diff --git a/omni_chat/src/worker.ts b/omni_chat/src/worker.ts
index dc56f1d..4d8836a 100644
--- a/omni_chat/src/worker.ts
+++ b/omni_chat/src/worker.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ export const RECEIVER_FLOW_QUEUE_NAME = (process.env.RECEIVER_FLOW_QUEUE_NAME ||
 const TELEGRAM_PLACEHOLDER_PREFIX = "Telegram ";
 const TELEGRAM_AUDIO_FILE_MARKER = "tg-file:";
 const TELEGRAM_WAVE_BINS = 96;
+const TELEGRAM_AVATAR_FILE_MARKER = "tg-file:";
 
 function redisConnectionFromEnv(): ConnectionOptions {
   const raw = (process.env.REDIS_URL || "redis://localhost:6379").trim();
@@ -168,6 +169,69 @@ async function fetchTelegramFileBytes(fileId: string) {
   return new Uint8Array(await fileRes.arrayBuffer());
 }
 
+type TelegramChatPhoto = {
+  small_file_id?: string;
+  big_file_id?: string;
+};
+
+type TelegramGetChatResponse = {
+  ok?: boolean;
+  result?: {
+    photo?: TelegramChatPhoto;
+  };
+};
+
+type TelegramProfilePhotoSize = {
+  file_id?: string;
+};
+
+type TelegramGetUserProfilePhotosResponse = {
+  ok?: boolean;
+  result?: {
+    photos?: TelegramProfilePhotoSize[][];
+  };
+};
+
+function asTelegramAvatarUrl(fileId: string | null | undefined) {
+  const normalized = asString(fileId);
+  if (!normalized) return null;
+  return `${TELEGRAM_AVATAR_FILE_MARKER}${normalized}`;
+}
+
+async function fetchTelegramAvatarUrl(externalContactId: string) {
+  const token = String(process.env.TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN ?? "").trim();
+  if (!token) return null;
+
+  const base = String(process.env.TELEGRAM_API_BASE ?? "https://api.telegram.org").replace(/\/+$/, "");
+
+  const getChatRes = await fetch(`${base}/bot${token}/getChat`, {
+    method: "POST",
+    headers: { "content-type": "application/json" },
+    body: JSON.stringify({ chat_id: externalContactId }),
+  });
+  const getChatJson = (await getChatRes.json()) as TelegramGetChatResponse;
+  if (getChatRes.ok && getChatJson.ok) {
+    const fromChat = asTelegramAvatarUrl(
+      getChatJson.result?.photo?.small_file_id ?? getChatJson.result?.photo?.big_file_id,
+    );
+    if (fromChat) return fromChat;
+  }
+
+  const getPhotosRes = await fetch(`${base}/bot${token}/getUserProfilePhotos`, {
+    method: "POST",
+    headers: { "content-type": "application/json" },
+    body: JSON.stringify({ user_id: externalContactId, limit: 1 }),
+  });
+  const getPhotosJson = (await getPhotosRes.json()) as TelegramGetUserProfilePhotosResponse;
+  if (!getPhotosRes.ok || !getPhotosJson.ok) return null;
+
+  const firstPhotoSizes = Array.isArray(getPhotosJson.result?.photos?.[0])
+    ? getPhotosJson.result?.photos?.[0]
+    : [];
+  const candidate = firstPhotoSizes.at(-1)?.file_id ?? firstPhotoSizes[0]?.file_id;
+  return asTelegramAvatarUrl(candidate);
+}
+
 async function resolveInboundWaveform(media: TelegramInboundMedia, text: string) {
   const fallback = buildFallbackWaveform(`${media.fileId ?? "none"}:${media.durationSec ?? "0"}:${text}`);
   const fileId = media.fileId;
@@ -232,7 +296,7 @@ function buildContactProfile(
   };
 }
 
-async function maybeHydrateContact(contactId: string, profile: ContactProfile) {
+async function maybeHydrateContact(contactId: string, profile: ContactProfile, externalContactId: string) {
   const current = await prisma.contact.findUnique({
     where: { id: contactId },
     select: { name: true, avatarUrl: true },
@@ -248,8 +312,9 @@ async function maybeHydrateContact(contactId: string, profile: ContactProfile) {
   }
 
   const currentAvatar = asString(current.avatarUrl);
-  if (profile.avatarUrl && profile.avatarUrl !== currentAvatar) {
-    updates.avatarUrl = profile.avatarUrl;
+  const resolvedAvatarUrl = profile.avatarUrl ?? (currentAvatar ? null : await fetchTelegramAvatarUrl(externalContactId));
+  if (resolvedAvatarUrl && resolvedAvatarUrl !== currentAvatar) {
+    updates.avatarUrl = resolvedAvatarUrl;
   }
 
   if (Object.keys(updates).length === 0) return;
@@ -306,15 +371,17 @@ async function resolveContact(input: {
     select: { contactId: true },
   });
   if (existingIdentity?.contactId) {
-    await maybeHydrateContact(existingIdentity.contactId, input.profile);
+    await maybeHydrateContact(existingIdentity.contactId, input.profile, input.externalContactId);
     return existingIdentity.contactId;
   }
 
+  const avatarUrl = input.profile.avatarUrl ?? (await fetchTelegramAvatarUrl(input.externalContactId));
+
   const contact = await prisma.contact.create({
     data: {
       teamId: input.teamId,
       name: input.profile.displayName,
-      avatarUrl: input.profile.avatarUrl,
+      avatarUrl,
     },
     select: { id: true },
   });
@@ -342,7 +409,7 @@ async function resolveContact(input: {
     if (!concurrentIdentity?.contactId) throw error;
 
     await prisma.contact.delete({ where: { id: contact.id } }).catch(() => undefined);
-    await maybeHydrateContact(concurrentIdentity.contactId, input.profile);
+    await maybeHydrateContact(concurrentIdentity.contactId, input.profile, input.externalContactId);
     return concurrentIdentity.contactId;
   }