diff --git a/components/Avatar.vue b/components/Avatar.vue
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..368316c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/Avatar.vue
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+<template>
+	<Icon v-if="canvasBlocked"
+		name="lucide:user" />
+	<NuxtImg v-else 
+		:src="displayAvatar"
+		:alt="displayName" />
+</template>
+
+<script lang="ts" setup>
+import { NuxtImg } from '#components';
+import type { GuildMemberResponse, UserResponse } from '~/types/interfaces';
+
+const props = defineProps<{
+	user?: UserResponse,
+	member?: GuildMemberResponse,
+}>();
+
+
+let displayName: string
+let displayAvatar: string
+let canvasBlocked = false
+
+const user = props.user || props.member?.user
+
+if (user) {
+	displayName = props.member?.nickname
+						|| user.display_name
+						|| user.username
+	
+	if (user.avatar) {
+		displayAvatar = user.avatar
+	} else {
+		displayAvatar = generateDefaultIcon(displayName, user.uuid)
+	}
+}
+
+</script>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/components/User/UserEntry.vue b/components/User/UserEntry.vue
index b463759..b539f2c 100644
--- a/components/User/UserEntry.vue
+++ b/components/User/UserEntry.vue
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 <template>
     <NuxtLink class="user-item" :href="`/me/${user.uuid}`" tabindex="0">
-        <img v-if="props.user.avatar" class="user-avatar" :src="props.user.avatar" :alt="props.user.display_name ?? props.user.username" />
-        <Icon v-else class="user-avatar" name="lucide:user" />
-        <span class="user-display-name">{{ props.user.display_name || props.user.username }}</span>
+        <Avatar :user="props.user" class="user-avatar"/>
+
+        <span class="user-display-name">{{ displayName }}</span>
 	</NuxtLink>
 </template>
 
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ import type { UserResponse } from '~/types/interfaces';
 const props = defineProps<{
     user: UserResponse
 }>();
+
+const displayName = props.user.display_name || props.user.username
 </script>
 
 <style>
diff --git a/components/User/UserPopup.vue b/components/User/UserPopup.vue
index a3a15cb..f43d6d1 100644
--- a/components/User/UserPopup.vue
+++ b/components/User/UserPopup.vue
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 <template>
   <div id="profile-popup">
-    <img v-if="props.user.avatar" id="avatar" :src="props.user.avatar" alt="profile avatar">
-    <Icon v-else id="avatar" name="lucide:user" />
+    <Avatar :user="props.user" id="avatar"/>
 
     <div id="cover-color"></div>
     <div id="main-body">
diff --git a/layouts/client.vue b/layouts/client.vue
index f76b285..43c769d 100644
--- a/layouts/client.vue
+++ b/layouts/client.vue
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 				<div class="left-column-segment" id="left-column-middle">
 					<NuxtLink v-for="guild of guilds" :href="`/servers/${guild.uuid}`">
 						<NuxtImg v-if="guild.icon" class="sidebar-icon" :src="guild.icon" :alt="guild.name"/>
-						<Icon v-else name="lucide:server" class="sidebar-icon white" :alt="guild.name" />
+						<NuxtImg v-else class="sidebar-icon" :src="generateDefaultIcon(guild.name, guild.uuid)" :alt="guild.name"/>
 					</NuxtLink>
 				</div>
 				<VerticalSpacer />
diff --git a/utils/generateDefaultIcon.ts b/utils/generateDefaultIcon.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0b05913
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utils/generateDefaultIcon.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+export default (name: string, seed: string): string => {
+	const canvas = document.createElement("canvas");
+	const ctx = canvas.getContext("2d");
+	if (canvas && ctx) {
+		canvas.width = 256;
+		canvas.height = 256;
+
+		// get the first char from every word in the guild name
+		let previewName = "";
+		if (name.length > 3) {
+			let guildName: string[] = name.split(' ')
+			for (let i = 0; i < 3; i ++) {
+				if (guildName.length > i) {
+					previewName += guildName[i].charAt(0)
+				} else {
+					break
+				}
+			}
+		} else {
+			previewName = name
+		}
+
+		// fill background using seeded colour
+		ctx.fillStyle = generateIrcColor(seed, 50)
+		ctx.fillRect(0, 0, 256, 256)
+
+		ctx.fillStyle = 'white'
+		ctx.textAlign = 'center'
+		ctx.textBaseline = 'middle'
+		ctx.font = 'bold 96px Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif'
+		// 136 isn't actually centered, but it *looks* centered
+		ctx.fillText(previewName, 128, 136)
+
+		return canvas.toDataURL("image/png");
+	}
+
+	return "https://tenor.com/view/dame-da-ne-guy-kiryukazuma-kiryu-yakuza-yakuza-0-gif-14355451116903905918"
+}
\ No newline at end of file