diff --git a/frontend/src/components/layout/Sidebar.tsx b/frontend/src/components/layout/Sidebar.tsx
index f2f96260..89ffc135 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/layout/Sidebar.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/layout/Sidebar.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
 import { Link, useRouterState } from "@tanstack/react-router";
 import { APP_LOGO } from "@/lib/logo";
+import { Avatar } from "@/components/shared/primitives";
 import {
   LayoutDashboard,
   FolderKanban,
@@ -64,9 +65,7 @@ const groups: Group[] = [
   },
   {
     label: "Account",
-    items: [
-      { label: "Settings", to: "/settings", icon: <Settings size={16} /> },
-    ],
+    items: [{ label: "Settings", to: "/settings", icon: <Settings size={16} /> }],
   },
 ];
 
@@ -111,10 +110,11 @@ export function Sidebar({ open, onClose }: { open: boolean; onClose: () => void
             onClick={onClose}
             className="flex items-center gap-3 rounded-md px-2 py-2 hover:bg-sidebar-accent"
           >
-            <img
+            <Avatar
               src={currentUser.avatar}
-              alt=""
-              className="h-9 w-9 rounded-full border border-border bg-muted"
+              alt={currentUser.name}
+              name={currentUser.name}
+              size={36}
             />
             <div className="min-w-0 flex-1">
               <p className="truncate text-[13px] font-semibold text-foreground">
@@ -147,10 +147,7 @@ function SidebarGroup({ group, onNav }: { group: Group; onNav: () => void }) {
         className="flex w-full items-center justify-between px-2 py-1 text-[11px] font-semibold uppercase tracking-wider text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground"
       >
         {group.label}
-        <ChevronRight
-          size={12}
-          className={cn("transition-transform", open && "rotate-90")}
-        />
+        <ChevronRight size={12} className={cn("transition-transform", open && "rotate-90")} />
       </button>
       <AnimatePresence initial={false}>
         {open && (
@@ -161,7 +158,8 @@ function SidebarGroup({ group, onNav }: { group: Group; onNav: () => void }) {
             className="overflow-hidden"
           >
             {group.items.map((item) => {
-              const active = pathname === item.to || pathname.startsWith(item.to.split("?")[0] + "/");
+              const active =
+                pathname === item.to || pathname.startsWith(item.to.split("?")[0] + "/");
               return (
                 <li key={item.label}>
                   <Link
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/layout/Topbar.tsx b/frontend/src/components/layout/Topbar.tsx
index 65fd02d8..2860e29c 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/layout/Topbar.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/layout/Topbar.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { Bell, MessageSquare, Plus, Search, Sparkles, Menu, Moon, Sun } from "lucide-react";
 import { Link } from "@tanstack/react-router";
+import { Avatar } from "@/components/shared/primitives";
 import { currentUser } from "@/mocks/seed";
 import { useTheme } from "@/hooks/useTheme";
 
@@ -59,11 +60,7 @@ export function Topbar({ onMenu }: { onMenu: () => void }) {
         params={{ username: currentUser.handle }}
         className="ml-1 flex items-center gap-2 rounded-md p-1 hover:bg-muted"
       >
-        <img
-          src={currentUser.avatar}
-          alt=""
-          className="h-8 w-8 rounded-full border border-border bg-muted"
-        />
+        <Avatar src={currentUser.avatar} alt={currentUser.name} name={currentUser.name} size={32} />
         <div className="hidden text-left sm:block">
           <p className="text-[12px] font-semibold leading-tight text-foreground">
             {currentUser.name}
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/shared/primitives.tsx b/frontend/src/components/shared/primitives.tsx
index 85a28fa2..d3bb415a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/shared/primitives.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/shared/primitives.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
+import { cn, getInitials } from "@/lib/utils";
 import { Link } from "@tanstack/react-router";
-import type { ReactNode } from "react";
+import { useEffect, useState, type ReactNode } from "react";
 
 export function SectionHeader({
   title,
@@ -18,16 +18,11 @@ export function SectionHeader({
       <h3 className="text-[14px] font-semibold text-foreground">{title}</h3>
       {action &&
         (actionTo ? (
-          <Link
-            to={actionTo}
-            className="text-[12px] font-medium text-primary hover:underline"
-          >
+          <Link to={actionTo} className="text-[12px] font-medium text-primary hover:underline">
             {action}
           </Link>
         ) : (
-          <button className="text-[12px] font-medium text-primary hover:underline">
-            {action}
-          </button>
+          <button className="text-[12px] font-medium text-primary hover:underline">{action}</button>
         ))}
     </div>
   );
@@ -107,21 +102,42 @@ export function Avatar({
   alt,
   size = 32,
   online,
+  name,
 }: {
-  src: string;
+  src?: string | null;
   alt: string;
   size?: number;
   online?: boolean;
+  name?: string | null;
 }) {
+  const [hasError, setHasError] = useState(false);
+  const normalizedSrc = typeof src === "string" ? src.trim() : "";
+  const shouldRenderImage = Boolean(normalizedSrc) && !hasError;
+  const fallbackLabel = alt || name || "User avatar";
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    setHasError(false);
+  }, [normalizedSrc]);
+
   return (
     <div className="relative shrink-0" style={{ width: size, height: size }}>
-      <img
-        src={src}
-        alt={alt}
-        width={size}
-        height={size}
-        className="h-full w-full rounded-full border border-border bg-muted object-cover"
-      />
+      {shouldRenderImage ? (
+        <img
+          src={normalizedSrc}
+          alt={alt}
+          width={size}
+          height={size}
+          onError={() => setHasError(true)}
+          className="h-full w-full rounded-full border border-border bg-muted object-cover"
+        />
+      ) : (
+        <div
+          aria-label={fallbackLabel}
+          className="flex h-full w-full items-center justify-center rounded-full border border-border bg-primary/10 text-[0.7rem] font-semibold uppercase tracking-[0.12em] text-primary"
+        >
+          {getInitials(name ?? alt)}
+        </div>
+      )}
       {online !== undefined && (
         <span className="absolute -bottom-0.5 -right-0.5">
           <StatusDot online={online} />
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/utils.ts b/frontend/src/lib/utils.ts
index a5ef1935..372982e8 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/utils.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/utils.ts
@@ -4,3 +4,24 @@ import { twMerge } from "tailwind-merge";
 export function cn(...inputs: ClassValue[]) {
   return twMerge(clsx(inputs));
 }
+
+export function getInitials(name?: string | null, fallback = "?") {
+  const normalizedName = name?.trim();
+
+  if (!normalizedName) {
+    return fallback;
+  }
+
+  const parts = normalizedName.split(/\s+/).filter(Boolean);
+
+  if (parts.length === 0) {
+    return fallback;
+  }
+
+  const initials = parts
+    .slice(0, 2)
+    .map((part) => part[0]?.toUpperCase())
+    .join("");
+
+  return initials || fallback;
+}