diff --git a/core/um-filters-avatars.php b/core/um-filters-avatars.php
index f9483565..6f6de1b2 100644
--- a/core/um-filters-avatars.php
+++ b/core/um-filters-avatars.php
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@
 
 		$avatar = um_user('profile_photo', $size);
 
+		$image_alt = apply_filters("um_avatar_image_alternate_text",  um_user("display_name") );
+
 		if ( ! $avatar && um_get_option('use_gravatars') ) {
 			
 			$default = get_option( 'avatar_default', 'mystery' );
@@ -55,12 +57,12 @@
 						
 			}
 			
-			$avatar = '<img src="' .$avatar_url .'?d='. $default . '&amp;s=' . $size . $rating .'" class="func-um_get_avatar gravatar avatar avatar-'.$size.' um-avatar" width="'.$size.'" height="'.$size.'" alt="" />';
+			$avatar = '<img src="' .$avatar_url .'?d='. $default . '&amp;s=' . $size . $rating .'" class="func-um_get_avatar gravatar avatar avatar-'.$size.' um-avatar" width="'.$size.'" height="'.$size.'" alt="'.$image_alt.'" />';
 			
 		}else if( empty( $avatar ) ){
 			$default_avatar_uri = um_get_default_avatar_uri();
 
-			$avatar = '<img src="' .$default_avatar_uri  .'" class="gravatar avatar avatar-'.$size.' um-avatar" width="'.$size.'" height="'.$size.'" alt="" />';
+			$avatar = '<img src="' .$default_avatar_uri  .'" class="gravatar avatar avatar-'.$size.' um-avatar" width="'.$size.'" height="'.$size.'" alt="'.$image_alt.'" />';
 		}
 
 		return $avatar;
diff --git a/core/um-short-functions.php b/core/um-short-functions.php
index 1dcab326..b94b03ea 100644
--- a/core/um-short-functions.php
+++ b/core/um-short-functions.php
@@ -1641,6 +1641,7 @@
 
 				$has_profile_photo = false;
 				$photo_type = 'um-avatar-default';
+				$image_alt = apply_filters("um_avatar_image_alternate_text",  um_user("display_name") );
 
 				if ( um_profile('profile_photo') ) {
 						$avatar_uri = um_get_avatar_uri( um_profile('profile_photo'), $attrs );
@@ -1672,7 +1673,7 @@
 						
 					}
 
-					return '<img src="' . $avatar_uri . '" class="func-um_user gravatar avatar avatar-'.$attrs.' um-avatar '.$photo_type.'" width="'.$attrs.'" height="'.$attrs.'" alt="" />';
+					return '<img src="' . $avatar_uri . '" class="func-um_user gravatar avatar avatar-'.$attrs.' um-avatar '.$photo_type.'" width="'.$attrs.'" height="'.$attrs.'" alt="'.$image_alt.'" />';
 
 				if ( !$avatar_uri )
 					return '';