diff --git a/ElementX/Sources/Screens/CreateRoomScreen/CreateRoomScreenModels.swift b/ElementX/Sources/Screens/CreateRoomScreen/CreateRoomScreenModels.swift
index 5d5bfcdc1..1b8a05c22 100644
--- a/ElementX/Sources/Screens/CreateRoomScreen/CreateRoomScreenModels.swift
+++ b/ElementX/Sources/Screens/CreateRoomScreen/CreateRoomScreenModels.swift
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 // Please see LICENSE files in the repository root for full details.
 //
 
-import Foundation
+import SwiftUI
 
 enum CreateRoomScreenErrorType: Error {
     case failedCreatingRoom
@@ -31,7 +31,19 @@ struct CreateRoomScreenViewState: BindableState {
     let isKnockingFeatureEnabled: Bool
     var aliasLocalPart: String
     var bindings: CreateRoomScreenViewStateBindings
-    var avatarMediaInfo: MediaInfo?
+    var avatarMediaInfo: MediaInfo? {
+        didSet {
+            switch avatarMediaInfo {
+            case .image(_, let thumbnailURL, _):
+                avatarImage = UIImage(contentsOfFile: thumbnailURL.path(percentEncoded: false))
+            default:
+                avatarImage = nil
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    
+    var avatarImage: UIImage?
+    
     var canCreateRoom: Bool {
         !roomName.isEmpty && aliasErrors.isEmpty
     }
diff --git a/ElementX/Sources/Screens/CreateRoomScreen/View/CreateRoomScreen.swift b/ElementX/Sources/Screens/CreateRoomScreen/View/CreateRoomScreen.swift
index 40aa82194..ecd9567f7 100644
--- a/ElementX/Sources/Screens/CreateRoomScreen/View/CreateRoomScreen.swift
+++ b/ElementX/Sources/Screens/CreateRoomScreen/View/CreateRoomScreen.swift
@@ -103,21 +103,17 @@ struct CreateRoomScreen: View {
             focus = nil
             context.showAttachmentConfirmationDialog = true
         } label: {
-            if let url = context.viewState.avatarMediaInfo?.thumbnailURL {
-                AsyncImage(url: url) { image in
-                    image
-                        .resizable()
-                        .aspectRatio(contentMode: .fill)
-                } placeholder: {
-                    ProgressView()
-                }
-                .scaledFrame(size: 70, relativeTo: .title)
-                .clipShape(context.viewState.isSpace ? AnyShape(RoundedRectangle(cornerRadius: 16)) : AnyShape(Circle()))
-                .overlay(alignment: .bottomTrailing) {
-                    editAvatarBadge
-                        .scaledOffset(x: 12, y: 4, relativeTo: .title)
-                        .accessibilityHidden(true)
-                }
+            if let avatarImage = context.viewState.avatarImage {
+                Image(uiImage: avatarImage)
+                    .resizable()
+                    .aspectRatio(contentMode: .fill)
+                    .scaledFrame(size: 70, relativeTo: .title)
+                    .clipShape(context.viewState.isSpace ? AnyShape(RoundedRectangle(cornerRadius: 16)) : AnyShape(Circle()))
+                    .overlay(alignment: .bottomTrailing) {
+                        editAvatarBadge
+                            .scaledOffset(x: 12, y: 4, relativeTo: .title)
+                            .accessibilityHidden(true)
+                    }
             } else {
                 CompoundIcon(\.takePhoto, size: .medium, relativeTo: .title)
                     .foregroundColor(.compound.iconPrimary)
@@ -143,7 +139,7 @@ struct CreateRoomScreen: View {
             }
             .accessibilityIdentifier(A11yIdentifiers.createRoomScreen.mediaPicker)
             
