diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/avatar/TextAvatarDrawable.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/avatar/TextAvatarDrawable.kt
index 07bbcf3e8..d41e010b5 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/avatar/TextAvatarDrawable.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/avatar/TextAvatarDrawable.kt
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ class TextAvatarDrawable(
     textView.text = avatar.text
     textView.gravity = Gravity.CENTER
     textView.setTextColor(if (inverted) avatar.color.backgroundColor else avatar.color.foregroundColor)
+    textView.setForceCustomEmoji(true)
 
     layout.addView(textView)
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/emoji/EmojiTextView.java b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/emoji/EmojiTextView.java
index 8449ea88d..568ac8961 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/emoji/EmojiTextView.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/emoji/EmojiTextView.java
@@ -33,10 +33,10 @@ import java.util.List;
 public class EmojiTextView extends AppCompatTextView {
 
   private final boolean scaleEmojis;
-  private final boolean forceCustom;
 
   private static final char ELLIPSIS = '…';
 
+  private boolean      forceCustom;
   private CharSequence previousText;
   private BufferType   previousBufferType;
   private float        originalFontSize;
@@ -144,6 +144,13 @@ public class EmojiTextView extends AppCompatTextView {
     setText(previousText, BufferType.SPANNABLE);
   }
 
+  public void setForceCustomEmoji(boolean forceCustom) {
+    if (this.forceCustom != forceCustom) {
+      this.forceCustom = forceCustom;
+      setText(previousText, BufferType.SPANNABLE);
+    }
+  }
+
   private void ellipsizeAnyTextForMaxLength() {
     if (maxLength > 0 && getText().length() > maxLength + 1) {
       SpannableStringBuilder newContent = new SpannableStringBuilder();
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/layout/avatar_picker_fragment.xml b/app/src/main/res/layout/avatar_picker_fragment.xml
index 14a631aeb..195272c40 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/layout/avatar_picker_fragment.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/layout/avatar_picker_fragment.xml
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
                 app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="@id/avatar_picker_item_image"
                 app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="@id/avatar_picker_item_image"
                 app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="@id/avatar_picker_item_image"
+                app:emoji_forceCustom="true"
                 tools:ignore="SpUsage"
                 tools:text="AF" />
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/layout/avatar_picker_item.xml b/app/src/main/res/layout/avatar_picker_item.xml
index 2c220a635..96d4ece63 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/layout/avatar_picker_item.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/layout/avatar_picker_item.xml
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@
         android:layout_height="match_parent"
         android:fontFamily="sans-serif-medium"
         android:gravity="center"
-        tools:text="AF" />
+        tools:text="AF"
+        app:emoji_forceCustom="true"/>
 
     <View
         android:id="@+id/avatar_picker_item_fader"
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/layout/text_avatar_creation_fragment_content_hidden_recycler.xml b/app/src/main/res/layout/text_avatar_creation_fragment_content_hidden_recycler.xml
index 2cfef427a..2b45fa3d1 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/layout/text_avatar_creation_fragment_content_hidden_recycler.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/layout/text_avatar_creation_fragment_content_hidden_recycler.xml
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
             app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="@id/avatar_picker_item_image"
             app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="@id/avatar_picker_item_image"
             app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="@id/avatar_picker_item_image"
+            app:emoji_forceCustom="true"
             tools:ignore="SpUsage"
             tools:text="AF" />
     </androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout>