diff --git a/conference.js b/conference.js
index 91460f30f..e14cb6e23 100644
--- a/conference.js
+++ b/conference.js
@@ -1237,6 +1237,7 @@ export default {
             = connection.initJitsiConference(
                 APP.conference.roomName,
                 this._getConferenceOptions());
+
         APP.store.dispatch(conferenceWillJoin(room));
         this._setLocalAudioVideoStreams(localTracks);
         this._room = room; // FIXME do not use this
diff --git a/css/_videolayout_default.scss b/css/_videolayout_default.scss
index 3864ebba4..0f6b163ec 100644
--- a/css/_videolayout_default.scss
+++ b/css/_videolayout_default.scss
@@ -496,18 +496,22 @@
     display:none !important;
 }
 
+#dominantSpeakerAvatarContainer,
 #dominantSpeakerAvatar,
 .dynamic-shadow {
     width: 200px;
     height: 200px;
 }
 
-#dominantSpeakerAvatar {
+#dominantSpeakerAvatarContainer {
     top: 50px;
     margin: auto;
     position: relative;
     border-radius: 100px;
+    overflow: hidden;
     visibility: inherit;
+}
+#dominantSpeakerAvatar {
     background-color: #000000;
 }
 
diff --git a/modules/UI/videolayout/LargeVideoManager.js b/modules/UI/videolayout/LargeVideoManager.js
index 8fa3e8383..769d0fa93 100644
--- a/modules/UI/videolayout/LargeVideoManager.js
+++ b/modules/UI/videolayout/LargeVideoManager.js
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ import { I18nextProvider } from 'react-i18next';
 import { Provider } from 'react-redux';
 
 import { i18next } from '../../../react/features/base/i18n';
+import {
+    Avatar,
+    getAvatarURLByParticipantId
+} from '../../../react/features/base/participants';
 import { PresenceLabel } from '../../../react/features/presence-status';
 /* eslint-enable no-unused-vars */
 
@@ -14,9 +18,6 @@ const logger = require('jitsi-meet-logger').getLogger(__filename);
 import {
     JitsiParticipantConnectionStatus
 } from '../../../react/features/base/lib-jitsi-meet';
-import {
-    getAvatarURLByParticipantId
-} from '../../../react/features/base/participants';
 import {
     updateKnownLargeVideoResolution
 } from '../../../react/features/large-video';
@@ -95,6 +96,9 @@ export default class LargeVideoManager {
             = this._onVideoResolutionUpdate.bind(this);
 
         this.videoContainer.addResizeListener(this._onVideoResolutionUpdate);
+
+        this._dominantSpeakerAvatarContainer
+            = document.getElementById('dominantSpeakerAvatarContainer');
     }
 
     /**
@@ -109,6 +113,8 @@ export default class LargeVideoManager {
 
         this.removePresenceLabel();
 
+        ReactDOM.unmountComponentAtNode(this._dominantSpeakerAvatarContainer);
+
         this.$container.css({ display: 'none' });
     }
 
@@ -394,7 +400,17 @@ export default class LargeVideoManager {
      * Updates the src of the dominant speaker avatar
      */
     updateAvatar(avatarUrl) {
-        $('#dominantSpeakerAvatar').attr('src', avatarUrl);
+        if (avatarUrl) {
+            ReactDOM.render(
+                <Avatar
+                    id = "dominantSpeakerAvatar"
+                    uri = { avatarUrl } />,
+                this._dominantSpeakerAvatarContainer
+            );
+        } else {
+            ReactDOM.unmountComponentAtNode(
+                this._dominantSpeakerAvatarContainer);
+        }
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/modules/UI/videolayout/VideoContainer.js b/modules/UI/videolayout/VideoContainer.js
index b5e3b189b..69dc65b5d 100644
--- a/modules/UI/videolayout/VideoContainer.js
+++ b/modules/UI/videolayout/VideoContainer.js
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ export class VideoContainer extends LargeContainer {
          */
         this.$wrapperParent = this.$wrapper.parent();
 
-        this.avatarHeight = $('#dominantSpeakerAvatar').height();
+        this.avatarHeight = $('#dominantSpeakerAvatarContainer').height();
 
         const onPlayingCallback = function(event) {
             if (typeof resizeContainer === 'function') {
@@ -408,7 +408,7 @@ export class VideoContainer extends LargeContainer {
      */
     _positionParticipantStatus($element) {
         if (this.avatarDisplayed) {
-            const $avatarImage = $('#dominantSpeakerAvatar');
+            const $avatarImage = $('#dominantSpeakerAvatarContainer');
 
             $element.css(
                 'top',
diff --git a/modules/UI/videolayout/VideoLayout.js b/modules/UI/videolayout/VideoLayout.js
index 9501e20f9..fcbb50217 100644
--- a/modules/UI/videolayout/VideoLayout.js
+++ b/modules/UI/videolayout/VideoLayout.js
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import {
 } from '../../../react/features/base/lib-jitsi-meet';
 import { VIDEO_TYPE } from '../../../react/features/base/media';
 import {
+    getLocalParticipant as getLocalParticipantFromStore,
     getPinnedParticipant,
     pinParticipant
 } from '../../../react/features/base/participants';
@@ -75,6 +76,16 @@ function getAllThumbnails() {
     ];
 }
 
+/**
+ * Private helper to get the redux representation of the local participant.
+ *
+ * @private
+ * @returns {Object}
+ */
+function getLocalParticipant() {
+    return getLocalParticipantFromStore(APP.store.getState());
+}
+
 /**
  * Returns the user ID of the remote participant that is current the dominant
  * speaker.
@@ -181,7 +192,7 @@ const VideoLayout = {
     },
 
     changeLocalVideo(stream) {
-        const localId = APP.conference.getMyUserId();
+        const localId = getLocalParticipant().id;
 
         this.onVideoTypeChanged(localId, stream.videoType);
 
@@ -198,7 +209,7 @@ const VideoLayout = {
      */
     mucJoined() {
         if (largeVideo && !largeVideo.id) {
-            this.updateLargeVideo(APP.conference.getMyUserId(), true);
+            this.updateLargeVideo(getLocalParticipant().id, true);
         }
 
         // FIXME: replace this call with a generic update call once SmallVideo
@@ -302,7 +313,7 @@ const VideoLayout = {
         // Go with local video
         logger.info('Fallback to local video...');
 
-        const id = APP.conference.getMyUserId();
+        const { id } = getLocalParticipant();
 
         logger.info(`electLastVisibleVideo: ${id}`);
 
diff --git a/react/features/large-video/components/LargeVideo.web.js b/react/features/large-video/components/LargeVideo.web.js
index 04253801a..7e11c6af5 100644
--- a/react/features/large-video/components/LargeVideo.web.js
+++ b/react/features/large-video/components/LargeVideo.web.js
@@ -34,9 +34,7 @@ export default class LargeVideo extends Component<{}> {
 
                 <div id = 'dominantSpeaker'>
                     <div className = 'dynamic-shadow' />
-                    <img
-                        id = 'dominantSpeakerAvatar'
-                        src = '' />
+                    <div id = 'dominantSpeakerAvatarContainer' />
                 </div>
                 <div id = 'remotePresenceMessage' />
                 <span id = 'remoteConnectionMessage' />