diff --git a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/backup/FullBackupImporter.java b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/backup/FullBackupImporter.java
index 6f9ad51f87..7344934452 100644
--- a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/backup/FullBackupImporter.java
+++ b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/backup/FullBackupImporter.java
@@ -30,10 +30,12 @@ import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.profiles.AvatarHelper;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.recipients.Recipient;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.recipients.RecipientId;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.util.Conversions;
+import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.util.SqlUtil;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.util.Util;
 import org.whispersystems.libsignal.kdf.HKDFv3;
 import org.whispersystems.libsignal.util.ByteUtil;
 
+import java.io.ByteArrayOutputStream;
 import java.io.File;
 import java.io.FileInputStream;
 import java.io.FileOutputStream;
@@ -82,7 +84,7 @@ public class FullBackupImporter extends FullBackupBase {
         else if (frame.hasPreference()) processPreference(context, frame.getPreference());
         else if (frame.hasAttachment()) processAttachment(context, attachmentSecret, db, frame.getAttachment(), inputStream);
         else if (frame.hasSticker())    processSticker(context, attachmentSecret, db, frame.getSticker(), inputStream);
-        else if (frame.hasAvatar())     processAvatar(context, frame.getAvatar(), inputStream);
+        else if (frame.hasAvatar())     processAvatar(context, db, frame.getAvatar(), inputStream);
       }
 
       db.setTransactionSuccessful();
@@ -172,11 +174,23 @@ public class FullBackupImporter extends FullBackupBase {
               new String[] {String.valueOf(sticker.getRowId())});
   }
 
-  private static void processAvatar(@NonNull Context context, @NonNull BackupProtos.Avatar avatar, @NonNull BackupRecordInputStream inputStream) throws IOException {
-    Recipient recipient = avatar.hasRecipientId() ? Recipient.resolved(RecipientId.from(avatar.getRecipientId()))
-                                                  : Recipient.external(context, avatar.getName());
+  private static void processAvatar(@NonNull Context context, @NonNull SQLiteDatabase db, @NonNull BackupProtos.Avatar avatar, @NonNull BackupRecordInputStream inputStream) throws IOException {
+    if (avatar.hasRecipientId()) {
+      RecipientId recipientId = RecipientId.from(avatar.getRecipientId());
+      inputStream.readAttachmentTo(new FileOutputStream(AvatarHelper.getAvatarFile(context, recipientId)), avatar.getLength());
+    } else {
+      if (avatar.hasName() && SqlUtil.tableExists(db, "recipient_preferences")) {
+        Log.w(TAG, "Avatar is missing a recipientId. Clearing signal_profile_avatar (legacy) so it can be fetched later.");
+        db.execSQL("UPDATE recipient_preferences SET signal_profile_avatar = NULL WHERE recipient_ids = ?", new String[] { avatar.getName() });
+      } else if (avatar.hasName() && SqlUtil.tableExists(db, "recipient")) {
+        Log.w(TAG, "Avatar is missing a recipientId. Clearing signal_profile_avatar so it can be fetched later.");
+        db.execSQL("UPDATE recipient SET signal_profile_avatar = NULL WHERE phone = ?", new String[] { avatar.getName() });
+      } else {
+        Log.w(TAG, "Avatar is missing a recipientId. Skipping avatar restore.");
+      }
 
-    inputStream.readAttachmentTo(new FileOutputStream(AvatarHelper.getAvatarFile(context, recipient.getId())), avatar.getLength());
+      inputStream.readAttachmentTo(new ByteArrayOutputStream(), avatar.getLength());
+    }
   }
 
