diff --git a/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/datamodel/FileDataStorageManager.java b/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/datamodel/FileDataStorageManager.java
index 74176b5339..88d0382c58 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/datamodel/FileDataStorageManager.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/datamodel/FileDataStorageManager.java
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ import android.os.RemoteException;
 import android.provider.MediaStore;
 import android.text.TextUtils;
 
+import com.google.gson.Gson;
+import com.google.gson.JsonSyntaxException;
 import com.owncloud.android.MainApp;
 import com.owncloud.android.db.ProviderMeta.ProviderTableMeta;
 import com.owncloud.android.lib.common.network.WebdavEntry;
@@ -44,6 +46,7 @@ import com.owncloud.android.lib.resources.files.ReadFileRemoteOperation;
 import com.owncloud.android.lib.resources.files.model.RemoteFile;
 import com.owncloud.android.lib.resources.shares.OCShare;
 import com.owncloud.android.lib.resources.shares.ShareType;
+import com.owncloud.android.lib.resources.shares.ShareeUser;
 import com.owncloud.android.lib.resources.status.CapabilityBooleanType;
 import com.owncloud.android.lib.resources.status.OCCapability;
 import com.owncloud.android.operations.RemoteOperationFailedException;
@@ -210,7 +213,7 @@ public class FileDataStorageManager {
         cv.put(ProviderTableMeta.FILE_OWNER_ID, file.getOwnerId());
         cv.put(ProviderTableMeta.FILE_OWNER_DISPLAY_NAME, file.getOwnerDisplayName());
         cv.put(ProviderTableMeta.FILE_NOTE, file.getNote());
-        cv.put(ProviderTableMeta.FILE_SHAREES, TextUtils.join(",", file.getSharees()));
+        cv.put(ProviderTableMeta.FILE_SHAREES, new Gson().toJson(file.getSharees()));
 
         boolean sameRemotePath = fileExists(file.getRemotePath());
         if (sameRemotePath ||
@@ -454,7 +457,7 @@ public class FileDataStorageManager {
         cv.put(ProviderTableMeta.FILE_OWNER_ID, folder.getOwnerId());
         cv.put(ProviderTableMeta.FILE_OWNER_DISPLAY_NAME, folder.getOwnerDisplayName());
         cv.put(ProviderTableMeta.FILE_NOTE, folder.getNote());
-        cv.put(ProviderTableMeta.FILE_SHAREES, TextUtils.join(",", folder.getSharees()));
+        cv.put(ProviderTableMeta.FILE_SHAREES, new Gson().toJson(folder.getSharees()));
 
         return cv;
     }
@@ -494,7 +497,7 @@ public class FileDataStorageManager {
         cv.put(ProviderTableMeta.FILE_OWNER_ID, file.getOwnerId());
         cv.put(ProviderTableMeta.FILE_OWNER_DISPLAY_NAME, file.getOwnerDisplayName());
         cv.put(ProviderTableMeta.FILE_NOTE, file.getNote());
-        cv.put(ProviderTableMeta.FILE_SHAREES, TextUtils.join(",", file.getSharees()));
+        cv.put(ProviderTableMeta.FILE_SHAREES, new Gson().toJson(file.getSharees()));
 
         return cv;
     }
@@ -996,10 +999,17 @@ public class FileDataStorageManager {
 
             String sharees = c.getString(c.getColumnIndex(ProviderTableMeta.FILE_SHAREES));
 
-            if (sharees == null || sharees.isEmpty()) {
+            if ("null".equals(sharees) || sharees.isEmpty()) {
                 file.setSharees(new ArrayList<>());
             } else {
-                file.setSharees(new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(sharees.split(","))));
+                try {
+                    ShareeUser[] shareesArray = new Gson().fromJson(sharees, ShareeUser[].class);
+
+                    file.setSharees(new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(shareesArray)));
+                } catch (JsonSyntaxException e) {
+                    // ignore saved value due to api change
+                    file.setSharees(new ArrayList<>());
+                }
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/datamodel/OCFile.java b/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/datamodel/OCFile.java
index afaf7334b6..1c104cc7c8 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/datamodel/OCFile.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/datamodel/OCFile.java
@@ -30,21 +30,22 @@ import android.os.Parcel;
 import android.os.Parcelable;
 import android.text.TextUtils;
 
-import androidx.annotation.NonNull;
-import androidx.core.content.FileProvider;
 import com.owncloud.android.R;
 import com.owncloud.android.lib.common.network.WebdavEntry;
 import com.owncloud.android.lib.common.network.WebdavUtils;
 import com.owncloud.android.lib.common.utils.Log_OC;
 import com.owncloud.android.lib.resources.files.model.ServerFileInterface;
+import com.owncloud.android.lib.resources.shares.ShareeUser;
 import com.owncloud.android.utils.MimeType;
-import lombok.Getter;
-import lombok.Setter;
-import third_parties.daveKoeller.AlphanumComparator;
 
 import java.io.File;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
-import java.util.List;
+
+import androidx.annotation.NonNull;
+import androidx.core.content.FileProvider;
+import lombok.Getter;
+import lombok.Setter;
+import third_parties.daveKoeller.AlphanumComparator;
 
 public class OCFile implements Parcelable, Comparable<OCFile>, ServerFileInterface {
     private final static String PERMISSION_SHARED_WITH_ME = "S";
@@ -89,7 +90,7 @@ public class OCFile implements Parcelable, Comparable<OCFile>, ServerFileInterfa
     @Getter @Setter private String ownerId;
     @Getter @Setter private String ownerDisplayName;
     @Getter @Setter String note;
-    @Getter @Setter private List<String> sharees = new ArrayList<>();
+    @Getter @Setter private ArrayList<ShareeUser> sharees;
 
