diff --git a/api/resolvers/upload.js b/api/resolvers/upload.js
index 34e86c17..ed19b8a0 100644
--- a/api/resolvers/upload.js
+++ b/api/resolvers/upload.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { createPresignedPost } from '../s3'
 
 export default {
   Mutation: {
-    getSignedPOST: async (parent, { type, size, width, height }, { models, me }) => {
+    getSignedPOST: async (parent, { type, size, width, height, avatar }, { models, me }) => {
       if (!me) {
         throw new GraphQLError('you must be logged in to get a signed url', { extensions: { code: 'FORBIDDEN' } })
       }
@@ -21,19 +21,30 @@ export default {
         throw new GraphQLError(`image must be less than ${IMAGE_PIXELS_MAX} pixels`, { extensions: { code: 'BAD_INPUT' } })
       }
 
-      // create upload record
-      const upload = await models.upload.create({
-        data: {
-          type,
-          size,
-          width,
-          height,
-          userId: me.id
-        }
-      })
+      const data = {
+        type,
+        size,
+        width,
+        height,
+        userId: me.id
+      }
+
+      let uploadId
+      if (avatar) {
+        const { photoId } = await models.user.findUnique({ where: { id: me.id } })
+        if (photoId) uploadId = photoId
+      }
+      if (uploadId) {
+        // update upload record
+        await models.upload.update({ data, where: { id: uploadId } })
+      } else {
+        // create upload record
+        const upload = await models.upload.create({ data })
+        uploadId = upload.id
+      }
 
       // get presigned POST url
-      return createPresignedPost({ key: String(upload.id), type, size })
+      return createPresignedPost({ key: String(uploadId), type, size })
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/api/typeDefs/upload.js b/api/typeDefs/upload.js
index 07a2e9db..05a90e93 100644
--- a/api/typeDefs/upload.js
+++ b/api/typeDefs/upload.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { gql } from 'graphql-tag'
 
 export default gql`
   extend type Mutation {
-    getSignedPOST(type: String!, size: Int!, width: Int!, height: Int!): SignedPost!
+    getSignedPOST(type: String!, size: Int!, width: Int!, height: Int!, avatar: Boolean): SignedPost!
   }
 
   type SignedPost {
diff --git a/components/upload.js b/components/upload.js
index 24a784b3..122a26cb 100644
--- a/components/upload.js
+++ b/components/upload.js
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ import { UPLOAD_TYPES_ALLOW } from '../lib/constants'
 export default function Upload ({ as: Component, onSelect, onStarted, onError, onSuccess }) {
   const [getSignedPOST] = useMutation(
     gql`
-      mutation getSignedPOST($type: String!, $size: Int!, $width: Int!, $height: Int!) {
-        getSignedPOST(type: $type, size: $size, width: $width, height: $height) {
+      mutation getSignedPOST($type: String!, $size: Int!, $width: Int!, $height: Int!, $avatar: Boolean!) {
+        getSignedPOST(type: $type, size: $size, width: $width, height: $height, avatar: $avatar) {
           url
           fields
         }
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ export default function Upload ({ as: Component, onSelect, onStarted, onError, o
       try {
         ({ data } = await getSignedPOST({
           variables: {
+            avatar: true,
             type: file.type,
             size: file.size,
             width: img.width,