diff --git a/src/components/avatar/avatar.test.ts b/src/components/avatar/avatar.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e27aae69
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/avatar/avatar.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,126 @@
+import { expect, fixture, html } from '@open-wc/testing';
+
+import '../../../dist/shoelace.js';
+import type SlAvatar from './avatar';
+
+describe('<sl-avatar>', () => {
+  let el: SlAvatar;
+
+  describe('when provided no parameters', async () => {
+    before(async () => {
+      el = await fixture<SlAvatar>(html` <sl-avatar></sl-avatar> `);
+    });
+
+    it('passes accessibility test', async () => {
+      await expect(el).to.be.accessible();
+    });
+
+    it('should default to circle styling', async () => {
+      const part = el.shadowRoot?.querySelector('[part="base"]') as HTMLElement;
+      expect(el.getAttribute('shape')).to.eq('circle');
+      expect(part.classList.value.trim()).to.eq('avatar avatar--circle');
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('when provided an image and alt parameter', async () => {
+    const image =
+      'https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1529778873920-4da4926a72c2?ixlib=rb-1.2.1&auto=format&fit=crop&w=300&q=80';
+    const alt = 'Gray tabby kitten looking down';
+    before(async () => {
+      el = await fixture<SlAvatar>(html`<sl-avatar image="${image}" alt="${alt}"></sl-avatar>`);
+    });
+
+    it('passes accessibility test', async () => {
+      /**
+       * The image element itself is ancillary, because it's parent container contains the
+       * aria-label which dictates what "sl-avatar" is. This also implies that alt text will
+       * resolve to "" when not provided and ignored by readers. This is why we use alt="" on
+       * the image element to pass accessibility.
+       * https://html.spec.whatwg.org/multipage/images.html#ancillary-images
+       */
+      await expect(el).to.be.accessible();
+    });
+
+    it('renders "image" part, with src and a role of presentation', async () => {
+      const part = el.shadowRoot?.querySelector('[part="image"]') as HTMLImageElement;
+
+      expect(part.getAttribute('src')).to.eq(image);
+    });
+
+    it('renders the alt attribute in the "base" part', async () => {
+      const part = el.shadowRoot?.querySelector('[part="base"]') as HTMLElement;
+
+      expect(part.getAttribute('aria-label')).to.eq(alt);
+    });
+
+    describe('when an error occurs when attempting to load the image', async () => {
+      before(async () => {
+        el = await fixture<SlAvatar>(
+          html`<sl-avatar image="data:text/plain;not-an-image-url" alt="${alt}"></sl-avatar>`
+        );
+      });
+
+      it('does not render the "image" part', async () => {
+        const part = el.shadowRoot?.querySelector('[part="image"]') as HTMLImageElement;
+
+        expect(part).not.to.exist;
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('when provided initials parameter', async () => {
+    const initials = 'SL';
+    before(async () => {
+      el = await fixture<SlAvatar>(html`<sl-avatar initials="${initials}"></sl-avatar>`);
+    });
+
+    it('passes accessibility test', async () => {
+      await expect(el).to.be.accessible();
+    });
+
+    it('renders "initials" part, with initials as the text node', async () => {
+      const part = el.shadowRoot?.querySelector('[part="initials"]') as HTMLImageElement;
+
+      expect(part.innerText).to.eq(initials);
+    });
+  });
+
+  ['square', 'rounded', 'circle'].forEach(shape => {
+    describe(`when passed a shape attribute ${shape}`, () => {
+      before(async () => {
+        el = await fixture<SlAvatar>(html`<sl-avatar shape="${shape}"></sl-avatar>`);
+      });
+
+      it('passes accessibility test', async () => {
+        await expect(el).to.be.accessible();
+      });
+
+      it('appends the appropriate class on the "base" part', async () => {
+        const part = el.shadowRoot?.querySelector('[part="base"]') as HTMLElement;
+
+        expect(el.getAttribute('shape')).to.eq(shape);
+        expect(part.classList.value.trim()).to.eq(`avatar avatar--${shape}`);
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('when passed a <span>, on slot "icon"', async () => {
+    before(async () => {
+      el = await fixture<SlAvatar>(html`<sl-avatar><span slot="icon">random content</span></sl-avatar>`);
+    });
+
+    it('passes accessibility test', async () => {
+      await expect(el).to.be.accessible();
+    });
+
+    it('should accept as an assigned child in the shadow root', async () => {
+      const slot = <HTMLSlotElement>el.shadowRoot.querySelector('slot[name=icon]');
+      const childNodes = slot.assignedNodes({ flatten: true });
+
+      expect(childNodes.length).to.eq(1);
+
+      const span = <HTMLElement>childNodes[0];
+      expect(span.innerHTML).to.eq('random content');
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/components/avatar/avatar.ts b/src/components/avatar/avatar.ts
index d45bfec8..3aa903dc 100644
--- a/src/components/avatar/avatar.ts
+++ b/src/components/avatar/avatar.ts
@@ -61,7 +61,13 @@ export default class SlAvatar extends LitElement {
             `}
         ${this.image && !this.hasError
           ? html`
-              <img part="image" class="avatar__image" src="${this.image}" @error="${() => (this.hasError = true)}" />
+              <img
+                part="image"
+                class="avatar__image"
+                src="${this.image}"
+                alt=""
+                @error="${() => (this.hasError = true)}"
+              />
             `
           : ''}
       </div>