diff --git a/fractal-gtk/src/app.rs b/fractal-gtk/src/app.rs
index dded5193..b7843e30 100644
--- a/fractal-gtk/src/app.rs
+++ b/fractal-gtk/src/app.rs
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ use self::secret_service::EncryptionType;
 use std::sync::{Arc, Mutex};
 use std::sync::mpsc::channel;
 use std::sync::mpsc::{Sender, Receiver};
+use std::sync::mpsc::TryRecvError;
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 use std::process::Command;
 use std::thread;
@@ -286,7 +287,11 @@ impl AppOp {
             .get_object::<gtk::MenuButton>("user_menu_button")
             .expect("Can't find user_menu_button in ui file.");
 
-        button.set_image(&widgets::Avatar::circle_avatar(String::from(fname), Some(20)));
+        let eb = gtk::EventBox::new();
+        let w = widgets::Avatar::circle_avatar(String::from(fname), Some(20));
+        eb.connect_button_press_event(move |_, _| { Inhibit(false) });
+        eb.add(&w);
+        button.set_image(&eb);
     }
 
     pub fn disconnect(&self) {
@@ -996,7 +1001,8 @@ impl AppOp {
         let bk = self.backend.clone();
         let m = msg.clone();
         gtk::timeout_add(50, move || match rx.try_recv() {
-            Err(_) => gtk::Continue(true),
+            Err(TryRecvError::Empty) => gtk::Continue(true),
+            Err(TryRecvError::Disconnected) => gtk::Continue(false),
             Ok((name, avatar)) => {
                 let summary = format!("@{} / {}", name, roomname);
 
diff --git a/fractal-gtk/src/widgets/avatar.rs b/fractal-gtk/src/widgets/avatar.rs
index fbe9b4ec..e47735d5 100644
--- a/fractal-gtk/src/widgets/avatar.rs
+++ b/fractal-gtk/src/widgets/avatar.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 extern crate gtk;
 extern crate gdk;
 extern crate gdk_pixbuf;
-extern crate cairo;
 
 use self::gtk::prelude::*;
 pub use self::gtk::DrawingArea;
@@ -30,6 +29,7 @@ impl AvatarExt for gtk::Box {
 
     fn create_da(&self, size: Option<i32>) -> DrawingArea {
         let da = DrawingArea::new();
+
         let s = size.unwrap_or(40);
         da.set_size_request(s, s);
         self.pack_start(&da, true, true, 0);
@@ -75,17 +75,21 @@ impl AvatarExt for gtk::Box {
             let context = da.get_style_context().unwrap();
 
             gtk::render_background(&context, g, 0.0, 0.0, width, height);
-            g.set_antialias(cairo::Antialias::Best);
 
-            let icon = gtk::IconTheme::get_default().unwrap()
-                .load_icon(&icon[..], s, gtk::IconLookupFlags::empty())
-                .unwrap();
-            if let None = icon {
-                eprintln!("BAD IMAGE");
+            let pb;
+
+            if let Some(i1) = gtk::IconTheme::get_default() {
+                if let Ok(Some(i2)) = i1.load_icon(&icon[..], s, gtk::IconLookupFlags::empty()) {
+                    pb = i2;
+                } else {
+                    eprintln!("Bad icon");
+                    return Inhibit(false);
+                }
+            } else {
+                eprintln!("Error getting icon theme");
                 return Inhibit(false);
             }
 
-            let pb = icon.unwrap();
             let hpos: f64 = (width - (pb.get_height()) as f64) / 2.0;
 
             g.set_source_pixbuf(&pb, 0.0, hpos);
@@ -95,7 +99,7 @@ impl AvatarExt for gtk::Box {
             g.arc(width / 2.0, height / 2.0, width.min(height) / 2.5, 0.0, 2.0 * PI);
             g.clip();
 
-            Inhibit(false)
+            Inhibit(true)
         });
     }
 
@@ -132,7 +136,7 @@ impl AvatarExt for gtk::Box {
                 da.queue_draw();
             }
 
-            Inhibit(false)
+            Inhibit(true)
         });
     }
 }
diff --git a/fractal-gtk/src/widgets/member.rs b/fractal-gtk/src/widgets/member.rs
index d75dc4ff..20b2defa 100644
--- a/fractal-gtk/src/widgets/member.rs
+++ b/fractal-gtk/src/widgets/member.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ use backend::BKCommand;
 
 use std::sync::mpsc::channel;
 use std::sync::mpsc::{Sender, Receiver};
+use std::sync::mpsc::TryRecvError;
 
 use app::AppOp;
 
@@ -70,7 +71,8 @@ pub fn get_member_avatar(backend: Sender<BKCommand>,
     let (tx, rx): (Sender<String>, Receiver<String>) = channel();
     backend.send(BKCommand::GetAvatarAsync(m.clone(), tx)).unwrap();
     gtk::timeout_add(50, move || match rx.try_recv() {
-        Err(_) => gtk::Continue(true),
+        Err(TryRecvError::Empty) => gtk::Continue(true),
+        Err(TryRecvError::Disconnected) => gtk::Continue(false),
         Ok(avatar) => {
             if let Ok(_) = Pixbuf::new_from_file_at_scale(&avatar, size, size, false) {
                 img.circle(avatar, Some(size));
@@ -95,7 +97,8 @@ pub fn get_member_info(backend: Sender<BKCommand>,
     let (tx, rx): (Sender<(String, String)>, Receiver<(String, String)>) = channel();
     backend.send(BKCommand::GetUserInfoAsync(sender.clone(), tx)).unwrap();
     gtk::timeout_add(100, move || match rx.try_recv() {
-        Err(_) => gtk::Continue(true),
+        Err(TryRecvError::Empty) => gtk::Continue(true),
+        Err(TryRecvError::Disconnected) => gtk::Continue(false),
         Ok((name, avatar)) => {
             if let Ok(_) = Pixbuf::new_from_file_at_scale(&avatar, size, size, false) {
                 img.circle(avatar, Some(size));
diff --git a/fractal-gtk/src/widgets/room.rs b/fractal-gtk/src/widgets/room.rs
index 3913edd6..87d39c44 100644
--- a/fractal-gtk/src/widgets/room.rs
+++ b/fractal-gtk/src/widgets/room.rs
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ use util;
 
 use std::sync::mpsc::channel;
 use std::sync::mpsc::{Sender, Receiver};
+use std::sync::mpsc::TryRecvError;
 
 use app::AppOp;
 
@@ -49,7 +50,8 @@ impl<'a> RoomBox<'a> {
         let (tx, rx): (Sender<String>, Receiver<String>) = channel();
         self.op.backend.send(BKCommand::GetThumbAsync(r.avatar.clone().unwrap_or_default().clone(), tx)).unwrap();
         gtk::timeout_add(50, move || match rx.try_recv() {
-            Err(_) => gtk::Continue(true),
+            Err(TryRecvError::Empty) => gtk::Continue(true),
+            Err(TryRecvError::Disconnected) => gtk::Continue(false),
             Ok(fname) => {
                 let mut f = fname.clone();
                 if f.is_empty() {