diff --git a/components/layout/account-switcher.tsx b/components/layout/account-switcher.tsx
index b0764e98..24df5725 100644
--- a/components/layout/account-switcher.tsx
+++ b/components/layout/account-switcher.tsx
@@ -6,9 +6,10 @@ import { Check, Plus, LogOut, Star, ChevronDown, AlertCircle } from "lucide-reac
 import { useTranslations } from "next-intl";
 import { useAccountStore, type AccountEntry } from "@/stores/account-store";
 import { useAuthStore } from "@/stores/auth-store";
-import { getInitials, getMaxAccounts } from "@/lib/account-utils";
+import { getMaxAccounts } from "@/lib/account-utils";
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
 import { useRouter } from "@/i18n/navigation";
+import { Avatar } from "@/components/ui/avatar";
 
 interface AccountSwitcherProps {
   /** "rail" = small avatar only (NavigationRail), "expanded" = avatar + name + email (Sidebar) */
@@ -17,17 +18,15 @@ interface AccountSwitcherProps {
 }
 
 function AccountAvatar({ account, size = "sm" }: { account: AccountEntry; size?: "sm" | "md" }) {
-  const initials = getInitials(account.displayName || account.label, account.email || account.username);
-  const sizeClasses = size === "sm" ? "w-8 h-8 text-xs" : "w-9 h-9 text-sm";
-
   return (
-    <div
-      className={cn("rounded-full flex items-center justify-center text-white font-medium flex-shrink-0", sizeClasses)}
-      style={{ backgroundColor: account.avatarColor }}
-      title={account.label}
-    >
-      {initials}
-    </div>
+    <Avatar
+      name={account.displayName || account.label}
+      email={account.email || account.username}
+      size="sm"
+      className={cn("flex-shrink-0", size === "md" && "w-9 h-9 text-sm")}
+      disableFavicon
+      fallbackColor={account.avatarColor}
+    />
   );
 }
 
diff --git a/components/layout/navigation-rail.tsx b/components/layout/navigation-rail.tsx
index 5053d6ec..6bb3db36 100644
--- a/components/layout/navigation-rail.tsx
+++ b/components/layout/navigation-rail.tsx
@@ -17,11 +17,12 @@ import { useAuthStore } from "@/stores/auth-store";
 import { useAccountStore } from "@/stores/account-store";
 import { useUpdateStore, selectHasUpdate } from "@/stores/update-store";
 import { getActiveAccountSlotHeaders } from "@/lib/auth/active-account-slot";
-import { getInitials, getMaxAccounts } from "@/lib/account-utils";
+import { getMaxAccounts } from "@/lib/account-utils";
 import { cn, formatFileSize } from "@/lib/utils";
 import { PluginSlot } from "@/components/plugins/plugin-slot";
 import { KeyboardShortcutsModal } from "@/components/keyboard-shortcuts-modal";
 import { apiFetch } from "@/lib/browser-navigation";
+import { Avatar } from "@/components/ui/avatar";
 
 interface NavItem {
   id: string;
@@ -610,7 +611,6 @@ export function NavigationRail({
             <div className="flex flex-col items-center gap-3">
             {accounts.map((account) => {
               const isActive = account.id === activeAccountId;
-              const initials = getInitials(account.displayName || account.label, account.email || account.username);
               return (
                 <button
                   key={account.id}
@@ -618,15 +618,20 @@ export function NavigationRail({
                     if (!isActive) switchAccount(account.id);
                   }}
                   className={cn(
-                    "relative flex items-center justify-center w-8 h-8 rounded-full text-white text-[11px] font-medium transition-all flex-shrink-0",
+                    "relative w-8 h-8 rounded-full transition-all flex-shrink-0",
                     isActive
                       ? "ring-2 ring-primary ring-offset-2 ring-offset-background"
                       : "opacity-70 hover:opacity-100"
                   )}
-                  style={{ backgroundColor: account.avatarColor }}
                   title={`${account.displayName || account.label} (${account.email || account.username})`}
                 >
-                  {initials}
+                  <Avatar
+                    name={account.displayName || account.label}
+                    email={account.email || account.username}
+                    size="sm"
+                    disableFavicon
+                    fallbackColor={account.avatarColor}
+                  />
                   {isActive && (
                     <span className="absolute -bottom-0.5 -right-0.5 w-3 h-3 rounded-full bg-primary flex items-center justify-center">
                       <Check className="w-2 h-2 text-primary-foreground" />
diff --git a/components/protocol/protocol-account-picker.tsx b/components/protocol/protocol-account-picker.tsx
index 76fdcf8f..4ddfb5ab 100644
--- a/components/protocol/protocol-account-picker.tsx
+++ b/components/protocol/protocol-account-picker.tsx
@@ -2,11 +2,11 @@
 