   @SuppressLint("ApplySharedPref")
diff --git a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/database/helpers/SQLCipherOpenHelper.java b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/database/helpers/SQLCipherOpenHelper.java
index 7aaf096105..2fa9982871 100644
--- a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/database/helpers/SQLCipherOpenHelper.java
+++ b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/database/helpers/SQLCipherOpenHelper.java
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.phonenumbers.PhoneNumberFormatter;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.service.KeyCachingService;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.util.GroupUtil;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.util.ServiceUtil;
+import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.util.SqlUtil;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.util.TextSecurePreferences;
 
 import java.io.File;
@@ -296,12 +297,12 @@ public class SQLCipherOpenHelper extends SQLiteOpenHelper {
       }
 
       // Note: This column only being checked due to upgrade issues as described in #8184
-      if (oldVersion < QUOTE_MISSING && !columnExists(db, "mms", "quote_missing")) {
+      if (oldVersion < QUOTE_MISSING && !SqlUtil.columnExists(db, "mms", "quote_missing")) {
         db.execSQL("ALTER TABLE mms ADD COLUMN quote_missing INTEGER DEFAULT 0");
       }
 
       // Note: The column only being checked due to upgrade issues as described in #8184
-      if (oldVersion < NOTIFICATION_CHANNELS && !columnExists(db, "recipient_preferences", "notification_channel")) {
+      if (oldVersion < NOTIFICATION_CHANNELS && !SqlUtil.columnExists(db, "recipient_preferences", "notification_channel")) {
         db.execSQL("ALTER TABLE recipient_preferences ADD COLUMN notification_channel TEXT DEFAULT NULL");
         NotificationChannels.create(context);
 
@@ -354,7 +355,7 @@ public class SQLCipherOpenHelper extends SQLiteOpenHelper {
       // 4.30.8 included a migration, but not a correct CREATE_TABLE statement, so we need to add
       // this column if it isn't present.
       if (oldVersion < ATTACHMENT_CAPTIONS_FIX) {
-        if (!columnExists(db, "part", "caption")) {
+        if (!SqlUtil.columnExists(db, "part", "caption")) {
           db.execSQL("ALTER TABLE part ADD COLUMN caption TEXT DEFAULT NULL");
         }
       }
@@ -637,20 +638,4 @@ public class SQLCipherOpenHelper extends SQLiteOpenHelper {
     for (String statement : statements)
       db.execSQL(statement);
   }
-
-  private static boolean columnExists(@NonNull SQLiteDatabase db, @NonNull String table, @NonNull String column) {
-    try (Cursor cursor = db.rawQuery("PRAGMA table_info(" + table + ")", null)) {
-      int nameColumnIndex = cursor.getColumnIndexOrThrow("name");
-
-      while (cursor.moveToNext()) {
-        String name = cursor.getString(nameColumnIndex);
-
-        if (name.equals(column)) {
-          return true;
-        }
-      }
-    }
-
-    return false;
-  }
 }
diff --git a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/util/SqlUtil.java b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/util/SqlUtil.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e3019b341c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/util/SqlUtil.java
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+package org.thoughtcrime.securesms.util;
+
+import android.database.Cursor;
+
+import androidx.annotation.NonNull;
+
+import net.sqlcipher.database.SQLiteDatabase;
+
+public final class SqlUtil {
+  private SqlUtil() {}
+
+
+  public static boolean tableExists(@NonNull SQLiteDatabase db, @NonNull String table) {
+    try (Cursor cursor = db.rawQuery("SELECT name FROM sqlite_master WHERE type=? AND name=?", new String[] { "table", table })) {
+      return cursor != null && cursor.moveToNext();
+    }
+  }
+
+  public static boolean columnExists(@NonNull SQLiteDatabase db, @NonNull String table, @NonNull String column) {
+    try (Cursor cursor = db.rawQuery("PRAGMA table_info(" + table + ")", null)) {
+      int nameColumnIndex = cursor.getColumnIndexOrThrow("name");
+
+      while (cursor.moveToNext()) {
+        String name = cursor.getString(nameColumnIndex);
+
+        if (name.equals(column)) {
+          return true;
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+    return false;
+  }
+}