diff --git a/images/diaspora-banner.jpg b/images/diaspora-banner.jpg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b0df6a2fac
Binary files /dev/null and b/images/diaspora-banner.jpg differ
diff --git a/images/friendica-banner.jpg b/images/friendica-banner.jpg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8b1d0fbf63
Binary files /dev/null and b/images/friendica-banner.jpg differ
diff --git a/src/Model/Contact.php b/src/Model/Contact.php
index ee905a80d3..9d609786e9 100644
--- a/src/Model/Contact.php
+++ b/src/Model/Contact.php
@@ -687,7 +687,7 @@ class Contact
 	{
 		$fields = ['id', 'name', 'nick', 'location', 'about', 'keywords', 'avatar', 'prvkey', 'pubkey',
 			'xmpp', 'matrix', 'contact-type', 'forum', 'prv', 'avatar-date', 'url', 'nurl', 'unsearchable',
-			'photo', 'thumb', 'micro', 'addr', 'request', 'notify', 'poll', 'confirm', 'poco', 'network'];
+			'photo', 'thumb', 'micro', 'header', 'addr', 'request', 'notify', 'poll', 'confirm', 'poco', 'network'];
 		$self = DBA::selectFirst('contact', $fields, ['uid' => $uid, 'self' => true]);
 		if (!DBA::isResult($self)) {
 			return false;
@@ -753,6 +753,7 @@ class Contact
 		}
 
 		$fields['avatar'] = User::getAvatarUrl($user);
+		$fields['header'] = User::getBannerUrl($user);
 		$fields['forum'] = $user['page-flags'] == User::PAGE_FLAGS_COMMUNITY;
 		$fields['prv'] = $user['page-flags'] == User::PAGE_FLAGS_PRVGROUP;
 		$fields['unsearchable'] = !$profile['net-publish'];
@@ -1659,6 +1660,59 @@ class Contact
 		return $contact;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Fetch the default header for the given contact
+	 *
+	 * @param array $contact  contact array
+	 * @return string avatar URL
+	 */
+	public static function getDefaultHeader(array $contact): string
+	{
+		if (!empty($contact['header'])) {
+			return $contact['header'];
+		}
+
+		if (!empty($contact['gsid'])) {
+			// Use default banners for certain platforms
+			$gserver = DBA::selectFirst('gserver', ['platform'], ['id' => $contact['gsid']]);
+			$platform = strtolower($gserver['platform'] ?? '');
+		} else {
+			$platform = '';
+		}
+
+		switch ($platform) {
+			case 'friendica':
+			case 'friendika':
+				/**
+				 * Picture credits
+				 * @author  Lostinlight <https://mastodon.xyz/@lightone>
+				 * @license CC0 https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/
+				 * @link    https://gitlab.com/lostinlight/per_aspera_ad_astra/-/blob/master/friendica-404/friendica-promo-bubbles.jpg
+				 */
+				$header = DI::baseUrl() . '/images/friendica-banner.jpg';
+				break;
+			case 'diaspora':
+				/**
+				 * Picture credits
+				 * @author  John Liu <https://www.flickr.com/photos/8047705@N02/>
+				 * @license CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
+				 * @link    https://www.flickr.com/photos/8047705@N02/5572197407
+				 */
+				$header = DI::baseUrl() . '/images/diaspora-banner.jpg';
+				break;
+			default:
+				/**
+				 * Use a random picture. 
+				 * The service provides random pictures from Unsplash.
+				 * @license https://unsplash.com/license
+				 */
+				$header = 'https://picsum.photos/seed/' . hash('ripemd128', $contact['url']) . '/960/300';
+				break;
+		}
+
+		return $header;
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Fetch the default avatar for the given contact and size
 	 *
diff --git a/src/Model/Photo.php b/src/Model/Photo.php
index 91d827826d..8ba01e3365 100644
--- a/src/Model/Photo.php
+++ b/src/Model/Photo.php
@@ -634,6 +634,7 @@ class Photo
 		$sql_extra = Security::getPermissionsSQLByUserId($uid);
 
 		$avatar_type = (local_user() && (local_user() == $uid)) ? self::USER_AVATAR : self::DEFAULT;
+		$banner_type = (local_user() && (local_user() == $uid)) ? self::USER_BANNER : self::DEFAULT;
 
