diff --git a/frontend/editor/src/saas/auth/UseSession.tsx b/frontend/editor/src/saas/auth/UseSession.tsx
index c493df006..0fd02bb5f 100644
--- a/frontend/editor/src/saas/auth/UseSession.tsx
+++ b/frontend/editor/src/saas/auth/UseSession.tsx
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import { synchronizeUserUpgrade } from "@app/services/userService";
 import {
   syncOAuthAvatar,
   getProfilePictureMetadata,
+  getProviderAvatarUrl,
   type ProfilePictureMetadata,
 } from "@app/services/avatarSyncService";
 
@@ -321,6 +322,21 @@ export function AuthProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
     await fetchTrialStatus();
   }, [fetchTrialStatus]);
 
+  // Provider photo as interim fallback when the bucket copy is missing —
+  // skipped when the user explicitly chose upload/removal (source "upload").
+  const providerAvatarFallback = useCallback(
+    async (user: SupabaseUser): Promise<string | null> => {
+      try {
+        const metadata = await getProfilePictureMetadata(user.id);
+        if (metadata?.source === "upload") return null;
+        return getProviderAvatarUrl(user);
+      } catch {
+        return getProviderAvatarUrl(user);
+      }
+    },
+    [],
+  );
+
   const fetchProfilePicture = useCallback(
     async (sessionToUse?: Session | null) => {
       const currentSession = sessionToUse ?? session;
@@ -351,7 +367,9 @@ export function AuthProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
             "[Auth Debug] Profile picture not available:",
             error.message,
           );
-          setProfilePictureUrl(null);
+          setProfilePictureUrl(
+            await providerAvatarFallback(currentSession.user),
+          );
         } else {
           setProfilePictureUrl(data.signedUrl);
           console.debug(
@@ -360,10 +378,10 @@ export function AuthProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
         }
       } catch (error: unknown) {
         console.debug("[Auth Debug] Failed to fetch profile picture:", error);
-        setProfilePictureUrl(null);
+        setProfilePictureUrl(await providerAvatarFallback(currentSession.user));
       }
     },
-    [session],
+    [session, providerAvatarFallback],
   );
 
   const refreshProfilePicture = useCallback(async () => {
@@ -522,23 +540,22 @@ export function AuthProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
 
           // Fetch credits, pro status, trial status, profile picture metadata, and profile picture using the session from the response
           if (data.session?.user) {
-            // Sync OAuth avatar in background
-            syncOAuthAvatar(data.session.user).catch((err) => {
-              console.debug(
-                "[Auth Debug] Failed to sync OAuth avatar on init:",
-                err,
-              );
-            });
+            // Sync OAuth avatar in background; fetch the picture once the
+            // sync settles instead of guessing with a fixed delay.
+            syncOAuthAvatar(data.session.user)
+              .catch((err) => {
+                console.debug(
+                  "[Auth Debug] Failed to sync OAuth avatar on init:",
+                  err,
+                );
+                return false;
+              })
+              .then(() => fetchProfilePicture(data.session));
 
             await fetchCredits(data.session);
             await fetchProStatus(data.session);
             await fetchTrialStatus(data.session);
             await fetchProfilePictureMetadata(data.session);
-
-            // Small delay to allow avatar sync to complete if quick
-            setTimeout(() => {
-              fetchProfilePicture(data.session);
-            }, 500);
           }
         }
       } catch (err) {
@@ -602,9 +619,15 @@ export function AuthProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
               // null/loading states.
 
               // Sync OAuth avatar in background (don't block other fetches)
-              syncOAuthAvatar(newSession.user).catch((err) => {
-                console.debug("[Auth Debug] Failed to sync OAuth avatar:", err);
-              });
+              const avatarSync = syncOAuthAvatar(newSession.user).catch(
+                (err) => {
+                  console.debug(
+                    "[Auth Debug] Failed to sync OAuth avatar:",
+                    err,
+                  );
+                  return false;
+                },
+              );
 
               // Fetch user data in parallel
               Promise.all([
@@ -613,15 +636,15 @@ export function AuthProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
                 fetchTrialStatus(newSession),
                 fetchProfilePictureMetadata(newSession),
               ]).then(() => {
-                // Fetch profile picture AFTER sync has had time to complete
-                // Use a small delay to allow avatar sync to finish if it's quick
-                setTimeout(() => {
+                // Fetch the picture once the avatar sync settles rather than
+                // after a fixed 500ms the first-ever sync usually loses.
+                avatarSync.then(() => {
                   fetchProfilePicture(newSession).finally(() => {
                     console.debug(
                       "[Auth Debug] User data fully loaded after sign in",
                     );
                   });
-                }, 500);
+                });
               });
             }
           } else if (event === "TOKEN_REFRESHED") {
diff --git a/frontend/editor/src/saas/hooks/useConfigButtonIcon.tsx b/frontend/editor/src/saas/hooks/useConfigButtonIcon.tsx
index 904eeb088..3d8761a27 100644
--- a/frontend/editor/src/saas/hooks/useConfigButtonIcon.tsx
+++ b/frontend/editor/src/saas/hooks/useConfigButtonIcon.tsx
@@ -2,8 +2,16 @@ import { Avatar } from "@mantine/core";
 import { useAuth } from "@app/auth/UseSession";
 
 export function useConfigButtonIcon(): React.ReactNode {
-  const { profilePictureUrl } = useAuth();
-  return profilePictureUrl ? (
-    <Avatar src={profilePictureUrl} radius="xl" size={24} />
+  const { profilePictureUrl, user } = useAuth();
+  if (profilePictureUrl) {
+    return <Avatar src={profilePictureUrl} radius="xl" size={24} />;
+  }
+  // Mirror the settings page fallback (initials avatar) so both spots show
+  // the same identity badge while the picture URL is unavailable.
+  const initial = user?.email?.trim()?.charAt(0)?.toUpperCase();
+  return initial ? (
+    <Avatar radius="xl" size={24} color="blue">
+      {initial}
+    </Avatar>
   ) : null;
 }