diff --git a/res/css/views/avatars/_BaseAvatar.scss b/res/css/views/avatars/_BaseAvatar.scss
index 486958887e..cbddd97e18 100644
--- a/res/css/views/avatars/_BaseAvatar.scss
+++ b/res/css/views/avatars/_BaseAvatar.scss
@@ -43,5 +43,5 @@ limitations under the License.
     object-fit: cover;
     border-radius: 125px;
     vertical-align: top;
-    background-color: $background;
+    background-color: $avatar-bg-color;
 }
diff --git a/res/css/views/rooms/_BasicMessageComposer.scss b/res/css/views/rooms/_BasicMessageComposer.scss
index a09078aa6d..752d3b0a54 100644
--- a/res/css/views/rooms/_BasicMessageComposer.scss
+++ b/res/css/views/rooms/_BasicMessageComposer.scss
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ limitations under the License.
                     width: $font-16px;
                     height: $font-16px;
                     margin-right: 0.24rem;
-                    background: var(--avatar-background), $background;
+                    background: var(--avatar-background), $avatar-bg-color;
                     color: $avatar-initial-color;
                     background-repeat: no-repeat;
                     background-size: $font-16px;
diff --git a/res/themes/dark/css/_dark.scss b/res/themes/dark/css/_dark.scss
index 6c471dda12..4a6db5dd55 100644
--- a/res/themes/dark/css/_dark.scss
+++ b/res/themes/dark/css/_dark.scss
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ $menu-box-shadow-color: $background;
 $menu-selected-color: $room-highlight-color;
 
 $avatar-initial-color: #ffffff;
+$avatar-bg-color: $background;
 
 $h3-color: $primary-content;
 
diff --git a/res/themes/light-custom/css/_custom.scss b/res/themes/light-custom/css/_custom.scss
index 59c2fe9b2e..f4685fe8fa 100644
--- a/res/themes/light-custom/css/_custom.scss
+++ b/res/themes/light-custom/css/_custom.scss
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ $button-secondary-bg-color: var(--timeline-background-color);
 $field-focused-label-bg-color: var(--timeline-background-color);
 $lightbox-border-color: var(--timeline-background-color);
 $menu-bg-color: var(--timeline-background-color);
-$background: var(--timeline-background-color);
+$avatar-bg-color: var(--timeline-background-color);
 $message-action-bar-bg-color: var(--timeline-background-color);
 $background: var(--timeline-background-color);
 $togglesw-ball-color: var(--timeline-background-color);
diff --git a/res/themes/light/css/_light.scss b/res/themes/light/css/_light.scss
index 5d0b4b15d4..200d5bb12a 100644
--- a/res/themes/light/css/_light.scss
+++ b/res/themes/light/css/_light.scss
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ $menu-box-shadow-color: rgba(118, 131, 156, 0.6);
 $menu-selected-color: #f5f8fa;
 
 $avatar-initial-color: $background;
+$avatar-bg-color: $background;
 
 $h3-color: #3d3b39;