-            if context.viewState.avatarMediaInfo?.thumbnailURL != nil {
+            if context.viewState.avatarImage != nil {
                 Button(L10n.actionRemove, role: .destructive) {
                     context.send(viewAction: .removeImage)
                 }
@@ -407,7 +403,7 @@ struct CreateRoom_Previews: PreviewProvider, TestablePreview {
             CreateRoomScreen(context: avatarViewModel.context)
         }
         .previewDisplayName("Create Room with avatar")
-        .snapshotPreferences(expect: avatarViewModel.context.$viewState.map { $0.avatarMediaInfo != nil })
+        .snapshotPreferences(expect: avatarViewModel.context.$viewState.map { $0.avatarImage != nil })
         
         NavigationStack {
             CreateRoomScreen(context: spaceViewModel.context)
@@ -418,7 +414,7 @@ struct CreateRoom_Previews: PreviewProvider, TestablePreview {
             CreateRoomScreen(context: spaceWithAvatarViewModel.context)
         }
         .previewDisplayName("Create Space with avatar")
-        .snapshotPreferences(expect: spaceWithAvatarViewModel.context.$viewState.map { $0.avatarMediaInfo != nil })
+        .snapshotPreferences(expect: spaceWithAvatarViewModel.context.$viewState.map { $0.avatarImage != nil })
         
         NavigationStack {
             CreateRoomScreen(context: publicRoomViewModel.context)
diff --git a/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/createRoom.Create-Room-with-avatar-iPad-en-GB.png b/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/createRoom.Create-Room-with-avatar-iPad-en-GB.png
index f983346d6..3f93ff6f2 100644
--- a/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/createRoom.Create-Room-with-avatar-iPad-en-GB.png
+++ b/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/createRoom.Create-Room-with-avatar-iPad-en-GB.png
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
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+size 156762
diff --git a/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/createRoom.Create-Room-with-avatar-iPad-pseudo.png b/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/createRoom.Create-Room-with-avatar-iPad-pseudo.png
index 3cb6d8dbb..91c209de0 100644
--- a/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/createRoom.Create-Room-with-avatar-iPad-pseudo.png
+++ b/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/createRoom.Create-Room-with-avatar-iPad-pseudo.png
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+size 174527
diff --git a/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/createRoom.Create-Room-with-avatar-iPhone-en-GB.png b/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/createRoom.Create-Room-with-avatar-iPhone-en-GB.png
index b08c89c7a..aff28d66a 100644
--- a/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/createRoom.Create-Room-with-avatar-iPhone-en-GB.png
+++ b/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/createRoom.Create-Room-with-avatar-iPhone-en-GB.png
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
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+size 105940
diff --git a/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/createRoom.Create-Room-with-avatar-iPhone-pseudo.png b/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/createRoom.Create-Room-with-avatar-iPhone-pseudo.png
index 81181609c..f493a95dd 100644
--- a/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/createRoom.Create-Room-with-avatar-iPhone-pseudo.png
+++ b/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/createRoom.Create-Room-with-avatar-iPhone-pseudo.png
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diff --git a/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/createRoom.Create-Space-with-avatar-iPad-en-GB.png b/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/createRoom.Create-Space-with-avatar-iPad-en-GB.png
index b77e663d8..263991b59 100644
--- a/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/createRoom.Create-Space-with-avatar-iPad-en-GB.png
+++ b/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/createRoom.Create-Space-with-avatar-iPad-en-GB.png
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diff --git a/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/createRoom.Create-Space-with-avatar-iPad-pseudo.png b/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/createRoom.Create-Space-with-avatar-iPad-pseudo.png
index f6fa75c57..963daa2c0 100644
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diff --git a/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/createRoom.Create-Space-with-avatar-iPhone-en-GB.png b/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/createRoom.Create-Space-with-avatar-iPhone-en-GB.png
index 0c7fad200..5ef37be7f 100644
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diff --git a/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/createRoom.Create-Space-with-avatar-iPhone-pseudo.png b/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/createRoom.Create-Space-with-avatar-iPhone-pseudo.png
index d7523be23..0dbe47e4a 100644
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