diff --git a/libraries/designsystem/src/main/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/designsystem/components/Bloom.kt b/libraries/designsystem/src/main/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/designsystem/components/Bloom.kt
index a2b0049ad6..764a208a82 100644
--- a/libraries/designsystem/src/main/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/designsystem/components/Bloom.kt
+++ b/libraries/designsystem/src/main/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/designsystem/components/Bloom.kt
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ fun Modifier.avatarBloom(
         val initialsBitmap = initialsBitmap(
             width = BloomDefaults.ENCODE_SIZE_PX.toDp(),
             height = BloomDefaults.ENCODE_SIZE_PX.toDp(),
-            text = avatarData.initial,
+            text = avatarData.initialLetter,
             textColor = avatarColors.foreground,
             backgroundColor = avatarColors.background,
         )
diff --git a/libraries/designsystem/src/main/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/designsystem/components/avatar/Avatar.kt b/libraries/designsystem/src/main/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/designsystem/components/avatar/Avatar.kt
index 94ffd9c0fb..6b69a9dfec 100644
--- a/libraries/designsystem/src/main/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/designsystem/components/avatar/Avatar.kt
+++ b/libraries/designsystem/src/main/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/designsystem/components/avatar/Avatar.kt
@@ -7,11 +7,9 @@
 
 package io.element.android.libraries.designsystem.components.avatar
 
-import androidx.compose.foundation.background
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Arrangement
-import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Box
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Row
-import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.size
+import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.requiredSize
 import androidx.compose.foundation.shape.CircleShape
 import androidx.compose.runtime.Composable
 import androidx.compose.runtime.SideEffect
@@ -21,21 +19,16 @@ import androidx.compose.ui.Alignment
 import androidx.compose.ui.Modifier
 import androidx.compose.ui.draw.clip
 import androidx.compose.ui.layout.ContentScale
-import androidx.compose.ui.semantics.clearAndSetSemantics
-import androidx.compose.ui.semantics.contentDescription
 import androidx.compose.ui.tooling.preview.Preview
 import androidx.compose.ui.tooling.preview.PreviewParameter
 import androidx.compose.ui.unit.Dp
 import androidx.compose.ui.unit.dp
-import androidx.compose.ui.unit.sp
 import coil3.compose.AsyncImagePainter
 import coil3.compose.SubcomposeAsyncImage
 import coil3.compose.SubcomposeAsyncImageContent
-import io.element.android.compound.theme.ElementTheme
 import io.element.android.libraries.designsystem.colors.AvatarColorsProvider
 import io.element.android.libraries.designsystem.preview.ElementThemedPreview
 import io.element.android.libraries.designsystem.preview.PreviewGroup
-import io.element.android.libraries.designsystem.text.toSp
 import io.element.android.libraries.designsystem.theme.components.Text
 import io.element.android.libraries.designsystem.utils.CommonDrawables
 import timber.log.Timber
@@ -50,21 +43,18 @@ fun Avatar(
     // If true, will show initials even if avatarData.url is not null
     hideImage: Boolean = false,
 ) {
-    val commonModifier = modifier
-        .size(forcedAvatarSize ?: avatarData.size.dp)
-        .clip(CircleShape)
     if (avatarData.url.isNullOrBlank() || hideImage) {
-        InitialsAvatar(
+        InitialLetterAvatar(
             avatarData = avatarData,
             forcedAvatarSize = forcedAvatarSize,
-            modifier = commonModifier,
+            modifier = modifier,
             contentDescription = contentDescription,
         )
     } else {
         ImageAvatar(
             avatarData = avatarData,
             forcedAvatarSize = forcedAvatarSize,
-            modifier = commonModifier,
+            modifier = modifier,
             contentDescription = contentDescription,
         )
     }
@@ -77,11 +67,14 @@ private fun ImageAvatar(
     modifier: Modifier = Modifier,
     contentDescription: String? = null,
 ) {
+    val size = forcedAvatarSize ?: avatarData.size.dp
     SubcomposeAsyncImage(
         model = avatarData,
         contentDescription = contentDescription,
         contentScale = ContentScale.Crop,
         modifier = modifier
+            .requiredSize(size)
+            .clip(CircleShape)
     ) {
         val collectedState by painter.state.collectAsState()
         when (val state = collectedState) {
@@ -90,13 +83,13 @@ private fun ImageAvatar(
                 SideEffect {
                     Timber.e(state.result.throwable, "Error loading avatar $state\n${state.result}")
                 }
-                InitialsAvatar(
+                InitialLetterAvatar(
                     avatarData = avatarData,
                     forcedAvatarSize = forcedAvatarSize,
                     contentDescription = contentDescription,
                 )
             }
-            else -> InitialsAvatar(
+            else -> InitialLetterAvatar(
                 avatarData = avatarData,
                 forcedAvatarSize = forcedAvatarSize,
                 contentDescription = contentDescription,
@@ -106,33 +99,20 @@ private fun ImageAvatar(
 }
 
