diff --git a/admin/settings/users.php b/admin/settings/users.php
index 8534c4565ab..cf782b2980c 100644
--- a/admin/settings/users.php
+++ b/admin/settings/users.php
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ if ($hassiteconfig
         $temp->add(new admin_setting_configmulticheckbox('extrauserselectorfields',
                 get_string('extrauserselectorfields', 'admin'), get_string('configextrauserselectorfields', 'admin'), array('email' => '1'),
                 array('email' => get_string('email'), 'idnumber' => get_string('idnumber'), 'username' => get_string('username'), )));
+        $temp->add(new admin_setting_configcheckbox('enablegravatar', get_string('enablegravatar', 'admin'), get_string('enablegravatar_help', 'admin'), 0));
     }
 
     $ADMIN->add('roles', $temp);
diff --git a/lang/en/admin.php b/lang/en/admin.php
index d5c1e20d0d5..ea523e044e6 100644
--- a/lang/en/admin.php
+++ b/lang/en/admin.php
@@ -469,6 +469,8 @@ $string['enablecourseajax_desc'] = 'Allow AJAX when editing main course pages. N
 $string['enablecourserequests'] = 'Enable course requests';
 $string['enabledevicedetection'] = 'Enable device detection';
 $string['enableglobalsearch'] = 'Enable global search';
+$string['enablegravatar'] = 'Enable Gravatar';
+$string['enablegravatar_help'] = 'When enabled Moodle will attempt to fetch a user profile picture from Gravatar if the user has not uploaded an image.';
 $string['enablegroupmembersonly'] = 'Enable group members only';
 $string['enablehtmlpurifier'] = 'Enable HTML Purifier';
 $string['enablemobilewebservice'] = 'Enable mobile web service';
diff --git a/lang/en/moodle.php b/lang/en/moodle.php
index 4615a99a2ed..a51008a8807 100644
--- a/lang/en/moodle.php
+++ b/lang/en/moodle.php
@@ -749,6 +749,7 @@ See the Moodle License information page for full details:
 http://docs.moodle.org/dev/License';
 $string['grade'] = 'Grade';
 $string['grades'] = 'Grades';
+$string['gravatarenabled'] = '<a href="http://www.gravatar.com/">Gravatar</a> has been enabled for this site. If you don\'t upload a profile picture Moodle will attempt to load a profile picture for you from Gravatar.';
 $string['group'] = 'Group';
 $string['groupadd'] = 'Add new group';
 $string['groupaddusers'] = 'Add selected to group';
diff --git a/lib/outputcomponents.php b/lib/outputcomponents.php
index f822ef9c150..3a1dc0794ba 100644
--- a/lib/outputcomponents.php
+++ b/lib/outputcomponents.php
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ class user_picture implements renderable {
      * @return moodle_url
      */
     public function get_url(moodle_page $page, renderer_base $renderer = null) {
-        global $CFG;
+        global $CFG, $FULLME;
 
         if (is_null($renderer)) {
             $renderer = $page->get_renderer('core');
@@ -298,16 +298,14 @@ class user_picture implements renderable {
             $size = (int)$this->size;
         }
 
