diff --git a/src/contact.rs b/src/contact.rs
index a535416ad..3bb0dca7a 100644
--- a/src/contact.rs
+++ b/src/contact.rs
@@ -962,6 +962,23 @@ fn set_block_contact(context: &Context, contact_id: u32, new_blocking: bool) {
     }
 }
 
+pub fn set_profile_image(
+    context: &Context,
+    contact_id: u32,
+    profile_image: Option<String>,
+) -> Result<()> {
+    // the given profile image is expected to be already in the blob directory
+    // as profile images can be set only by receiving messages, this should be always the case, however.
+    let mut contact = Contact::load_from_db(context, contact_id)?;
+    match profile_image {
+        Some(profile_image) => contact.param.set(Param::ProfileImage, profile_image),
+        None => contact.param.remove(Param::ProfileImage),
+    };
+    contact.update_param(context)?;
+    context.call_cb(Event::ContactsChanged(Some(contact_id)));
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 /// Normalize a name.
 ///
 /// - Remove quotes (come from some bad MUA implementations)
diff --git a/src/dc_receive_imf.rs b/src/dc_receive_imf.rs
index 2b5e90393..ae687705b 100644
--- a/src/dc_receive_imf.rs
+++ b/src/dc_receive_imf.rs
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ use crate::error::Result;
 use crate::events::Event;
 use crate::headerdef::HeaderDef;
 use crate::job::*;
-use crate::location;
 use crate::message::{self, MessageState, MsgId};
 use crate::mimeparser::*;
 use crate::param::*;
@@ -22,6 +21,7 @@ use crate::peerstate::*;
 use crate::securejoin::handle_securejoin_handshake;
 use crate::sql;
 use crate::stock::StockMessage;
+use crate::{contact, location};
 
 // IndexSet is like HashSet but maintains order of insertion
 type ContactIds = indexmap::IndexSet<u32>;
@@ -238,6 +238,19 @@ pub fn dc_receive_imf(
         );
     }
 
+    if let Some(profile_image) = mime_parser.profile_image {
+        match contact::set_profile_image(&context, from_id, profile_image) {
+            Ok(()) => {
+                context.call_cb(Event::ChatModified(chat_id));
+                true
+            }
+            Err(err) => {
+                warn!(context, "reveive_imf cannot update profile image: {}", err);
+                false
+            }
+        };
+    }
+
     // if we delete we don't need to try moving messages
     if needs_delete_job && !created_db_entries.is_empty() {
         job_add(