     /**
      * URI to the local path of the file contents, if stored in the device; cached after first call
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/ui/adapter/OCFileListAdapter.java b/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/ui/adapter/OCFileListAdapter.java
index d398deef90..e1d90621e8 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/ui/adapter/OCFileListAdapter.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/ui/adapter/OCFileListAdapter.java
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ import com.owncloud.android.lib.resources.files.ReadFileRemoteOperation;
 import com.owncloud.android.lib.resources.files.model.RemoteFile;
 import com.owncloud.android.lib.resources.shares.OCShare;
 import com.owncloud.android.lib.resources.shares.ShareType;
+import com.owncloud.android.lib.resources.shares.ShareeUser;
 import com.owncloud.android.operations.RefreshFolderOperation;
 import com.owncloud.android.operations.RemoteOperationFailedException;
 import com.owncloud.android.services.OperationsService;
@@ -130,7 +131,7 @@ public class OCFileListAdapter extends RecyclerView.Adapter<RecyclerView.ViewHol
 
     private List<ThumbnailsCacheManager.ThumbnailGenerationTask> asyncTasks = new ArrayList<>();
     private boolean onlyOnDevice;
-    private boolean showShareAvatar;
+    private boolean showShareAvatar = false;
     @Setter private OCFile highlightedItem;
 
     public OCFileListAdapter(
@@ -143,7 +144,6 @@ public class OCFileListAdapter extends RecyclerView.Adapter<RecyclerView.ViewHol
         boolean argHideItemOptions,
         boolean gridView
     ) {
-
         this.ocFileListFragmentInterface = ocFileListFragmentInterface;
         mContext = context;
         this.preferences = preferences;
@@ -163,9 +163,6 @@ public class OCFileListAdapter extends RecyclerView.Adapter<RecyclerView.ViewHol
             userId = "";
         }
 
-        // TODO change when https://github.com/nextcloud/server/pull/14429 is merged
-        showShareAvatar = false;
-
         // initialise thumbnails cache on background thread
         new ThumbnailsCacheManager.InitDiskCacheTask().execute();
     }
@@ -366,11 +363,12 @@ public class OCFileListAdapter extends RecyclerView.Adapter<RecyclerView.ViewHol
                     itemViewHolder.sharedAvatars.removeAllViews();
 
                     String fileOwner = file.getOwnerId();
-                    ArrayList<String> sharees = (ArrayList<String>) file.getSharees();
+                    ArrayList<ShareeUser> sharees = file.getSharees();
 
                     // use fileOwner if not oneself, then add at first
-                    if (fileOwner != null && !fileOwner.equals(userId) && !sharees.contains(fileOwner)) {
-                        sharees.add(fileOwner);
+                    ShareeUser fileOwnerSharee = new ShareeUser(fileOwner, file.getOwnerDisplayName(), ShareType.USER);
+                    if (fileOwner != null && !fileOwner.equals(userId) && !sharees.contains(fileOwnerSharee)) {
+                        sharees.add(fileOwnerSharee);
                     }
 
                     Collections.reverse(sharees);
@@ -383,20 +381,33 @@ public class OCFileListAdapter extends RecyclerView.Adapter<RecyclerView.ViewHol
                     int size = 60 * (shareeSize - 1) + w;
 
                     for (int i = 0; i < shareeSize; i++) {
-                        String sharee = file.getSharees().get(i);
+                        ShareeUser sharee = file.getSharees().get(i);
 
                         ImageView avatar = new ImageView(mContext);
 
                         if (i == 0 && sharees.size() > 3) {
                             avatar.setImageResource(R.drawable.ic_people);
                         } else {
-                            if (sharee.contains("@")) {
-                                showFederatedShareAvatar(sharee, avatarRadius, resources, avatar);
+                            if (sharee.getShareType().equals(ShareType.GROUP)) {
+                                try {
+                                    avatar.setImageDrawable(
+                                        TextDrawable.createAvatarByUserId(sharee.getUserId(), avatarRadius));
+                                } catch (Exception e) {
+                                    Log_OC.e(TAG, "Error calculating RGB value for active account icon.", e);
+                                    avatar.setImageResource(R.drawable.ic_people);
+                                }
+                            } else if (sharee.getUserId().contains("@")) {
+                                showFederatedShareAvatar(sharee.getUserId(), avatarRadius, resources, avatar);
                             } else {
                                 avatar.setTag(sharee);
-                                DisplayUtils.setAvatar(account, sharee, this, avatarRadius, resources,
-                                                       avatar, mContext);
-                                Log_OC.d(TAG, "avatar: " + sharee);
+                                DisplayUtils.setAvatar(account,
+                                                       sharee.getUserId(),
+                                                       sharee.getDisplayName(),
+                                                       this,
+                                                       avatarRadius,
+                                                       resources,
+                                                       avatar,
+                                                       mContext);
                             }
                         }
 