-        if ($this->user->picture == 1) {
-            // The user has uploaded their own profile pic. In this case we will
-            // check that a profile pic file does actually exist
-            $fs = get_file_storage();
-            $context = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_USER, $this->user->id);
-            if (!$fs->file_exists($context->id, 'user', 'icon', 0, '/', $filename.'/.png')) {
-                if (!$fs->file_exists($context->id, 'user', 'icon', 0, '/', $filename.'/.jpg')) {
-                    return $renderer->pix_url('u/'.$filename);
-                }
-            }
+        // First we need to determine whether the user has uploaded a profile
+        // picture of not.
+        $fs = get_file_storage();
+        $context = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_USER, $this->user->id);
+        $hasuploadedfile = ($fs->file_exists($context->id, 'user', 'icon', 0, '/', $filename.'/.png') || $fs->file_exists($context->id, 'user', 'icon', 0, '/', $filename.'/.jpg'));
+
+        $imageurl = $renderer->pix_url('u/'.$filename);
+        if ($hasuploadedfile && $this->user->picture == 1) {
             $path = '/';
             if (clean_param($page->theme->name, PARAM_THEME) == $page->theme->name) {
                 // We append the theme name to the file path if we have it so that
@@ -316,20 +314,27 @@ class user_picture implements renderable {
                 // picture for the correct theme.
                 $path .= $page->theme->name.'/';
             }
-            return moodle_url::make_pluginfile_url($context->id, 'user', 'icon', NULL, $path, $filename);
-
-        } else if ($this->user->picture == 2) {
-            // This is just VERY basic support for gravatar to give the actual
-            // implementor a headstart in what to do.
-            if ($size < 1 || $size > 500) {
+            // Set the image URL to the URL for the uploaded file.
+            $imageurl = moodle_url::make_pluginfile_url($context->id, 'user', 'icon', NULL, $path, $filename);
+        } else if (!empty($CFG->enablegravatar)) {
+            // Normalise the size variable to acceptable bounds
+            if ($size < 1 || $size > 512) {
                 $size = 35;
             }
+            // Hash the users email address
             $md5 = md5(strtolower(trim($this->user->email)));
-            $default = urlencode($this->pix_url('u/'.$filename)->out(false));
-            return "http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/{$md5}?s={$size}&d={$default}";
+            // Build a gravatar URL with what we know.
+            // If the currently requested page is https then we'll return an
+            // https gravatar page.
+            if (strpos($FULLME, 'https://') === 0) {
+                $imageurl = new moodle_url("https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/{$md5}", array('s' => $size, 'd' => $imageurl->out(false)));
+            } else {
+                $imageurl = new moodle_url("http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/{$md5}", array('s' => $size, 'd' => $imageurl->out(false)));
+            }
         }
 
-        return $renderer->pix_url('u/'.$filename);
+        // Return the URL that has been generated.
+        return $imageurl;
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/user/edit_form.php b/user/edit_form.php
index d22784857a1..e0290896307 100644
--- a/user/edit_form.php
+++ b/user/edit_form.php
@@ -73,11 +73,19 @@ class user_edit_form extends moodleform {
 
             // print picture
             if (!empty($CFG->gdversion)) {
-                $image_el =& $mform->getElement('currentpicture');
-                if ($user and $user->picture) {
-                    $image_el->setValue($OUTPUT->user_picture($user, array('courseid'=>SITEID, 'size'=>64)));
+                $context = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_USER, $user->id, MUST_EXIST);
+                $fs = get_file_storage();
+                $hasuploadedpicture = (!$fs->file_exists($context->id, 'user', 'icon', 0, '/', 'f2.png') && !$fs->file_exists($context->id, 'user', 'icon', 0, '/', 'f2.jpg'));
+                if (!empty($user->picture) && $hasuploadedpicture) {
+                    $imagevalue = $OUTPUT->user_picture($user, array('courseid' => SITEID, 'size'=>64));
                 } else {
-                    $image_el->setValue(get_string('none'));
+                    $imagevalue = get_string('none');
+                }
+                $imageelement = $mform->getElement('currentpicture');
+                $imageelement->setValue($imagevalue);
+
+                if ($mform->elementExists('deletepicture') && !$hasuploadedpicture) {
+                    $mform->removeElement('deletepicture');
                 }
             }
 
diff --git a/user/editadvanced_form.php b/user/editadvanced_form.php
index 10f6b456bfb..0beb65eff9c 100644
--- a/user/editadvanced_form.php
+++ b/user/editadvanced_form.php
@@ -101,11 +101,23 @@ class user_editadvanced_form extends moodleform {
 
