diff --git a/src/js/components/user/Avatar.tsx b/src/js/components/user/Avatar.tsx
index cdc71ac3..43eb3ad7 100644
--- a/src/js/components/user/Avatar.tsx
+++ b/src/js/components/user/Avatar.tsx
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import Show from '../helpers/Show';
 import ProxyImg from '../ProxyImg.tsx';
 
 type Props = {
-  str: unknown;
+  str: string;
   hidePicture?: boolean;
   showTooltip?: boolean;
   activity?: string;
@@ -23,7 +23,10 @@ const MyAvatar: React.FC<Props> = (props) => {
   const [avatar, setAvatar] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [hasError, setHasError] = useState<boolean>(false);
 
-  const hex = React.useMemo(() => Key.toNostrHexAddress(props.str as string), [props.str]);
+  const hex = React.useMemo(
+    () => Key.toNostrHexAddress(props.str as string) || props.str,
+    [props.str],
+  );
 
   const { picture, name } = useProfile(hex || '');
 
diff --git a/src/js/nostr/Key.ts b/src/js/nostr/Key.ts
index d29922d6..5e940e05 100644
--- a/src/js/nostr/Key.ts
+++ b/src/js/nostr/Key.ts
@@ -242,7 +242,12 @@ export default {
 
     try {
       const hex = new Hex(address);
-      return hex.toBech32(prefix);
+      const bech32 = hex.toBech32(prefix);
+      if (bech32.length < 60) {
+        // not a nostr key
+        return null;
+      }
+      return bech32;
     } catch (e) {
       // not a valid hex
       console.error(address, e);