,16 @@ module Jobs
   class CreateMissingAvatars < Jobs::Scheduled
     every 1.hour
     def execute(args)
-      UserAvatar.where(system_upload_id: nil).find_each do |a|
+      UserAvatar
+        .where("system_upload_id IS NULL OR system_avatar_version != ?", UserAvatar::SYSTEM_AVATAR_VERSION)
+        .find_each do |a|
         a.update_system_avatar!
       end
 
-      # backfill in batches 1000 an hour
+      # backfill in batches 5000 an hour
       User.where(uploaded_avatar_id: nil)
           .order("last_posted_at desc")
-          .limit(1000).each do |u|
+          .limit(5000).each do |u|
         u.refresh_avatar
         u.save
       end
diff --git a/app/models/user_avatar.rb b/app/models/user_avatar.rb
index 1034f1469cf..cf3739c7ad5 100644
--- a/app/models/user_avatar.rb
+++ b/app/models/user_avatar.rb
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ require_dependency 'letter_avatar'
 
 class UserAvatar < ActiveRecord::Base
   MAX_SIZE = 240
+  SYSTEM_AVATAR_VERSION = 1
 
   belongs_to :user
   belongs_to :system_upload, class_name: 'Upload', dependent: :destroy
@@ -14,9 +15,21 @@ class UserAvatar < ActiveRecord::Base
 
   # updates the letter based avatar
   def update_system_avatar!
-    system_upload.destroy! if system_upload
-    file = File.open(LetterAvatar.generate(user.username, MAX_SIZE), "r")
+    old_id = nil
+    if system_upload
+      old_id = system_upload_id
+      system_upload.destroy!
+    end
+
+    file = File.open(LetterAvatar.generate(user.username, MAX_SIZE, cache: false), "r")
     self.system_upload = Upload.create_for(user_id, file, "avatar.png", file.size)
+    self.system_avatar_version = SYSTEM_AVATAR_VERSION
+
+    if old_id == user.uploaded_avatar_id
+      user.uploaded_avatar_id = system_upload_id
+      user.save!
+    end
+
     save!
   end
 
@@ -57,4 +70,9 @@ end
 #  last_gravatar_download_attempt :datetime
 #  created_at                     :datetime
 #  updated_at                     :datetime
+#  system_avatar_version          :integer          default(0)
+#
+# Indexes
+#
+#  index_user_avatars_on_user_id  (user_id)
 #
diff --git a/db/migrate/20140527233225_add_system_savatar_version_to_user_avatars.rb b/db/migrate/20140527233225_add_system_savatar_version_to_user_avatars.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9fe87c9a80b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/migrate/20140527233225_add_system_savatar_version_to_user_avatars.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+class AddSystemSavatarVersionToUserAvatars < ActiveRecord::Migration
+  def change
+    add_column :user_avatars, :system_avatar_version, :integer, default: 0
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/letter_avatar.rb b/lib/letter_avatar.rb
index 7bf34197523..88861166c6d 100644
--- a/lib/letter_avatar.rb
+++ b/lib/letter_avatar.rb
@@ -7,17 +7,20 @@ class LetterAvatar
       'tmp/letter_avatars'
     end
 
-    def generate(username, size)
+    def generate(username, size, opts = nil)
+
+      cache = true
+      cache = false if opts && opts[:cache] == false
 
       size = FULLSIZE if size > FULLSIZE
       filename = cached_path(username, size)
 
-      if File.exists?(filename)
+      if cache && File.exists?(filename)
         return filename
       end
 
       fullsize = fullsize_path(username)
-      if !File.exists?(fullsize)
+      if !cache || !File.exists?(fullsize)
         generate_fullsize(username)
       end
 
@@ -49,10 +52,10 @@ class LetterAvatar
       instructions = %W{
         -size 240x240
         xc:#{to_rgb(color)}
-        -pointsize 240
+        -pointsize 200
         -fill white
         -gravity Center
-        -font 'Helvetica-Bold'
+        -font 'Helvetica'
         -stroke #{to_rgb(stroke)}
         -strokewidth 2
         -annotate -5+25 '#{username[0].upcase}'
diff --git a/lib/tasks/avatars.rake b/lib/tasks/avatars.rake
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..fdeaba8c857
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/tasks/avatars.rake
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+desc "Rebuild all system avatars"
+task "avatars:rebuild_system" => :environment do
+  i = 0
+  puts "Regenerating system avatars"
+  puts
+  UserAvatar.find_each do |a|
+    a.update_system_avatar!
+    putc "." if (i+=1)%10 == 0
+  end
+  puts
+end
+
+desc "Refresh all avatars (download missing gravatars, refresh system)"
+task "avatars:refresh" => :environment do
+  i = 0
+  puts "Refreshing avatars"
+  puts
+  User.find_each do |user|
+    user.refresh_avatar
+    user.user_avatar.update_system_avatar!
+    putc "." if (i+=1)%10 == 0
+  end
+  puts
+end
diff --git a/spec/models/user_avatar_spec.rb b/spec/models/user_avatar_spec.rb
index 93fc9a9cec0..7c3f20ea37b 100644
--- a/spec/models/user_avatar_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/user_avatar_spec.rb
@@ -11,6 +11,17 @@ describe UserAvatar do
     avatar.system_upload.should_not be_nil
   end
 
+  it 'corrects old system avatars on refresh' do
+    upload = Fabricate(:upload)
+    user = Fabricate(:user, uploaded_avatar_id: upload.id)
+    avatar = UserAvatar.create!(user_id: user.id, system_upload_id: upload.id)
+    avatar.update_system_avatar!
+
+    user.reload
+    user.uploaded_avatar_id.should_not == upload.id
+    avatar.system_upload_id.should == user.uploaded_avatar_id
+  end
+
   it 'can update gravatars' do
     temp = Tempfile.new('test')
     temp.binmode