diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 0022e89..dca71a3 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 COMMIT := $(shell git rev-parse --short HEAD)
 TD_COMMIT := "5bbfc1cf5dab94f82e02f3430ded7241d4653551"
-VERSION := "v1.12.3"
+VERSION := "v1.12.4"
 MAKEOPTS := "-j4"
 
 all:
diff --git a/telegabber.go b/telegabber.go
index 3ef050c..c68ade6 100644
--- a/telegabber.go
+++ b/telegabber.go
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import (
 	goxmpp "gosrc.io/xmpp"
 )
 
-var version string = "1.12.3"
+var version string = "1.12.4"
 var commit string
 
 var sm *goxmpp.StreamManager
diff --git a/telegram/utils.go b/telegram/utils.go
index 8e98326..3cf2a05 100644
--- a/telegram/utils.go
+++ b/telegram/utils.go
@@ -91,6 +91,8 @@ const (
 	MembersListBannedAndAdministrators
 )
 
+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() {
@@ -315,6 +317,12 @@ 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()
@@ -357,16 +365,16 @@ 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
@@ -1214,7 +1222,8 @@ func (c *Client) ProcessIncomingMessage(chatId int64, message *client.Message) {
 			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 c5560ec..3c3b370 100644
--- a/xmpp/handlers.go
+++ b/xmpp/handlers.go
@@ -1375,7 +1375,8 @@ 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)
 	}