diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 2d8879fe..4b7571c4 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@
         "c9.ide.language.javascript.infer": "#b9c2e4bdb8",
         "c9.ide.language.jsonalyzer": "#a0549e14ff",
         "c9.ide.language.codeintel": "#0fe92d6f46",
-        "c9.ide.collab": "#54aa1cbee0",
+        "c9.ide.collab": "#78c38d73d1",
         "c9.ide.local": "#9169fec157",
         "c9.ide.find": "#e632ecf4be",
         "c9.ide.find.infiles": "#ad9ff74638",
diff --git a/plugins/c9.core/util.js b/plugins/c9.core/util.js
index af2f4d63..dc50b101 100644
--- a/plugins/c9.core/util.js
+++ b/plugins/c9.core/util.js
@@ -196,12 +196,19 @@ define(function(require, exports, module) {
             return "<" + tag + " " + plugin.toXmlAttributes(attrs) + (noclose ? ">" : " />");
         };
         
+        function isMd5String(str) {
+            return /^[0-9a-f]{32}$/.test(str);
+        }
+        
         /**
          * Returns the gravatar url for this user
          * @param {Number} size the size of the image
          */
         plugin.getGravatarUrl = function getGravatarUrl(email, size, defaultImage) {
-            var md5Email = apf.crypto.MD5.hex_md5((email || "").trim().toLowerCase());
+            var md5Email = email
+            if (!isMd5String(md5Email)) {
+                md5Email = apf.crypto.MD5.hex_md5((email || "").trim().toLowerCase());
+            }
             return "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/" 
                 + md5Email + "?s=" + size + "&d="  + (defaultImage || "retro");
         };
diff --git a/plugins/c9.core/util_test.js b/plugins/c9.core/util_test.js
index ef668547..57b4df7c 100644
--- a/plugins/c9.core/util_test.js
+++ b/plugins/c9.core/util_test.js
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ require(["lib/architect/architect", "lib/chai/chai"], function (architect, chai)
     expect.setupArchitectTest([
         "plugins/c9.core/ext",
         "plugins/c9.core/util",
+        "plugins/c9.ide.ui/lib_apf",
         // Mock plugins
         {
             consumes: [],
@@ -32,6 +33,15 @@ require(["lib/architect/architect", "lib/chai/chai"], function (architect, chai)
             });
         });
         
+        describe("getGravatarUrl", function() {
+            it("Should hash a normal email", function() {
+                expect(util.getGravatarUrl("test@test.com", 32)).to.match(/^https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b642b4217b34b1e8d3bd915fc65c4452.*/);
+            });
+            it("Should use not re-hash an md5 passed in", function() {
+                expect(util.getGravatarUrl("b642b4217b34b1e8d3bd915fc65c4452", 32)).to.match(/^https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b642b4217b34b1e8d3bd915fc65c4452.*/);
+            });
+        });
+        
         describe('normalizePath', function() {
             var normalizePath = util.normalizePath;
             it('should handle home in workspaceDir', function() {