diff --git a/WordPressUtils/src/main/java/org/wordpress/android/util/GravatarUtils.java b/WordPressUtils/src/main/java/org/wordpress/android/util/GravatarUtils.java
index 3d8890802f5a..7ce327072659 100644
--- a/WordPressUtils/src/main/java/org/wordpress/android/util/GravatarUtils.java
+++ b/WordPressUtils/src/main/java/org/wordpress/android/util/GravatarUtils.java
@@ -1,22 +1,84 @@
 package org.wordpress.android.util;
 
+import android.text.TextUtils;
+
+/**
+ * see https://en.gravatar.com/site/implement/images/
+ */
 public class GravatarUtils {
+
+    // by default tell gravatar to respond to non-existent images with a 404 - this means
+    // it's up to the caller to catch the 404 and provide a suitable default image
+    private static final DefaultImage DEFAULT_GRAVATAR = DefaultImage.STATUS_404;
+
+    public static enum DefaultImage {
+        MYSTERY_MAN,
+        STATUS_404,
+        IDENTICON,
+        MONSTER,
+        WAVATAR,
+        RETRO,
+        BLANK;
+
+        @Override
+        public String toString() {
+            switch (this) {
+                case MYSTERY_MAN:
+                    return "mm";
+                case STATUS_404:
+                    return "404";
+                case IDENTICON:
+                    return "identicon";
+                case MONSTER:
+                    return "monsterid";
+                case WAVATAR:
+                    return "wavatar";
+                case RETRO:
+                    return "retro";
+                default:
+                    return "blank";
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     /*
-     * see https://en.gravatar.com/site/implement/images/
-     */
+    * gravatars often contain the ?s= parameter which determines their size - detect this and
+    * replace it with a new ?s= parameter which requests the avatar at the exact size needed
+    */
+    public static String fixGravatarUrl(final String imageUrl, int avatarSz) {
+        return fixGravatarUrl(imageUrl, avatarSz, DEFAULT_GRAVATAR);
+    }
+    public static String fixGravatarUrl(final String imageUrl, int avatarSz, DefaultImage defaultImage) {
+        if (TextUtils.isEmpty(imageUrl)) {
+            return "";
+        }
+
+        // if this isn't a gravatar image, return as resized photon image url
+        if (!imageUrl.contains("gravatar.com")) {
+            return PhotonUtils.getPhotonImageUrl(imageUrl, avatarSz, avatarSz);
+        }
+
+        // remove all other params, then add query string for size and default image
+        return UrlUtils.removeQuery(imageUrl) + "?s=" + avatarSz + "&d=" + defaultImage.toString();
+    }
+
     public static String gravatarFromEmail(final String email, int size) {
+        return gravatarFromEmail(email, size, DEFAULT_GRAVATAR);
+    }
+    public static String gravatarFromEmail(final String email, int size, DefaultImage defaultImage) {
         return "http://gravatar.com/avatar/"
               + StringUtils.getMd5Hash(StringUtils.notNullStr(email))
-              + "?d=mm&size=" + Integer.toString(size);
+              + "?d=" + defaultImage.toString()
+              + "&size=" + Integer.toString(size);
     }
 
-    /*
-     * important: the 404 default means the request will 404 if there is no blavatar
-     * for the passed site - so the caller needs to trap the 404 to provide a default
-     */
     public static String blavatarFromUrl(final String url, int size) {
+        return blavatarFromUrl(url, size, DEFAULT_GRAVATAR);
+    }
+    public static String blavatarFromUrl(final String url, int size, DefaultImage defaultImage) {
         return "http://gravatar.com/blavatar/"
                 + StringUtils.getMd5Hash(UrlUtils.getDomainFromUrl(url))
-                + "?d=404&size=" + Integer.toString(size);
+                + "?d=" + defaultImage.toString()
+                + "&size=" + Integer.toString(size);
     }
 }
diff --git a/WordPressUtils/src/main/java/org/wordpress/android/util/PhotonUtils.java b/WordPressUtils/src/main/java/org/wordpress/android/util/PhotonUtils.java
index fec275791741..aa02d4c9deea 100644
--- a/WordPressUtils/src/main/java/org/wordpress/android/util/PhotonUtils.java
+++ b/WordPressUtils/src/main/java/org/wordpress/android/util/PhotonUtils.java
@@ -12,23 +12,6 @@ private PhotonUtils() {
         throw new AssertionError();
     }
 
-    /*
-     * gravatars often contain the ?s= parameter which determines their size - detect this and
-     * replace it with a new ?s= parameter which requests the avatar at the exact size needed
-     */
-    public static String fixAvatar(final String imageUrl, int avatarSz) {
-        if (TextUtils.isEmpty(imageUrl))
-            return "";
-
-        // if this isn't a gravatar image, return as resized photon image url
-        if (!imageUrl.contains("gravatar.com")) {
-            return getPhotonImageUrl(imageUrl, avatarSz, avatarSz);
-        }
-
-        // remove all other params, then add query string for size and "mystery man" default
-        return UrlUtils.removeQuery(imageUrl) + "?s=" + avatarSz + "&d=mm";
-    }
-
     /*
     * returns true if the passed url is an obvious "mshots" url
     */