diff --git a/briar-android/res/layout/author_view.xml b/briar-android/res/layout/author_view.xml
index ba8810b4c..4fb0b9d6b 100644
--- a/briar-android/res/layout/author_view.xml
+++ b/briar-android/res/layout/author_view.xml
@@ -1,19 +1,19 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <RelativeLayout
 	xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
-	xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
+	xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
 	android:layout_width="match_parent"
 	android:layout_height="match_parent">
 
 	<de.hdodenhof.circleimageview.CircleImageView
 		android:id="@+id/avatarView"
+		style="@style/BriarAvatar"
 		android:layout_width="@dimen/listitem_picture_size"
 		android:layout_height="@dimen/listitem_picture_size"
 		android:layout_centerVertical="true"
 		android:layout_marginLeft="@dimen/listitem_horizontal_margin"
 		android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/listitem_horizontal_margin"
-		app:civ_border_width="@dimen/avatar_border_width"
-		app:civ_border_color="@color/briar_primary"/>
+		tools:src="@drawable/ic_launcher"/>
 
 	<ImageView
 		android:id="@+id/statusView"
diff --git a/briar-android/res/layout/contact_avatar_status.xml b/briar-android/res/layout/contact_avatar_status.xml
index 5c3415c91..9f6ca42b4 100644
--- a/briar-android/res/layout/contact_avatar_status.xml
+++ b/briar-android/res/layout/contact_avatar_status.xml
@@ -9,10 +9,10 @@
 
 	<de.hdodenhof.circleimageview.CircleImageView
 		android:id="@+id/contactAvatar"
+		style="@style/BriarAvatar"
 		android:layout_width="30dp"
 		android:layout_height="30dp"
 		app:civ_border_color="@color/action_bar_text"
-		app:civ_border_width="@dimen/avatar_border_width"
 		tools:src="@drawable/ic_launcher"/>
 
 	<ImageView
diff --git a/briar-android/res/layout/dropdown_author.xml b/briar-android/res/layout/dropdown_author.xml
index 524825ab6..1af9c5965 100644
--- a/briar-android/res/layout/dropdown_author.xml
+++ b/briar-android/res/layout/dropdown_author.xml
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <LinearLayout
 	xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
-	xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
 	xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
 	android:layout_width="match_parent"
 	android:layout_height="match_parent"
@@ -9,11 +8,11 @@
 
 	<de.hdodenhof.circleimageview.CircleImageView
 		android:id="@+id/avatarView"
+		style="@style/BriarAvatar"
 		android:layout_width="@dimen/dropdown_picture_size"
 		android:layout_height="@dimen/dropdown_picture_size"
 		android:layout_margin="@dimen/margin_small"
-		app:civ_border_color="@color/briar_primary"
-		app:civ_border_width="@dimen/avatar_border_width"/>
+		tools:src="@drawable/ic_launcher"/>
 
 	<TextView
 		android:id="@+id/nameView"
diff --git a/briar-android/res/layout/introduction_message.xml b/briar-android/res/layout/introduction_message.xml
index 5471817e2..5f7295419 100644
--- a/briar-android/res/layout/introduction_message.xml
+++ b/briar-android/res/layout/introduction_message.xml
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 
 			<de.hdodenhof.circleimageview.CircleImageView
 				android:id="@+id/avatarContact1"
+				style="@style/BriarAvatar"
 				android:layout_width="@dimen/listitem_picture_size"
 				android:layout_height="@dimen/listitem_picture_size"
 				android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
@@ -31,8 +32,6 @@
 				android:layout_marginRight="@dimen/listitem_horizontal_margin"
 				android:layout_toLeftOf="@+id/introductionIcon"
 				android:layout_toStartOf="@+id/introductionIcon"
-				app:civ_border_color="@color/briar_primary"
-				app:civ_border_width="@dimen/avatar_border_width"
 				tools:src="@drawable/ic_launcher"/>
 
 			<ImageView
@@ -45,6 +44,7 @@
 
 			<de.hdodenhof.circleimageview.CircleImageView
 				android:id="@+id/avatarContact2"
+				style="@style/BriarAvatar"
 				android:layout_width="@dimen/listitem_picture_size"
 				android:layout_height="@dimen/listitem_picture_size"
 				android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
@@ -53,8 +53,6 @@
 				android:layout_toEndOf="@+id/introductionIcon"
 				android:layout_toRightOf="@+id/introductionIcon"
 				android:transitionName="avatar"
-				app:civ_border_color="@color/briar_primary"
-				app:civ_border_width="@dimen/avatar_border_width"
 				tools:src="@drawable/ic_launcher"/>
 
 		</RelativeLayout>
diff --git a/briar-android/res/layout/list_item_contact.xml b/briar-android/res/layout/list_item_contact.xml
index e50fc03a8..5658f85b0 100644
--- a/briar-android/res/layout/list_item_contact.xml
+++ b/briar-android/res/layout/list_item_contact.xml
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 
 		<de.hdodenhof.circleimageview.CircleImageView
 			android:id="@+id/avatarView"
+			style="@style/BriarAvatar"
 			android:layout_width="@dimen/listitem_picture_size"
 			android:layout_height="@dimen/listitem_picture_size"
 			android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
@@ -24,8 +25,6 @@
 			android:layout_centerVertical="true"
 			android:layout_marginLeft="@dimen/listitem_horizontal_margin"
 			android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/listitem_horizontal_margin"
-			app:civ_border_color="@color/briar_primary"
-			app:civ_border_width="@dimen/avatar_border_width"
 			tools:src="@drawable/ic_launcher"/>
 
