diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/PublishProfilePictureActivity.java b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/PublishProfilePictureActivity.java
index a457bf966..ee70ee43b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/PublishProfilePictureActivity.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/PublishProfilePictureActivity.java
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ import android.graphics.Bitmap;
 import android.graphics.BitmapFactory;
 import android.net.Uri;
 import android.os.Bundle;
+import android.view.Menu;
+import android.view.MenuItem;
 import android.view.View;
 import android.view.View.OnClickListener;
 import android.view.View.OnLongClickListener;
@@ -27,13 +29,12 @@ import eu.siacs.conversations.persistance.FileBackend;
 import eu.siacs.conversations.utils.ExifHelper;
 import eu.siacs.conversations.utils.FileUtils;
 import eu.siacs.conversations.utils.PhoneHelper;
-import eu.siacs.conversations.xmpp.jid.InvalidJidException;
-import eu.siacs.conversations.xmpp.jid.Jid;
 import eu.siacs.conversations.xmpp.pep.Avatar;
 
 public class PublishProfilePictureActivity extends XmppActivity {
 
-	private static final int REQUEST_CHOOSE_FILE = 0xac23;
+	private static final int REQUEST_CHOOSE_FILE_AND_CROP = 0xac23;
+	private static final int REQUEST_CHOOSE_FILE = 0xac24;
 	private ImageView avatar;
 	private TextView accountTextView;
 	private TextView hintOrWarning;
@@ -138,7 +139,7 @@ public class PublishProfilePictureActivity extends XmppActivity {
 			@Override
 			public void onClick(View v) {
 				if (hasStoragePermission(REQUEST_CHOOSE_FILE)) {
-					chooseAvatar();
+					chooseAvatar(false);
 				}
 
 			}
@@ -146,32 +147,52 @@ public class PublishProfilePictureActivity extends XmppActivity {
 		this.defaultUri = PhoneHelper.getSefliUri(getApplicationContext());
 	}
 
-	private void chooseAvatar() {
+	private void chooseAvatar(boolean crop) {
 		Intent attachFileIntent = new Intent();
 		attachFileIntent.setType("image/*");
 		attachFileIntent.setAction(Intent.ACTION_GET_CONTENT);
 		Intent chooser = Intent.createChooser(attachFileIntent, getString(R.string.attach_file));
-		startActivityForResult(chooser, REQUEST_CHOOSE_FILE);
+		startActivityForResult(chooser, crop ? REQUEST_CHOOSE_FILE_AND_CROP : REQUEST_CHOOSE_FILE);
 	}
 
 	@Override
 	public void onRequestPermissionsResult(int requestCode, String permissions[], int[] grantResults) {
 		if (grantResults.length > 0)
 			if (grantResults[0] == PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {
-				if (requestCode == REQUEST_CHOOSE_FILE) {
-					chooseAvatar();
+				if (requestCode == REQUEST_CHOOSE_FILE_AND_CROP) {
+					chooseAvatar(true);
+				} else if (requestCode == REQUEST_CHOOSE_FILE) {
+					chooseAvatar(false);
 				}
 			} else {
 				Toast.makeText(this, R.string.no_storage_permission, Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
 			}
 	}
 
+	@Override
+	public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
+		getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.publish_avatar, menu);
+		return super.onCreateOptionsMenu(menu);
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public boolean onOptionsItemSelected(final MenuItem item) {
+		if (item.getItemId() == R.id.action_crop_image) {
+			if (hasStoragePermission(REQUEST_CHOOSE_FILE_AND_CROP)) {
+				chooseAvatar(true);
+			}
+			return true;
+		} else {
+			return onOptionsItemSelected(item);
+		}
+	}
+
 	@Override
 	protected void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, final Intent data) {
 		super.onActivityResult(requestCode, resultCode, data);
 		if (resultCode == RESULT_OK) {
 			switch (requestCode) {
-				case REQUEST_CHOOSE_FILE:
+				case REQUEST_CHOOSE_FILE_AND_CROP:
 					Uri source = data.getData();
 					String original = FileUtils.getPath(this, source);
 					if (original != null) {
@@ -181,9 +202,17 @@ public class PublishProfilePictureActivity extends XmppActivity {
 					final int size = getPixel(192);
 					Crop.of(source, destination).asSquare().withMaxSize(size, size).start(this);
 					break;
+				case REQUEST_CHOOSE_FILE:
+					this.avatarUri = data.getData();
+					if (xmppConnectionServiceBound) {
+						loadImageIntoPreview(this.avatarUri);
+					}
+					break;
 				case Crop.REQUEST_CROP:
 					this.avatarUri = Uri.fromFile(new File(getCacheDir(), "croppedAvatar"));
-					loadImageIntoPreview(this.avatarUri);
+					if (xmppConnectionServiceBound) {
+						loadImageIntoPreview(this.avatarUri);
+					}
 					break;
 			}
 		} else {
@@ -248,21 +277,10 @@ public class PublishProfilePictureActivity extends XmppActivity {
 		}
 	}
 
-	private Bitmap loadScaledBitmap(Uri uri, int reqSize) throws FileNotFoundException {
-		final BitmapFactory.Options options = new BitmapFactory.Options();
-		options.inJustDecodeBounds = true;
-		BitmapFactory.decodeStream(getContentResolver().openInputStream(uri), null, options);
-		int rotation = ExifHelper.getOrientation(getContentResolver().openInputStream(uri));
-		options.inSampleSize = FileBackend.calcSampleSize(options, reqSize);
-		options.inJustDecodeBounds = false;
-		Bitmap bm = BitmapFactory.decodeStream(getContentResolver().openInputStream(uri), null, options);
-		return FileBackend.rotate(bm,rotation);
-	}
-
 	protected void loadImageIntoPreview(Uri uri) {
 		Bitmap bm = null;
 		try {
-			bm = loadScaledBitmap(uri, getPixel(192));
+			bm = xmppConnectionService.getFileBackend().cropCenterSquare(uri, getPixel(192));
 		} catch (Exception e) {
 			e.printStackTrace();
 		}
diff --git a/src/main/res/drawable-hdpi/ic_crop_white_24dp.png b/src/main/res/drawable-hdpi/ic_crop_white_24dp.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6cbb87ce8
Binary files /dev/null and b/src/main/res/drawable-hdpi/ic_crop_white_24dp.png differ
diff --git a/src/main/res/drawable-mdpi/ic_crop_white_24dp.png b/src/main/res/drawable-mdpi/ic_crop_white_24dp.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d606c0725
Binary files /dev/null and b/src/main/res/drawable-mdpi/ic_crop_white_24dp.png differ
diff --git a/src/main/res/drawable-xhdpi/ic_crop_white_24dp.png b/src/main/res/drawable-xhdpi/ic_crop_white_24dp.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..983af77f1
Binary files /dev/null and b/src/main/res/drawable-xhdpi/ic_crop_white_24dp.png differ
diff --git a/src/main/res/drawable-xxhdpi/ic_crop_white_24dp.png b/src/main/res/drawable-xxhdpi/ic_crop_white_24dp.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8c9eecb9c
Binary files /dev/null and b/src/main/res/drawable-xxhdpi/ic_crop_white_24dp.png differ
diff --git a/src/main/res/drawable-xxxhdpi/ic_crop_white_24dp.png b/src/main/res/drawable-xxxhdpi/ic_crop_white_24dp.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..35d5434af
Binary files /dev/null and b/src/main/res/drawable-xxxhdpi/ic_crop_white_24dp.png differ
diff --git a/src/main/res/menu/publish_avatar.xml b/src/main/res/menu/publish_avatar.xml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1bffb2961
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/res/menu/publish_avatar.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+<menu xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
+
+    <item
+        android:id="@+id/action_crop_image"
+        android:showAsAction="always"
+        android:icon="@drawable/ic_crop_white_24dp"
+        android:title="@string/select_image_and_crop"/>
+</menu>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index 6a36233ce..7368d0dc9 100644
--- a/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -602,4 +602,5 @@
 	<string name="correct_message">Correct message</string>
 	<string name="send_corrected_message">Send corrected message</string>
 	<string name="no_keys_just_confirm">You already trust this contact. By selecting \'done\' you are just confirming that %s is part of this conference.</string>
+	<string name="select_image_and_crop">Select image and crop</string>
 </resources>