diff --git a/settings/common.py b/settings/common.py
index d3ac205e..7d5f11b0 100644
--- a/settings/common.py
+++ b/settings/common.py
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ MEDIA_URL = "http://localhost:8000/media/"
 
 # Static url is not widelly used by taiga (only
 # if admin is activated).
-STATIC_URL = "/static/"
+STATIC_URL = "http://localhost:8000/static/"
 ADMIN_MEDIA_PREFIX = "/static/admin/"
 
 # Static configuration.
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ SOUTH_MIGRATION_MODULES = {
 DEFAULT_AVATAR_SIZE = 80                # 80x80 pixels
 DEFAULT_BIG_AVATAR_SIZE = 300           # 300x300 pixels
 
-DEFAULT_AVATAR_URL = ''
+DEFAULT_AVATAR_URL = 'user-noimage.png'
 
 THUMBNAIL_ALIASES = {
     '': {
@@ -345,4 +345,3 @@ if "test" in sys.argv:
     print ("\033[1;91mNo django tests.\033[0m")
     print ("Try: \033[1;33mpy.test\033[0m")
     sys.exit(0)
-
diff --git a/taiga/urls.py b/taiga/urls.py
index f9ee53c4..aba8f1ba 100644
--- a/taiga/urls.py
+++ b/taiga/urls.py
@@ -32,11 +32,6 @@ def mediafiles_urlpatterns():
     """
     Method for serve media files with runserver.
     """
-
-    _media_url = settings.MEDIA_URL
-    if _media_url.startswith('/'):
-        _media_url = _media_url[1:]
-
     from django.views.static import serve
     return [
         url(r'^%s(?P<path>.*)$' % 'media', serve,
diff --git a/taiga/users/gravatar.py b/taiga/users/gravatar.py
index ed5a8a33..fc3a8661 100644
--- a/taiga/users/gravatar.py
+++ b/taiga/users/gravatar.py
@@ -19,9 +19,7 @@ import hashlib
 from urllib.parse import urlencode
 
 from django.conf import settings
-
-from taiga.base.utils.urls import get_absolute_url
-
+from django.templatetags.static import static
 
 GRAVATAR_BASE_URL = "//www.gravatar.com/avatar/{}?{}"
 
@@ -39,7 +37,7 @@ def get_gravatar_url(email: str, **options) -> str:
     defaults = settings.GRAVATAR_DEFAULT_OPTIONS.copy()
     default = defaults.get("default", None)
     if default:
-        defaults["default"] = get_absolute_url(default)
+        defaults["default"] = static(default)
     defaults.update(options)
     email_hash = hashlib.md5(email.lower().encode()).hexdigest()
     url = GRAVATAR_BASE_URL.format(email_hash, urlencode(defaults))
diff --git a/taiga/users/static/img/user-noimage.png b/taiga/users/static/img/user-noimage.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..48ae7feb
Binary files /dev/null and b/taiga/users/static/img/user-noimage.png differ