         // print picture
         if (!empty($CFG->gdversion) and empty($USER->newadminuser)) {
-            $image_el =& $mform->getElement('currentpicture');
-            if ($user and $user->picture) {
-                $image_el->setValue($OUTPUT->user_picture($user, array('courseid'=>SITEID)));
+            if ($user) {
+                $context = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_USER, $user->id, MUST_EXIST);
+                $fs = get_file_storage();
+                $hasuploadedpicture = (!$fs->file_exists($context->id, 'user', 'icon', 0, '/', 'f2.png') && !$fs->file_exists($context->id, 'user', 'icon', 0, '/', 'f2.jpg'));
+                if (!empty($user->picture) && $hasuploadedpicture) {
+                    $imagevalue = $OUTPUT->user_picture($user, array('courseid' => SITEID, 'size'=>64));
+                } else {
+                    $imagevalue = get_string('none');
+                }
             } else {
-                $image_el->setValue(get_string('none'));
+                $imagevalue = get_string('none');
+            }
+            $imageelement = $mform->getElement('currentpicture');
+            $imageelement->setValue($imagevalue);
+
+            if ($user && $mform->elementExists('deletepicture') && !$hasuploadedpicture) {
+                $mform->removeElement('deletepicture');
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/user/editlib.php b/user/editlib.php
index af8e537e067..168b5f09a40 100644
--- a/user/editlib.php
+++ b/user/editlib.php
@@ -33,23 +33,48 @@ function useredit_update_user_preference($usernew) {
     }
 }
 
-function useredit_update_picture(&$usernew, $userform) {
+/**
+ * Updates the provided users profile picture based upon the expected fields
+ * returned from the edit or edit_advanced forms.
+ *
+ * @global moodle_database $DB
+ * @param stdClass $usernew An object that contains some information about the user being updated
+ * @param moodleform $userform The form that was submitted to edit the form
+ * @return bool True if the user was updated, false if it stayed the same.
+ */
+function useredit_update_picture(stdClass $usernew, moodleform $userform) {
     global $CFG, $DB;
     require_once("$CFG->libdir/gdlib.php");
 
-    $fs = get_file_storage();
     $context = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_USER, $usernew->id, MUST_EXIST);
-
-    if (isset($usernew->deletepicture) and $usernew->deletepicture) {
+    // This will hold the value to set to the user's picture field at the end of
+    // this function
+    $picturetouse = null;
+    if (!empty($usernew->deletepicture)) {
+        // The user has chosen to delete the selected users picture
+        $fs = get_file_storage();
         $fs->delete_area_files($context->id, 'user', 'icon'); // drop all areas
-        $DB->set_field('user', 'picture', 0, array('id'=>$usernew->id));
-
+        $picturetouse = 0;
     } else if ($iconfile = $userform->save_temp_file('imagefile')) {
+        // There is a new image that has been uploaded
+        // Process the new image and set the user to make use of it.
+        // NOTE: This may be overridden by Gravatar
         if (process_new_icon($context, 'user', 'icon', 0, $iconfile)) {
-            $DB->set_field('user', 'picture', 1, array('id'=>$usernew->id));
+            $picturetouse = 1;
         }
+        // Delete the file that has now been processed
         @unlink($iconfile);
     }
+
+    // If we have a picture to set we can now do so. Note this will still be NULL
+    // unless the user has changed their picture or caused a change by selecting
+    // to delete their picture or use gravatar
+    if (!is_null($picturetouse)) {
+        $DB->set_field('user', 'picture', $picturetouse, array('id' => $usernew->id));
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    return false;
 }
 
 function useredit_update_bounces($user, $usernew) {
@@ -237,6 +262,10 @@ function useredit_shared_definition(&$mform, $editoroptions = null) {
     if (!empty($CFG->gdversion) and empty($USER->newadminuser)) {
         $mform->addElement('header', 'moodle_picture', get_string('pictureofuser'));
 
+        if (!empty($CFG->enablegravatar)) {
+            $mform->addElement('static', 'gravatarenabled', get_string('gravatarenabled'));
+        }
+
         $mform->addElement('static', 'currentpicture', get_string('currentpicture'));
 
         $mform->addElement('checkbox', 'deletepicture', get_string('delete'));