diff --git a/telegram/utils.go b/telegram/utils.go
index f29963d..c667d53 100644
--- a/telegram/utils.go
+++ b/telegram/utils.go
@@ -129,6 +129,8 @@ func NewMessageLimitSince(since int64) *MessageLimit {
 	return &limit
 }
 
+const AVATAR_SIZE_LIMIT int64 = 128 * 1024
+
 // GetContactByUsername resolves username to user id retrieves user and chat information
 func (c *Client) GetContactByUsername(username string) (*client.Chat, *client.User, error) {
 	if !c.Online() {
@@ -353,6 +355,12 @@ func (c *Client) getFileData(tgFile *client.File, typ byte) string {
 		priority = 32
 	}
 
+	// avoid not-well-formed stanza errors
+	if typ == typeFileDataBase64 && c.GetPhotoSize(tgFile) > AVATAR_SIZE_LIMIT {
+		log.Warnf("Photo %v skipped as it's too huge", tgFile.Id)
+		return ""
+	}
+
 	file, path, err := c.ForceOpenFile(tgFile, priority)
 	if err == nil {
 		defer file.Close()
@@ -395,16 +403,16 @@ func (c *Client) SetEmptyAvatarHash(chatId int64) {
 	c.AvatarHashesLock.Unlock()
 }
 
-// GetPhotoSha1AndSize obtains data for PEP
-func (c *Client) GetPhotoSha1AndSize(photo *client.File, chatId int64) (string, int64) {
-	sha1 := c.GetPhotoSha1(photo, chatId)
-
+// GetPhotoSize return at least a rough size
+func (c *Client) GetPhotoSize(photo *client.File) int64 {
+	if photo == nil {
+		return 0
+	}
 	size := photo.Size
 	if size == 0 {
 		size = photo.ExpectedSize
 	}
-
-	return sha1, size
+	return size
 }
 
 // GetPhotoSha1 computes the photo hash
@@ -1684,7 +1692,8 @@ func (c *Client) SendMessageToGateway(chatId int64, message *client.Message, id
 			if chat.Photo == nil {
 				c.SetEmptyAvatarHash(chatId)
 			} else {
-				sha1, size := c.GetPhotoSha1AndSize(chat.Photo.Small, chatId)
+				sha1 := c.GetPhotoSha1(chat.Photo.Small, chatId)
+				size := c.GetPhotoSize(chat.Photo.Small)
 
 				for resource := range c.resourcesRange() {
 					features, ok := c.XmppClientFeatures[resource]
diff --git a/xmpp/handlers.go b/xmpp/handlers.go
index d33c5d2..c0cf696 100644
--- a/xmpp/handlers.go
+++ b/xmpp/handlers.go
@@ -1803,7 +1803,8 @@ func sendPubSubAvatarNotifications(s xmpp.Sender, jid string, session *telegram.
 			continue
 		}
 
-		sha1, size := session.GetPhotoSha1AndSize(chat.Photo.Small, chat.Id)
+		sha1 := session.GetPhotoSha1(chat.Photo.Small, chat.Id)
+		size := session.GetPhotoSize(chat.Photo.Small)
 
 		gateway.SendPubSubAvatarNotification(component, jid, chat.Id, sha1, size)
 	}