 		$key = "photo_albums:".$uid.":".local_user().":".remote_user();
 		$albums = DI::cache()->get($key);
@@ -643,19 +644,21 @@ class Photo
 				// At this time we just store the data in the cache
 				$albums = DBA::toArray(DBA::p("SELECT COUNT(DISTINCT `resource-id`) AS `total`, `album`, ANY_VALUE(`created`) AS `created`
 					FROM `photo`
-					WHERE `uid` = ? AND `photo-type` IN (?, ?) $sql_extra
+					WHERE `uid` = ? AND `photo-type` IN (?, ?, ?) $sql_extra
 					GROUP BY `album` ORDER BY `created` DESC",
 					$uid,
 					self::DEFAULT,
+					$banner_type,
 					$avatar_type
 				));
 			} else {
 				// This query doesn't do the count and is much faster
 				$albums = DBA::toArray(DBA::p("SELECT DISTINCT(`album`), '' AS `total`
 					FROM `photo` USE INDEX (`uid_album_scale_created`)
-					WHERE `uid` = ? AND `photo-type` IN (?, ?) $sql_extra",
+					WHERE `uid` = ? AND `photo-type` IN (?, ?, ?) $sql_extra",
 					$uid,
 					self::DEFAULT,
+					$banner_type,
 					$avatar_type
 				));
 			}
@@ -871,6 +874,69 @@ class Photo
 		return DBA::exists('photo', ['resource-id' => $guid]);
 	}
 
+	private static function fitImageSize($Image)
+	{
+		$max_length = DI::config()->get('system', 'max_image_length');
+		if ($max_length > 0) {
+			$Image->scaleDown($max_length);
+			Logger::info('File upload: Scaling picture to new size', ['max-length' => $max_length]);
+		}
+
+		$filesize = strlen($Image->asString());
+		$width    = $Image->getWidth();
+		$height   = $Image->getHeight();
+
+		$maximagesize = DI::config()->get('system', 'maximagesize');
+
+		if (!empty($maximagesize) && ($filesize > $maximagesize)) {
+			// Scale down to multiples of 640 until the maximum size isn't exceeded anymore
+			foreach ([5120, 2560, 1280, 640] as $pixels) {
+				if (($filesize > $maximagesize) && (max($width, $height) > $pixels)) {
+					Logger::info('Resize', ['size' => $filesize, 'width' => $width, 'height' => $height, 'max' => $maximagesize, 'pixels' => $pixels]);
+					$Image->scaleDown($pixels);
+					$filesize = strlen($Image->asString());
+					$width = $Image->getWidth();
+					$height = $Image->getHeight();
+				}
+			}
+			if ($filesize > $maximagesize) {
+				Logger::notice('Image size is too big', ['size' => $filesize, 'max' => $maximagesize]);
+				return null;
+			}
+		}
+
+		return $Image;
+	}
+
+	private static function loadImageFromURL(string $image_url)
+	{
+		$filename = basename($image_url);
+		if (!empty($image_url)) {
+			$ret = DI::httpClient()->get($image_url);
+			$img_str = $ret->getBody();
+			$type = $ret->getContentType();
+		} else {
+			$img_str = '';
+			$type = '';
+		}
+
+		if (empty($img_str)) {
+			Logger::notice('Empty content');
+			return [];
+		}
+
+		$type = Images::getMimeTypeByData($img_str, $image_url, $type);
+
+		$Image = new Image($img_str, $type);
+
+		$Image = self::fitImageSize($Image);
+		if (empty($Image)) {
+			return [];
+		}
+
+		return ['image' => $Image, 'filename' => $filename];
+	}
+
 	private static function uploadImage(array $files)
 	{
 		Logger::info('starting new upload');
@@ -939,37 +1005,12 @@ class Photo
 		$Image->orient($src);
 		@unlink($src);
 
-		$max_length = DI::config()->get('system', 'max_image_length');
-		if ($max_length > 0) {
-			$Image->scaleDown($max_length);
-			$filesize = strlen($Image->asString());
-			Logger::info('File upload: Scaling picture to new size', ['max-length' => $max_length]);
+		$Image = self::fitImageSize($Image);
+		if (empty($Image)) {
+			return [];
 		}
 
