diff --git a/desktop/src/shared/avatars/gooseAppAvatarRefs.test.mjs b/desktop/src/shared/avatars/gooseAppAvatarRefs.test.mjs
index b5ce4f23e..9e4f04b94 100644
--- a/desktop/src/shared/avatars/gooseAppAvatarRefs.test.mjs
+++ b/desktop/src/shared/avatars/gooseAppAvatarRefs.test.mjs
@@ -39,3 +39,13 @@ test("resolveImportedPersonaAvatarUrl preserves ordinary image URLs", () => {
     "https://example.com/avatar.png",
   );
 });
+
+test("resolveImportedPersonaAvatarUrl preserves URL avatar refs", () => {
+  assert.equal(
+    resolveImportedPersonaAvatarUrl({
+      avatarDataUrl: null,
+      avatarRef: " https://example.com/persona-avatar.png ",
+    }),
+    "https://example.com/persona-avatar.png",
+  );
+});
diff --git a/desktop/src/shared/avatars/gooseAppAvatarRefs.ts b/desktop/src/shared/avatars/gooseAppAvatarRefs.ts
index 49cf7c6ed..fa4486ac5 100644
--- a/desktop/src/shared/avatars/gooseAppAvatarRefs.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/shared/avatars/gooseAppAvatarRefs.ts
@@ -65,8 +65,12 @@ export function resolveImportedPersonaAvatarUrl({
     return gooseRef;
   }
 
-  const trimmedAvatarUrl = avatarDataUrl?.trim();
-  return trimmedAvatarUrl && isPersistableAvatarUrl(trimmedAvatarUrl)
-    ? trimmedAvatarUrl
-    : null;
+  for (const candidate of [avatarRef, avatarDataUrl]) {
+    const trimmedAvatarUrl = candidate?.trim();
+    if (trimmedAvatarUrl && isPersistableAvatarUrl(trimmedAvatarUrl)) {
+      return trimmedAvatarUrl;
+    }
+  }
+
+  return null;
 }