diff --git a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/smsmessenger/adapters/MessagesAdapter.kt b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/smsmessenger/adapters/MessagesAdapter.kt
index 7701c60f..16f5e60d 100644
--- a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/smsmessenger/adapters/MessagesAdapter.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/smsmessenger/adapters/MessagesAdapter.kt
@@ -1,10 +1,16 @@
 package com.simplemobiletools.smsmessenger.adapters
 
 import android.graphics.Typeface
+import android.graphics.drawable.BitmapDrawable
+import android.net.Uri
 import android.view.Menu
 import android.view.View
 import android.view.ViewGroup
 import android.widget.TextView
+import com.bumptech.glide.Glide
+import com.bumptech.glide.load.engine.DiskCacheStrategy
+import com.bumptech.glide.load.resource.drawable.DrawableTransitionOptions
+import com.bumptech.glide.request.RequestOptions
 import com.simplemobiletools.commons.adapters.MyRecyclerViewAdapter
 import com.simplemobiletools.commons.dialogs.ConfirmationDialog
 import com.simplemobiletools.commons.extensions.formatDateOrTime
@@ -14,6 +20,8 @@ import com.simplemobiletools.commons.views.MyRecyclerView
 import com.simplemobiletools.smsmessenger.R
 import com.simplemobiletools.smsmessenger.activities.SimpleActivity
 import com.simplemobiletools.smsmessenger.extensions.deleteThread
+import com.simplemobiletools.smsmessenger.extensions.getNameLetter
+import com.simplemobiletools.smsmessenger.extensions.getNotificationLetterIcon
 import com.simplemobiletools.smsmessenger.helpers.refreshMessages
 import com.simplemobiletools.smsmessenger.models.Message
 import kotlinx.android.synthetic.main.item_message.view.*
@@ -104,6 +112,13 @@ class MessagesAdapter(
         }
     }
 
+    override fun onViewRecycled(holder: ViewHolder) {
+        super.onViewRecycled(holder)
+        if (!activity.isDestroyed && !activity.isFinishing) {
+            Glide.with(activity).clear(holder.itemView.message_image)
+        }
+    }
+
     private fun setupView(view: View, message: Message) {
         view.apply {
             message_frame.isSelected = selectedKeys.contains(message.id)
@@ -125,6 +140,22 @@ class MessagesAdapter(
             arrayListOf<TextView>(message_address, message_body_short, message_date).forEach {
                 it.setTextColor(textColor)
             }
+
+            val participant = message.participants.first()
+            val uri = Uri.parse(participant.photoUri)
+            val placeholder = BitmapDrawable(activity.resources, activity.getNotificationLetterIcon(participant.name.getNameLetter()))
+            val options = RequestOptions()
+                .diskCacheStrategy(DiskCacheStrategy.RESOURCE)
+                .error(placeholder)
+                .centerCrop()
+
+            Glide.with(context)
+                .load(uri)
+                .transition(DrawableTransitionOptions.withCrossFade())
+                .placeholder(placeholder)
+                .apply(options)
+                .apply(RequestOptions.circleCropTransform())
+                .into(message_image)
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/smsmessenger/extensions/Context.kt b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/smsmessenger/extensions/Context.kt
index 7d532fa4..c112253a 100644
--- a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/smsmessenger/extensions/Context.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/smsmessenger/extensions/Context.kt
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import com.simplemobiletools.smsmessenger.R
 import com.simplemobiletools.smsmessenger.activities.ThreadActivity
 import com.simplemobiletools.smsmessenger.helpers.Config
 import com.simplemobiletools.smsmessenger.helpers.THREAD_ID
+import com.simplemobiletools.smsmessenger.helpers.letterBackgroundColors
 import com.simplemobiletools.smsmessenger.models.Contact
 import com.simplemobiletools.smsmessenger.models.Message
 import com.simplemobiletools.smsmessenger.models.MessageAttachment
@@ -488,8 +489,9 @@ fun Context.getNotificationLetterIcon(letter: String): Bitmap {
     val view = TextView(this)
     view.layout(0, 0, size, size)
 
+    val charValue = letter.toCharArray().first().toInt()
     val circlePaint = Paint().apply {
-        color = getAdjustedPrimaryColor()
+        color = letterBackgroundColors[charValue % letterBackgroundColors.size].toInt()
         isAntiAlias = true
     }
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/smsmessenger/extensions/String.kt b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/smsmessenger/extensions/String.kt
index 8a19a295..577f99e2 100644
--- a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/smsmessenger/extensions/String.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/smsmessenger/extensions/String.kt
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package com.simplemobiletools.smsmessenger.extensions
 
 import com.simplemobiletools.commons.extensions.normalizeString
+import java.util.*
 
 // get the contact names first letter at showing the placeholder without image
-fun String.getNameLetter() = normalizeString().toCharArray().getOrNull(0)?.toString() ?: "S"
+fun String.getNameLetter() = normalizeString().toCharArray().getOrNull(0)?.toString()?.toUpperCase(Locale.getDefault()) ?: "S"
diff --git a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/smsmessenger/helpers/Constants.kt b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/smsmessenger/helpers/Constants.kt
index dcc40a20..c36dada1 100644
--- a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/smsmessenger/helpers/Constants.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/smsmessenger/helpers/Constants.kt
@@ -19,3 +19,17 @@ const val MESSAGE_ADDRESS = "message_address"
 fun refreshMessages() {
     EventBus.getDefault().post(Events.RefreshMessages())
 }
+
+// most app icon colors from md_app_icon_colors with reduced alpha
+val letterBackgroundColors = arrayListOf(
+    0xCCD32F2F,
+    0xCCC2185B,
+    0xCC1976D2,
+    0xCC0288D1,
+    0xCC0097A7,
+    0xCC00796B,
+    0xCC388E3C,
+    0xCC689F38,
+    0xCCF57C00,
+    0xCCE64A19
+)
diff --git a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/smsmessenger/models/Message.kt b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/smsmessenger/models/Message.kt
index 7a639656..b8de93b9 100644
--- a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/smsmessenger/models/Message.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/smsmessenger/models/Message.kt
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 package com.simplemobiletools.smsmessenger.models
 
+import android.graphics.Bitmap
 import android.provider.Telephony
 import com.simplemobiletools.smsmessenger.extensions.getThreadTitle
 
@@ -10,4 +11,6 @@ data class Message(
     fun isReceivedMessage() = type == Telephony.Sms.MESSAGE_TYPE_INBOX
 
     fun getThreadTitle() = participants.getThreadTitle()
+
+    fun getThreadImageUri() = participants.firstOrNull()?.photoUri
 }
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/layout/item_message.xml b/app/src/main/res/layout/item_message.xml
index e0d3611d..f9f7747e 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/layout/item_message.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/layout/item_message.xml
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@
 
         <ImageView
             android:id="@+id/message_image"
-            android:layout_width="@dimen/avatar_size"
-            android:layout_height="@dimen/avatar_size"
+            android:layout_width="@dimen/normal_icon_size"
+            android:layout_height="@dimen/normal_icon_size"
             android:layout_alignTop="@+id/message_address"
             android:layout_alignBottom="@+id/message_date"
             android:layout_centerVertical="true"