diff --git a/js/models/conversations.js b/js/models/conversations.js
index 520deffa..7aeb8b18 100644
--- a/js/models/conversations.js
+++ b/js/models/conversations.js
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@
     defaults: function() {
       var timestamp = new Date().getTime();
       return {
-        image       : '/images/default.png',
         unreadCount : 0,
         timestamp   : timestamp,
         active_at   : timestamp
@@ -36,7 +35,7 @@
     },
 
     validate: function(attributes, options) {
-      var required = ['type', 'timestamp', 'image'];
+      var required = ['type', 'timestamp'];
       var missing = _.filter(required, function(attr) { return !attributes[attr]; });
       if (missing.length) { return "Conversation must have " + missing; }
     },
diff --git a/js/views/conversation_list_item_view.js b/js/views/conversation_list_item_view.js
index 62b7cca1..d60e1409 100644
--- a/js/views/conversation_list_item_view.js
+++ b/js/views/conversation_list_item_view.js
@@ -41,6 +41,11 @@ var Whisper = Whisper || {};
           new Whisper.AttachmentView({model: this.model.get('avatar')}).render().el
         );
       }
+      else {
+        this.$el.find('.avatar').append(
+            $('<img>').attr('src', '/images/default.png')
+        );
+      }
 
       return this;
     }