 @Composable
-private fun InitialsAvatar(
+private fun InitialLetterAvatar(
     avatarData: AvatarData,
     forcedAvatarSize: Dp?,
     contentDescription: String?,
     modifier: Modifier = Modifier,
 ) {
     val avatarColors = AvatarColorsProvider.provide(avatarData.id)
-    Box(
-        modifier.background(color = avatarColors.background)
-    ) {
-        val fontSize = (forcedAvatarSize ?: avatarData.size.dp).toSp() / 2
-        val originalFont = ElementTheme.typography.fontHeadingMdBold
-        val ratio = fontSize.value / originalFont.fontSize.value
-        val lineHeight = originalFont.lineHeight * ratio
-        Text(
-            modifier = Modifier
-                .clearAndSetSemantics {
-                    contentDescription?.let {
-                        this.contentDescription = it
-                    }
-                }
-                .align(Alignment.Center),
-            text = avatarData.initial,
-            style = originalFont.copy(fontSize = fontSize, lineHeight = lineHeight, letterSpacing = 0.sp),
-            color = avatarColors.foreground,
-        )
-    }
+    TextAvatar(
+        text = avatarData.initialLetter,
+        size = forcedAvatarSize ?: avatarData.size.dp,
+        colors = avatarColors,
+        contentDescription = contentDescription,
+        modifier = modifier
+    )
 }
 
 @Preview(group = PreviewGroup.Avatars)
diff --git a/libraries/designsystem/src/main/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/designsystem/components/avatar/AvatarData.kt b/libraries/designsystem/src/main/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/designsystem/components/avatar/AvatarData.kt
index 12b6fe05a3..2e711ee6eb 100644
--- a/libraries/designsystem/src/main/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/designsystem/components/avatar/AvatarData.kt
+++ b/libraries/designsystem/src/main/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/designsystem/components/avatar/AvatarData.kt
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ data class AvatarData(
     val url: String? = null,
     val size: AvatarSize,
 ) {
-    val initial by lazy {
+    val initialLetter by lazy {
         // For roomIds, use "#" as initial
         (name?.takeIf { it.isNotBlank() } ?: id.takeIf { !it.startsWith("!") } ?: "#")
             .let { dn ->
diff --git a/libraries/designsystem/src/test/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/designsystem/components/avatar/AvatarDataTest.kt b/libraries/designsystem/src/test/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/designsystem/components/avatar/AvatarDataTest.kt
index 6fe50e995b..01395eb9f1 100644
--- a/libraries/designsystem/src/test/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/designsystem/components/avatar/AvatarDataTest.kt
+++ b/libraries/designsystem/src/test/kotlin/io/element/android/libraries/designsystem/components/avatar/AvatarDataTest.kt
@@ -14,30 +14,30 @@ class AvatarDataTest {
     @Test
     fun `initial with text should get the first char, uppercased`() {
         val data = AvatarData("id", "test", null, AvatarSize.InviteSender)
-        assertThat(data.initial).isEqualTo("T")
+        assertThat(data.initialLetter).isEqualTo("T")
     }
 
     @Test
     fun `initial with leading whitespace should get the first non-whitespace char, uppercased`() {
         val data = AvatarData("id", " test", null, AvatarSize.InviteSender)
-        assertThat(data.initial).isEqualTo("T")
+        assertThat(data.initialLetter).isEqualTo("T")
     }
 
     @Test
     fun `initial with long emoji should get the full emoji`() {
         val data = AvatarData("id", "\uD83C\uDFF3\uFE0F\u200D\uD83C\uDF08 Test", null, AvatarSize.InviteSender)
-        assertThat(data.initial).isEqualTo("\uD83C\uDFF3\uFE0F\u200D\uD83C\uDF08")
+        assertThat(data.initialLetter).isEqualTo("\uD83C\uDFF3\uFE0F\u200D\uD83C\uDF08")
     }
 
     @Test
     fun `initial with short emoji should get the emoji`() {
         val data = AvatarData("id", "✂ Test", null, AvatarSize.InviteSender)
-        assertThat(data.initial).isEqualTo("✂")
+        assertThat(data.initialLetter).isEqualTo("✂")
     }
 
     @Test
     fun `initial with a single letter should take that letter`() {
         val data = AvatarData("id", "T", null, AvatarSize.InviteSender)
-        assertThat(data.initial).isEqualTo("T")
+        assertThat(data.initialLetter).isEqualTo("T")
     }
 }