-		$width = $Image->getWidth();
-		$height = $Image->getHeight();
-
-		$maximagesize = DI::config()->get('system', 'maximagesize');
-
-		if (!empty($maximagesize) && ($filesize > $maximagesize)) {
-			// Scale down to multiples of 640 until the maximum size isn't exceeded anymore
-			foreach ([5120, 2560, 1280, 640] as $pixels) {
-				if (($filesize > $maximagesize) && (max($width, $height) > $pixels)) {
-					Logger::info('Resize', ['size' => $filesize, 'width' => $width, 'height' => $height, 'max' => $maximagesize, 'pixels' => $pixels]);
-					$Image->scaleDown($pixels);
-					$filesize = strlen($Image->asString());
-					$width = $Image->getWidth();
-					$height = $Image->getHeight();
-				}
-			}
-			if ($filesize > $maximagesize) {
-				@unlink($src);
-				Logger::notice('Image size is too big', ['size' => $filesize, 'max' => $maximagesize]);
-				return [];
-			}
-		}
-
-		return ['image' => $Image, 'filename' => $filename, 'width' => $width, 'height' => $height];
+		return ['image' => $Image, 'filename' => $filename];
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -1001,8 +1042,8 @@ class Photo
 
 		$Image    = $data['image'];
 		$filename = $data['filename'];
-		$width    = $data['width'];
-		$height   = $data['height'];
+		$width    = $Image->getWidth();
+		$height   = $Image->getHeight();
 
 		$resource_id = $resource_id ?: self::newResource();
 		$album       = $album ?: DI::l10n()->t('Wall Photos');
@@ -1060,22 +1101,36 @@ class Photo
 	}
 
 	/**
+	 * Upload a user avatar
 	 *
-	 * @param int   $uid   User ID
-	 * @param array $files uploaded file array
+	 * @param int    $uid   User ID
+	 * @param array  $files uploaded file array
+	 * @param string $url   External image url
 	 * @return string avatar resource
 	 */
-	public static function uploadAvatar(int $uid, array $files): string
+	public static function uploadAvatar(int $uid, array $files, string $url = ''): string
 	{
-		$data = self::uploadImage($files);
-		if (empty($data)) {
+		if (!empty($files)) {
+			$data = self::uploadImage($files);
+			if (empty($data)) {
+				Logger::info('upload failed');
+				return '';
+			}
+		} elseif (!empty($url)) {
+			$data = self::loadImageFromURL($url);
+			if (empty($data)) {
+				Logger::info('loading from external url failed');
+				return '';
+			}
+		} else {
+			Logger::info('Neither files nor url provided');
 			return '';
 		}
 
 		$Image    = $data['image'];
 		$filename = $data['filename'];
-		$width    = $data['width'];
-		$height   = $data['height'];
+		$width    = $Image->getWidth();
+		$height   = $Image->getHeight();
 
 		$resource_id = self::newResource();
 		$album       = DI::l10n()->t(self::PROFILE_PHOTOS);
@@ -1124,23 +1179,36 @@ class Photo
 	}
 
 	/**
+	 * Upload a user banner
 	 *
-	 * @param int   $uid   User ID
-	 * @param array $files uploaded file array
+	 * @param int    $uid   User ID
+	 * @param array  $files uploaded file array
+	 * @param string $url   External image url
 	 * @return string avatar resource
 	 */
-	public static function uploadBanner(int $uid, array $files): string
+	public static function uploadBanner(int $uid, array $files = [], string $url = ''): string
 	{
-		$data = self::uploadImage($files);
-		if (empty($data)) {
-			Logger::info('upload failed');
+		if (!empty($files)) {
+			$data = self::uploadImage($files);
+			if (empty($data)) {
+				Logger::info('upload failed');
+				return '';
+			}
+		} elseif (!empty($url)) {
+			$data = self::loadImageFromURL($url);
+			if (empty($data)) {
+				Logger::info('loading from external url failed');
+				return '';
+			}
+		} else {
+			Logger::info('Neither files nor url provided');
 			return '';
 		}
 
