diff --git a/api/src/config/index.ts b/api/src/config/index.ts
index ac7131cf..68898396 100644
--- a/api/src/config/index.ts
+++ b/api/src/config/index.ts
@@ -104,11 +104,9 @@ export const config: Config = {
   },
   parameters: {
     uploadDir:
-      (process.env.UPLOAD_DIR ? join(process.cwd(), process.env.UPLOAD_DIR)) :
+      (process.env.UPLOAD_DIR && join(process.cwd(), process.env.UPLOAD_DIR)) ??
       join(process.cwd(), 'uploads'),
-    avatarDir:
-      (process.env.AVATAR_DIR ? join(process.cwd(), process.env.AVATAR_DIR)) :
-      join(process.cwd(), 'avatars'),
+    avatarDir: process.env.AVATAR_DIR ?? join(process.cwd(), 'avatars'),
     storageMode: 'disk',
     maxUploadSize: process.env.UPLOAD_MAX_SIZE_IN_BYTES
       ? Number(process.env.UPLOAD_MAX_SIZE_IN_BYTES)
diff --git a/docker/.env.example b/docker/.env.example
index 834b3e17..72f1faf1 100644
--- a/docker/.env.example
+++ b/docker/.env.example
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ HTTPS_ENABLED=false
 SESSION_SECRET=f661ff500fff6b0c8f91310b6fff6b0c
 SESSION_NAME=s.id
 UPLOAD_DIR=/uploads
-AVATAR_DIR=/avatars
 UPLOAD_MAX_SIZE_IN_BYTES=2000000
 INVITATION_JWT_SECRET=dev_only
 INVITATION_EXPIRES_IN=24h
@@ -72,3 +71,4 @@ APP_REDIS_PORT=9001
 REDIS_ENABLED=false
 REDIS_HOST=redis
 REDIS_PORT=6379
+
diff --git a/docker/docker-compose.yml b/docker/docker-compose.yml
index bd0f2d39..36ebce9e 100644
--- a/docker/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker/docker-compose.yml
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ services:
       - app-network
     volumes:
       - api-data:/app/uploads
-      - api-avatars-data:/app/avatars
     depends_on:
       mongo:
         condition: service_healthy
@@ -56,7 +55,6 @@ services:
 volumes:
   mongo-data:
   api-data:
-  api-avatars-data:
 
 networks:
   db-network: