diff --git a/docs/configuration.rst b/docs/configuration.rst
index a700b713..b787a657 100644
--- a/docs/configuration.rst
+++ b/docs/configuration.rst
@@ -4336,6 +4336,16 @@ Description
     Download videos using |ytdl|.
 
 
+extractor.tiktok.user.avatar
+----------------------------
+Type
+    ``bool``
+Default
+    ``true``
+Description
+    Download user avatars.
+
+
 extractor.tiktok.user.module
 ----------------------------
 Type
diff --git a/docs/gallery-dl.conf b/docs/gallery-dl.conf
index c1e861a3..ed85b01b 100644
--- a/docs/gallery-dl.conf
+++ b/docs/gallery-dl.conf
@@ -599,6 +599,7 @@
             "videos": true,
 
             "user": {
+                "avatar": true,
                 "module": null,
                 "tiktok-range": null
             }
diff --git a/gallery_dl/extractor/tiktok.py b/gallery_dl/extractor/tiktok.py
index d7534d62..d6a02966 100644
--- a/gallery_dl/extractor/tiktok.py
+++ b/gallery_dl/extractor/tiktok.py
@@ -25,9 +25,8 @@ class TiktokExtractor(Extractor):
     def _init(self):
         self.audio = self.config("audio", True)
         self.videos = self.config("videos", True)
-
-    def avatar(self):
-        return ""
+        if not self.config("avatar", True):
+            self.avatar = util.false
 
     def items(self):
         # We assume that all of the URLs served by urls() come from the same
@@ -123,6 +122,9 @@ class TiktokExtractor(Extractor):
             yield Message.Directory, avatar
             yield Message.Url, avatar_url, avatar
 
+    def avatar(self):
+        return False
+
     def _generate_avatar(self, avatar_url, data, user_name, user_id):
         avatar = text.nameext_from_url(avatar_url, data.copy())
         avatar.update({