 		<LinearLayout
diff --git a/briar-android/res/layout/list_item_selectable_contact.xml b/briar-android/res/layout/list_item_selectable_contact.xml
index ac1a74504..7977e4206 100644
--- a/briar-android/res/layout/list_item_selectable_contact.xml
+++ b/briar-android/res/layout/list_item_selectable_contact.xml
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 
 		<de.hdodenhof.circleimageview.CircleImageView
 			android:id="@+id/avatarView"
+			style="@style/BriarAvatar"
 			android:layout_width="@dimen/listitem_selectable_picture_size"
 			android:layout_height="@dimen/listitem_selectable_picture_size"
 			android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
@@ -22,8 +23,6 @@
 			android:layout_marginLeft="@dimen/listitem_horizontal_margin"
 			android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/listitem_horizontal_margin"
 			android:transitionName="avatar"
-			app:civ_border_color="@color/briar_primary"
-			app:civ_border_width="@dimen/avatar_border_width"
 			tools:src="@drawable/ic_launcher"/>
 
 		<TextView
diff --git a/briar-android/res/layout/text_avatar_view.xml b/briar-android/res/layout/text_avatar_view.xml
index a154d9d4a..f9eebbbdf 100644
--- a/briar-android/res/layout/text_avatar_view.xml
+++ b/briar-android/res/layout/text_avatar_view.xml
@@ -1,18 +1,17 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <merge
 	xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
-	xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
-	xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto">
+	xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
+	xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools">
 
 	<de.hdodenhof.circleimageview.CircleImageView
 		android:id="@+id/avatarBackground"
+		style="@style/BriarAvatar"
 		android:layout_width="@dimen/avatar_forum_size"
 		android:layout_height="@dimen/avatar_forum_size"
 		android:layout_gravity="center"
 		android:src="@android:color/transparent"
-		app:civ_fill_color="@color/briar_button_positive"
-		app:civ_border_color="@color/briar_primary"
-		app:civ_border_width="@dimen/avatar_border_width"/>
+		app:civ_fill_color="@color/briar_button_positive"/>
 
 	<android.support.v7.widget.AppCompatTextView
 		android:id="@+id/textAvatarView"
@@ -29,4 +28,3 @@
 		tools:text="T"/>
 
 </merge>
-
diff --git a/briar-android/res/values/color.xml b/briar-android/res/values/color.xml
index 7fa718ebd..a0d9584b2 100644
--- a/briar-android/res/values/color.xml
+++ b/briar-android/res/values/color.xml
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 	<color name="horizontal_border">#CCCCCC</color>
 	<color name="forums_available_background">@color/briar_gold</color>
 	<color name="no_private_messages">#AAAAAA</color>
-	<color name="forum_avatar_shadow">#b3b3b3</color>
+	<color name="forum_avatar_shadow">#99000000</color>
 
 	<color name="briar_primary">@color/briar_blue</color>
 	<color name="briar_primary_dark">@color/briar_blue_dark</color>
diff --git a/briar-android/res/values/dimens.xml b/briar-android/res/values/dimens.xml
index a1e8fcf35..96e5c86fc 100644
--- a/briar-android/res/values/dimens.xml
+++ b/briar-android/res/values/dimens.xml
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 	<dimen name="listitem_selectable_picture_size">40dp</dimen>
 	<dimen name="dropdown_picture_size">32dp</dimen>
 	<dimen name="avatar_forum_size">48dp</dimen>
-	<dimen name="avatar_border_width">1dp</dimen>
+	<dimen name="avatar_border_width">2dp</dimen>
 
 	<dimen name="message_bubble_margin_tail">14dp</dimen>
 	<dimen name="message_bubble_margin_non_tail">51dp</dimen>
diff --git a/briar-android/res/values/styles.xml b/briar-android/res/values/styles.xml
index 7b328e17f..d0a190b9f 100644
--- a/briar-android/res/values/styles.xml
+++ b/briar-android/res/values/styles.xml
@@ -112,6 +112,14 @@
 		<item name="android:layout_height">1dp</item>
 	</style>
 
+	<style name="BriarAvatar">
+		<item name="civ_border_width">@dimen/avatar_border_width</item>
+		<item name="civ_border_color">@color/briar_primary</item>
+
+		<!-- Remove when we are using 'de.hdodenhof:circleimageview:2.1.0' -->
+		<item name="civ_border_overlay">true</item>
+	</style>
+
 	<style name="NavMenuButton" parent="Widget.AppCompat.Button.Borderless.Colored">
 		<item name="android:textSize">@dimen/text_size_medium</item>
 		<item name="android:textColor">@android:color/tertiary_text_light</item>