@@ -701,6 +712,7 @@ public class OCFileListAdapter extends RecyclerView.Adapter<RecyclerView.ViewHol
 
         if (updatedStorageManager != null && !updatedStorageManager.equals(mStorageManager)) {
             mStorageManager = updatedStorageManager;
+            showShareAvatar = mStorageManager.getCapability(account.name).getVersion().isShareesOnDavSupported();
             this.account = account;
         }
         if (mStorageManager != null) {
@@ -732,6 +744,7 @@ public class OCFileListAdapter extends RecyclerView.Adapter<RecyclerView.ViewHol
                         FileDataStorageManager storageManager, OCFile folder, boolean clear) {
         if (storageManager != null && mStorageManager == null) {
             mStorageManager = storageManager;
+            showShareAvatar = mStorageManager.getCapability(account.name).getVersion().isShareesOnDavSupported();
         }
 
         if (clear) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/utils/DisplayUtils.java b/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/utils/DisplayUtils.java
index 28388e46da..0472687599 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/utils/DisplayUtils.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/utils/DisplayUtils.java
@@ -456,6 +456,27 @@ public final class DisplayUtils {
      */
     public static void setAvatar(@NonNull Account account, @NonNull String userId, AvatarGenerationListener listener,
                                  float avatarRadius, Resources resources, Object callContext, Context context) {
+        setAvatar(account, userId, userId, listener, avatarRadius, resources, callContext, context);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * fetches and sets the avatar of the given account in the passed callContext
+     *
+     * @param account      the account to be used to connect to server
+     * @param userId       the userId which avatar should be set
+     * @param displayName  displayName used to generate avatar with first char, only used as fallback
+     * @param avatarRadius the avatar radius
+     * @param resources    reference for density information
+     * @param callContext  which context is called to set the generated avatar
+     */
+    public static void setAvatar(@NonNull Account account,
+                                 @NonNull String userId,
+                                 String displayName,
+                                 AvatarGenerationListener listener,
+                                 float avatarRadius,
+                                 Resources resources,
+                                 Object callContext,
+                                 Context context) {
         if (callContext instanceof View) {
             ((View) callContext).setContentDescription(String.valueOf(account.hashCode()));
         }
@@ -468,12 +489,12 @@ public final class DisplayUtils {
 
         // first show old one
         Drawable avatar = BitmapUtils.bitmapToCircularBitmapDrawable(resources,
-                ThumbnailsCacheManager.getBitmapFromDiskCache(avatarKey));
+                                                                     ThumbnailsCacheManager.getBitmapFromDiskCache(avatarKey));
 
         // if no one exists, show colored icon with initial char
         if (avatar == null) {
             try {
-                avatar = TextDrawable.createAvatarByUserId(userId, avatarRadius);
+                avatar = TextDrawable.createAvatarByUserId(displayName, avatarRadius);
             } catch (Exception e) {
                 Log_OC.e(TAG, "Error calculating RGB value for active account icon.", e);
                 avatar = resources.getDrawable(R.drawable.account_circle_white);
@@ -483,11 +504,11 @@ public final class DisplayUtils {
         // check for new avatar, eTag is compared, so only new one is downloaded
         if (ThumbnailsCacheManager.cancelPotentialAvatarWork(userId, callContext)) {
             final ThumbnailsCacheManager.AvatarGenerationTask task =
-                    new ThumbnailsCacheManager.AvatarGenerationTask(listener, callContext, account, resources,
-                            avatarRadius, userId, serverName, context);
+                new ThumbnailsCacheManager.AvatarGenerationTask(listener, callContext, account, resources,
+                                                                avatarRadius, userId, serverName, context);
 
             final ThumbnailsCacheManager.AsyncAvatarDrawable asyncDrawable =
-                    new ThumbnailsCacheManager.AsyncAvatarDrawable(resources, avatar, task);
+                new ThumbnailsCacheManager.AsyncAvatarDrawable(resources, avatar, task);
             listener.avatarGenerated(asyncDrawable, callContext);
             task.execute(userId);
         }
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/utils/FileStorageUtils.java b/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/utils/FileStorageUtils.java
index 606434ac84..c3a36bbdf7 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/utils/FileStorageUtils.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/utils/FileStorageUtils.java
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ import java.io.OutputStream;
 import java.text.DateFormat;
 import java.text.SimpleDateFormat;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.Date;
 import java.util.List;
@@ -210,7 +211,7 @@ public final class FileStorageUtils {
         file.setOwnerId(remote.getOwnerId());
         file.setOwnerDisplayName(remote.getOwnerDisplayName());
         file.setNote(remote.getNote());
-        file.setSharees(remote.getSharees());
+        file.setSharees(new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(remote.getSharees())));
 
         return file;
     }