 import { Loader2, X } from "lucide-react";
 import { useTranslations } from "next-intl";
-import { getInitials } from "@/lib/account-utils";
 import type { ParsedMailto } from "@/lib/protocol-handlers/mailto";
 import type { ParsedWebcal } from "@/lib/protocol-handlers/webcal";
 import type { AccountEntry } from "@/stores/account-store";
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
+import { Avatar } from "@/components/ui/avatar";
 
 type ProtocolAccountPickerProps = {
   accounts: AccountEntry[];
@@ -92,7 +92,6 @@ export function ProtocolAccountPicker({
         <div className="max-h-80 overflow-y-auto p-2">
           {accounts.map((account) => {
             const isActive = account.id === activeAccountId;
-            const initials = getInitials(account.displayName || account.label, account.email || account.username);
             let host = account.serverUrl;
             try {
               host = new URL(account.serverUrl).hostname;
@@ -112,12 +111,15 @@ export function ProtocolAccountPicker({
                   isSwitching && "cursor-wait opacity-70"
                 )}
               >
-                <div
-                  className="flex h-10 w-10 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-full text-sm font-medium text-white"
-                  style={{ backgroundColor: account.avatarColor }}
-                >
-                  {initials}
-                </div>
+                <Avatar
+                  name={account.displayName || account.label}
+                  email={account.email || account.username}
+                  size="md"
+                  className="shrink-0"
+                  disableFavicon
+                  fallbackColor={account.avatarColor}
+                />
+
                 <div className="min-w-0 flex-1">
                   <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
                     <span className="truncate text-sm font-medium text-foreground">
diff --git a/components/ui/avatar.tsx b/components/ui/avatar.tsx
index 7b604da7..a3a8bb81 100644
--- a/components/ui/avatar.tsx
+++ b/components/ui/avatar.tsx
@@ -142,9 +142,13 @@ interface AvatarProps {
   className?: string;
   /** When true, suppress all image sources (favicons, plugin avatars, profile pics, contact photos) and render initials only. */
   disableImages?: boolean;
+  /** When true, do not fall through to the sender's domain favicon. Use for the user's own account avatar where the mail-provider logo is not meaningful. */
+  disableFavicon?: boolean;
+  /** Background color used when no image source resolves. Overrides the hash-based default. */
+  fallbackColor?: string;
 }
 
-export function Avatar({ name, email, contactPhotoUri, size = "md", className, disableImages = false }: AvatarProps) {
+export function Avatar({ name, email, contactPhotoUri, size = "md", className, disableImages = false, disableFavicon = false, fallbackColor }: AvatarProps) {
   const [imgError, setImgError] = useState(false);
   const [pluginAvatarUrl, setPluginAvatarUrl] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [pluginAvatarFailed, setPluginAvatarFailed] = useState(false);
@@ -226,7 +230,7 @@ export function Avatar({ name, email, contactPhotoUri, size = "md", className, d
 
   const profilePic = email && domain ? getProfilePictureUrl(email, domain, devMode, name) : null;
   const showFavicon =
-    senderFavicons && faviconDomain && !PERSONAL_DOMAINS.has(faviconDomain) && !imgError && !domainFailed;
+    !disableFavicon && senderFavicons && faviconDomain && !PERSONAL_DOMAINS.has(faviconDomain) && !imgError && !domainFailed;
 
   // Priority: contact photo > plugin avatar (e.g. Gravatar) > custom avatar > profile picture > company favicon > initials
   const customAvatar = devMode && email ? CUSTOM_AVATARS[email.toLowerCase()] : null;
@@ -257,7 +261,7 @@ export function Avatar({ name, email, contactPhotoUri, size = "md", className, d
         sizeClasses[size],
         className
       )}
-      style={{ backgroundColor: imgSrc ? "#ffffff" : getBackgroundColor() }}
+      style={{ backgroundColor: imgSrc ? "#ffffff" : (fallbackColor ?? getBackgroundColor()) }}
       title={name || email}
     >
       {imgSrc ? (