diff --git a/src/api/client/directory.rs b/src/api/client/directory.rs
index ae86fe76..9f02f460 100644
--- a/src/api/client/directory.rs
+++ b/src/api/client/directory.rs
@@ -405,7 +405,11 @@ async fn public_rooms_chunk(services: &Services, room_id: OwnedRoomId) -> Public
 		.get_canonical_alias(&room_id)
 		.ok();
 
-	let avatar_url = services.state_accessor.get_avatar(&room_id);
+	let avatar_url = services
+		.state_accessor
+		.get_avatar(&room_id)
+		.map_ok(|content| content.url)
+		.ok();
 
 	let topic = services
 		.state_accessor
@@ -441,7 +445,7 @@ async fn public_rooms_chunk(services: &Services, room_id: OwnedRoomId) -> Public
 	.await;
 
 	PublicRoomsChunk {
-		avatar_url: avatar_url.into_option().unwrap_or_default().url,
+		avatar_url: avatar_url.flatten(),
 		canonical_alias,
 		guest_can_join,
 		join_rule: join_rule.unwrap_or_default(),
diff --git a/src/api/client/room/summary.rs b/src/api/client/room/summary.rs
index eb9fd6c4..a2d21bc3 100644
--- a/src/api/client/room/summary.rs
+++ b/src/api/client/room/summary.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 use axum::extract::State;
 use axum_client_ip::InsecureClientIp;
 use futures::{
-	FutureExt, StreamExt,
+	FutureExt, StreamExt, TryFutureExt,
 	future::{OptionFuture, join3},
 	stream::FuturesUnordered,
 };
@@ -142,7 +142,9 @@ async fn local_room_summary_response(
 	let avatar_url = services
 		.state_accessor
 		.get_avatar(room_id)
-		.map(|res| res.into_option().unwrap_or_default().url);
+		.map_ok(|content| content.url)
+		.ok()
+		.map(Option::flatten);
 
 	let room_version = services.state.get_room_version(room_id).ok();
 
diff --git a/src/api/client/sync/v5.rs b/src/api/client/sync/v5.rs
index 7471eb1b..2fe64d2d 100644
--- a/src/api/client/sync/v5.rs
+++ b/src/api/client/sync/v5.rs
@@ -612,24 +612,26 @@ where
 			| Ordering::Less => None,
 		};
 
-		let heroes_avatar = if heroes.len() == 1 {
-			heroes[0].avatar.clone()
-		} else {
-			None
-		};
+		let room_avatar = services
+			.state_accessor
+			.get_avatar(room_id)
+			.map_ok(|content| content.url)
+			.ok()
+			.map(Option::flatten)
+			.await;
 
-		let room_avatar = match services.state_accessor.get_avatar(room_id).await {
-			| ruma::JsOption::Some(avatar) => ruma::JsOption::from_option(avatar.url),
-			| ruma::JsOption::Null => ruma::JsOption::Null,
-			| ruma::JsOption::Undefined => ruma::JsOption::Undefined,
-		};
+		let heroes_avatar = (room_avatar.is_none() && room_name.is_none())
+			.then(|| {
+				heroes
+					.first()
+					.and_then(|hero| hero.avatar.clone())
+			})
+			.flatten();
+
+		let avatar = ruma::JsOption::from_option(room_avatar.or(heroes_avatar));
 
 		rooms.insert(room_id.clone(), sync_events::v5::response::Room {
-			avatar: if room_name.is_some() {
-				room_avatar
-			} else {
-				ruma::JsOption::from_option(heroes_avatar)
-			},
+			avatar,
 			name: room_name.or(hero_name),
 			initial: Some(roomsince == &0),
 			is_dm: None,
diff --git a/src/service/rooms/spaces/mod.rs b/src/service/rooms/spaces/mod.rs
index 5dbf764e..1000be7d 100644
--- a/src/service/rooms/spaces/mod.rs
+++ b/src/service/rooms/spaces/mod.rs
@@ -360,7 +360,8 @@ async fn get_room_summary(
 		.services
 		.state_accessor
 		.get_avatar(room_id)
-		.map(|res| res.into_option().unwrap_or_default().url);
+		.map_ok(|content| content.url)
+		.ok();
 
 	let room_version = self.services.state.get_room_version(room_id).ok();
 
@@ -397,12 +398,12 @@ async fn get_room_summary(
 	let summary = SpaceHierarchyParentSummary {
 		children_state,
 		summary: RoomSummary {
+			avatar_url: avatar_url.flatten(),
 			canonical_alias,
 			name,
 			topic,
 			world_readable,
 			guest_can_join,
-			avatar_url,
 			room_type,
 			encryption,
 			room_version,
diff --git a/src/service/rooms/state_accessor/mod.rs b/src/service/rooms/state_accessor/mod.rs
index 054b3d8a..4bdd4091 100644
--- a/src/service/rooms/state_accessor/mod.rs
+++ b/src/service/rooms/state_accessor/mod.rs
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ use std::sync::Arc;
 use async_trait::async_trait;
 use futures::{FutureExt, TryFutureExt, future::try_join};
 use ruma::{
-	EventEncryptionAlgorithm, JsOption, OwnedRoomAliasId, RoomId, UserId,
+	EventEncryptionAlgorithm, OwnedRoomAliasId, RoomId, UserId,
 	events::{
 		StateEventType,
 		room::{
@@ -88,13 +88,9 @@ impl Service {
 			.map(|c: RoomNameEventContent| c.name)
 	}
 
-	pub async fn get_avatar(&self, room_id: &RoomId) -> JsOption<RoomAvatarEventContent> {
-		let content = self
-			.room_state_get_content(room_id, &StateEventType::RoomAvatar, "")
+	pub async fn get_avatar(&self, room_id: &RoomId) -> Result<RoomAvatarEventContent> {
+		self.room_state_get_content(room_id, &StateEventType::RoomAvatar, "")
 			.await
-			.ok();
-
-		JsOption::from_option(content)
 	}
 
 	pub async fn get_member(