 		$Image    = $data['image'];
 		$filename = $data['filename'];
-		$width    = $data['width'];
-		$height   = $data['height'];
+		$width    = $Image->getWidth();
+		$height   = $Image->getHeight();
 
 		$resource_id = self::newResource();
 		$album       = DI::l10n()->t(self::BANNER_PHOTOS);
diff --git a/src/Model/User.php b/src/Model/User.php
index c8e9a61f17..93538bce64 100644
--- a/src/Model/User.php
+++ b/src/Model/User.php
@@ -850,19 +850,46 @@ class User
 				break;
 		}
 
-		$updated =  '';
-		$imagetype = IMAGETYPE_JPEG;
+		$updated  =  '';
+		$mimetype = '';
 
 		$photo = Photo::selectFirst(['type', 'created', 'edited', 'updated'], ["scale" => $scale, 'uid' => $user['uid'], 'profile' => true]);
 		if (!empty($photo)) {
-			$updated = max($photo['created'], $photo['edited'], $photo['updated']);
-
-			if (in_array($photo['type'], ['image/png', 'image/gif'])) {
-				$imagetype = IMAGETYPE_PNG;
-			}
+			$updated  = max($photo['created'], $photo['edited'], $photo['updated']);
+			$mimetype = $photo['type'];
 		}
 
-		return $url . $user['nickname'] . image_type_to_extension($imagetype) . ($updated ? '?ts=' . strtotime($updated) : '');
+		return $url . $user['nickname'] . Images::getExtensionByMimeType($mimetype) . ($updated ? '?ts=' . strtotime($updated) : '');
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Get banner link for given user
+	 *
+	 * @param array  $user
+	 * @return string banner link
+	 * @throws Exception
+	 */
+	public static function getBannerUrl(array $user):string
+	{
+		if (empty($user['nickname'])) {
+			DI::logger()->warning('Missing user nickname key', ['trace' => System::callstack(20)]);
+		}
+
+		$url = DI::baseUrl() . '/photo/banner/';
+
+		$updated  = '';
+		$mimetype = '';
+
+		$photo = Photo::selectFirst(['type', 'created', 'edited', 'updated'], ["scale" => 3, 'uid' => $user['uid'], 'photo-type' => Photo::USER_BANNER]);
+		if (!empty($photo)) {
+			$updated  = max($photo['created'], $photo['edited'], $photo['updated']);
+			$mimetype = $photo['type'];
+		} else {
+			// Only for the RC phase: Don't return an image link for the default picture
+			return '';
+		}
+
+		return $url . $user['nickname'] . Images::getExtensionByMimeType($mimetype) . ($updated ? '?ts=' . strtotime($updated) : '');
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/src/Module/Photo.php b/src/Module/Photo.php
index a92568015c..6f58cb7f57 100644
--- a/src/Module/Photo.php
+++ b/src/Module/Photo.php
@@ -310,19 +310,26 @@ class Photo extends BaseModule
 				}
 				return MPhoto::createPhotoForExternalResource($url, 0, $mimetext);
 			case "header":
-				$contact = Contact::getById($id, ['uid', 'url', 'header']);
+				$fields = ['uid', 'url', 'header', 'network', 'gsid'];
+				$contact = Contact::getById($id, $fields);
 				if (empty($contact)) {
 					return false;
 				}
 				If (($contact['uid'] != 0) && empty($contact['header'])) {
-					$contact = Contact::getByURL($contact['url'], false, ['header']);
+					$contact = Contact::getByURL($contact['url'], false, $fields);
 				}
 				if (!empty($contact['header'])) {
 					$url = $contact['header'];
 				} else {
-					$url = DI::baseUrl() . '/images/blank.png';
+					$url = Contact::getDefaultHeader($contact);
 				}
 				return MPhoto::createPhotoForExternalResource($url);
+			case "banner":
+				$photo = MPhoto::selectFirst([], ["scale" => 3, 'uid' => $id, 'photo-type' => MPhoto::USER_BANNER]);
+				if (!empty($photo)) {
+					return $photo;
+				}
+				return MPhoto::createPhotoForExternalResource(DI::baseUrl() . '/images/friendica-banner.jpg');
 			case "profile":
 			case "custom":
 				$scale = 4;