diff --git a/CelesteNet.Client/CelesteNetClient.cs b/CelesteNet.Client/CelesteNetClient.cs
index eaedd385..870fd45d 100644
--- a/CelesteNet.Client/CelesteNetClient.cs
+++ b/CelesteNet.Client/CelesteNetClient.cs
@@ -318,8 +318,12 @@ public void Handle(CelesteNetConnection con, DataPlayerInfo info) {
         }
 
         public bool Filter(CelesteNetConnection con, DataPlayerInfo info) {
-            if (info != null && Options.AvatarsDisabled)
+            if (info == null)
+                return false;
+
+            if(Options.AvatarsDisabled) {
                 info.DisplayName = info.FullName;
+            }
             return true;
         }
 
diff --git a/CelesteNet.Client/Components/CelesteNetEmojiComponent.cs b/CelesteNet.Client/Components/CelesteNetEmojiComponent.cs
index 699d7636..d8532814 100644
--- a/CelesteNet.Client/Components/CelesteNetEmojiComponent.cs
+++ b/CelesteNet.Client/Components/CelesteNetEmojiComponent.cs
@@ -1,15 +1,16 @@
-using Celeste.Mod.CelesteNet.DataTypes;
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.IO;
+using Celeste.Mod.CelesteNet.DataTypes;
 using Microsoft.Xna.Framework;
 using Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Graphics;
 using Monocle;
-using System;
-using System.Collections.Generic;
-using System.IO;
 
-namespace Celeste.Mod.CelesteNet.Client.Components
-{
+namespace Celeste.Mod.CelesteNet.Client.Components {
     public class CelesteNetEmojiComponent : CelesteNetGameComponent {
 
+        public const string AvatarMissing = ":celestenet_avatar_missing:";
+
         public class NetEmojiContent : ModContent {
 
             public HashSet<string> Registered = new();
@@ -123,6 +124,14 @@ public void Handle(CelesteNetConnection con, DataNetEmoji netemoji) {
                             Content.Registered.Add(asset.ID);
                             Emoji.Register(asset.ID, tex);
                             Emoji.Fill(CelesteNetClientFont.Font);
+
+                            // find the corresponding DataPlayerInfo (perhaps DataNetEmoji should hold a Ref)
+                            string[] splitID = netemoji.ID.Split('_');
+                            if (splitID.Length > 2 && uint.TryParse(splitID[2], out uint ID)
+                            && Client?.Data != null && Client.Data.TryGetRef(ID, out DataPlayerInfo player) && player != null) {
+                                // restore the avatar in case it has been set to AvatarMissing by the Filter below
+                                player.DisplayName = $":{netemoji.ID}: {player.FullName}";
+                            }
                         });
                     } catch (ObjectDisposedException) {
                         // Main thread died and queue closed, whoops.
@@ -131,6 +140,18 @@ public void Handle(CelesteNetConnection con, DataNetEmoji netemoji) {
             }
         }
 
+        public bool Filter(CelesteNetConnection con, DataPlayerInfo info) {
+            if (info == null || Client?.Options == null || Client.Options.AvatarsDisabled)
+                return true;
+
+            // catch missing avatars - "restoring" these happens in Handle above when the avatar is fully received
+            string avatar = $"celestenet_avatar_{info.ID}_";
+            if (!Emoji.Registered.Contains(avatar)) {
+                info.DisplayName = info.DisplayName.Replace($":{avatar}:", AvatarMissing);
+            }
+            return true;
+        }
+
         protected override void Dispose(bool disposing) {
             base.Dispose(disposing);
 
diff --git a/CelesteNet.Server/CelesteNetServer.cs b/CelesteNet.Server/CelesteNetServer.cs
index 677d37f2..84f013f9 100644
--- a/CelesteNet.Server/CelesteNetServer.cs
+++ b/CelesteNet.Server/CelesteNetServer.cs
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
-using Celeste.Mod.CelesteNet.DataTypes;
-using System;
+using System;
 using System.Collections.Concurrent;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Diagnostics.CodeAnalysis;
@@ -10,6 +9,7 @@
 using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
 using System.Threading;
 using System.Threading.Tasks;
+using Celeste.Mod.CelesteNet.DataTypes;
 
 namespace Celeste.Mod.CelesteNet.Server {
     public class CelesteNetServer : IDisposable {
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ public CelesteNetServer(CelesteNetServerSettings settings) {
             PingRequestTimer = new(Settings.PingRequestInterval);
             PingRequestTimer.Elapsed += (_, _) => SendPingRequests();
 
-            AvatarSendTimer = new(Settings.HeartbeatInterval);
+            AvatarSendTimer = new(Settings.AvatarQueueInterval);
             AvatarSendTimer.Elapsed += (_, _) => ClearAvatarQueues();
         }
 
@@ -436,13 +436,13 @@ private void ClearAvatarQueues() {
 
                     if (ses.AvatarSendQueue.Count > 0) {
 
-                        foreach (CelesteNetPlayerSession other in ses.AvatarSendQueue.Take(10).ToList()) {
+                        foreach (CelesteNetPlayerSession other in ses.AvatarSendQueue.Take(Settings.AvatarQueueBatchCount).ToList()) {
                             foreach (DataInternalBlob frag in other.AvatarFragments) {
                                 ses.Con.Send(frag);
                             }
                             ses.AvatarSendQueue.Remove(other);
                         }
-                        Logger.Log(LogLevel.DBG, "main", $"ClearAvatarQueues: Sent 10 players' avatar frags to {ses.Name}");
+                        Logger.Log(LogLevel.DBG, "main", $"ClearAvatarQueues: Sent ~{Settings.AvatarQueueBatchCount} players' avatar frags to {ses.Name}");
 
                     }
                 }
diff --git a/CelesteNet.Server/CelesteNetServerSettings.cs b/CelesteNet.Server/CelesteNetServerSettings.cs
index 73ae0021..723d0c6f 100644
--- a/CelesteNet.Server/CelesteNetServerSettings.cs
+++ b/CelesteNet.Server/CelesteNetServerSettings.cs
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 using Newtonsoft.Json;
 using YamlDotNet.Serialization;
 
-namespace Celeste.Mod.CelesteNet.Server
-{
+namespace Celeste.Mod.CelesteNet.Server {
     public class CelesteNetServerSettings : CelesteNetServerModuleSettings {
 
         [YamlIgnore]
@@ -46,6 +45,8 @@ public override void Save(string path = "") {
         public int MaxHeartbeatDelay { get; set; } = 20;
         public float HeartbeatInterval { get; set; } = 250f;
         public float PingRequestInterval { get; set; } = 1500f;
+        public float AvatarQueueInterval { get; set; } = 250f;
+        public int AvatarQueueBatchCount { get; set; } = 10;
 
         public string PacketDumperDirectory { get; set; } = "packetDump";
         public int PacketDumperMaxDumps { get; set; } = 64;
diff --git a/Graphics/Atlases/Gui/emoji/celestenet_avatar_missing.png b/Graphics/Atlases/Gui/emoji/celestenet_avatar_missing.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cbc51aac
Binary files /dev/null and b/Graphics/Atlases/Gui/emoji/celestenet_avatar_missing.png differ