diff --git a/src/components/structures/MessagePanel.js b/src/components/structures/MessagePanel.js
index b3f9b40ada..404e950d7f 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/MessagePanel.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/MessagePanel.js
@@ -174,11 +174,6 @@ export default class MessagePanel extends React.Component {
             SettingsStore.watchSetting("showTypingNotifications", null, this.onShowTypingNotificationsChange);
 
         this._layoutWatcherRef = SettingsStore.watchSetting("feature_irc_ui", null, this.onLayoutChange);
-        this._displayAvatarsWatcherRef = SettingsStore.watchSetting(
-            "feature_no_timeline_avatars",
-            null,
-            this.onDisplayAvatarsChange,
-        );
     }
 
     componentDidMount() {
@@ -189,7 +184,6 @@ export default class MessagePanel extends React.Component {
         this._isMounted = false;
         SettingsStore.unwatchSetting(this._showTypingNotificationsWatcherRef);
         SettingsStore.unwatchSetting(this._layoutWatcherRef);
-        SettingsStore.unwatchSetting(this._displayAvatarsWatcherRef);
     }
 
     componentDidUpdate(prevProps, prevState) {
@@ -214,12 +208,6 @@ export default class MessagePanel extends React.Component {
         });
     }
 
-    onDisplayAvatarsChange = () => {
-        this.setState({
-            displayAvatars: SettingsStore.getValue("feature_no_timeline_avatars"),
-        });
-    }
-
     /* get the DOM node representing the given event */
     getNodeForEventId(eventId) {
         if (!this.eventNodes) {
@@ -622,7 +610,6 @@ export default class MessagePanel extends React.Component {
                         getRelationsForEvent={this.props.getRelationsForEvent}
                         showReactions={this.props.showReactions}
                         useIRCLayout={this.state.useIRCLayout}
-                        displayAvatars={this.state.displayAvatars}
                     />
                 </TileErrorBoundary>
             </li>,
diff --git a/src/components/views/elements/ReplyThread.js b/src/components/views/elements/ReplyThread.js
index 6bfda5dd94..04e31d6490 100644
--- a/src/components/views/elements/ReplyThread.js
+++ b/src/components/views/elements/ReplyThread.js
@@ -39,8 +39,6 @@ export default class ReplyThread extends React.Component {
         permalinkCreator: PropTypes.instanceOf(RoomPermalinkCreator).isRequired,
         // Specifies which layout to use.
         useIRCLayout: PropTypes.bool,
-        // Specifies whether to display avatars.
-        displayAvatars: PropTypes.bool,
     };
 
     static contextType = MatrixClientContext;
@@ -180,7 +178,7 @@ export default class ReplyThread extends React.Component {
         };
     }
 
-    static makeThread(parentEv, onHeightChanged, permalinkCreator, ref, useIRCLayout, displayAvatars) {
+    static makeThread(parentEv, onHeightChanged, permalinkCreator, ref, useIRCLayout) {
         if (!ReplyThread.getParentEventId(parentEv)) {
             return <div className="mx_ReplyThread_wrapper_empty" />;
         }
@@ -190,7 +188,7 @@ export default class ReplyThread extends React.Component {
             ref={ref}
             permalinkCreator={permalinkCreator}
             useIRCLayout={useIRCLayout}
-            displayAvatars={displayAvatars} />;
+        />;
     }
 
     componentDidMount() {
@@ -342,7 +340,6 @@ export default class ReplyThread extends React.Component {
                     isRedacted={ev.isRedacted()}
                     isTwelveHour={SettingsStore.getValue("showTwelveHourTimestamps")}
                     useIRCLayout={this.props.useIRCLayout}
-                    displayAvatars={this.props.displayAvatars}
                 />
             </blockquote>;
         });
diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/EventTile.js b/src/components/views/rooms/EventTile.js
index 4ff3a5ccfc..1cb632b2e8 100644
--- a/src/components/views/rooms/EventTile.js
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/EventTile.js
@@ -209,9 +209,6 @@ export default createReactClass({
 
         // whether to use the irc layout
         useIRCLayout: PropTypes.bool,
-
-        // whether to display avatars
-        displayAvatars: PropTypes.bool,
     },
 
     getDefaultProps: function() {
@@ -714,7 +711,7 @@ export default createReactClass({
             needsSenderProfile = true;
         }
 
-        if (this.props.mxEvent.sender && avatarSize && this.props.displayAvatars) {
+        if (this.props.mxEvent.sender && avatarSize) {
             avatar = (
                     <div className="mx_EventTile_avatar">
                         <MemberAvatar member={this.props.mxEvent.sender}
@@ -898,7 +895,6 @@ export default createReactClass({
                     this.props.permalinkCreator,
                     this._replyThread,
                     this.props.useIRCLayout,
-                    this.props.displayAvatars,
                 );
 
                 // tab-index=-1 to allow it to be focusable but do not add tab stop for it, primarily for screen readers
diff --git a/src/settings/Settings.js b/src/settings/Settings.js
index 6d741ba3a5..f54b32a8b5 100644
--- a/src/settings/Settings.js
+++ b/src/settings/Settings.js
@@ -143,12 +143,6 @@ export const SETTINGS = {
         default: false,
         isFeature: true,
     },
-    "feature_no_timeline_avatars": {
-        supportedLevels: LEVELS_ACCOUNT_SETTINGS,
-        displayName: _td('Display user avatars on messages'),
-        default: true,
-        isFeature: true,
-    },
     "mjolnirRooms": {
         supportedLevels: ['account'],
         default: [],