diff --git a/src/components/auth/AuthButtons.tsx b/src/components/auth/AuthButtons.tsx
index 9f1cf5c2..c476bcaf 100644
--- a/src/components/auth/AuthButtons.tsx
+++ b/src/components/auth/AuthButtons.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { useState } from 'react';
 import { useNavigate } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button';
-import { Avatar, AvatarFallback, AvatarImage } from '@/components/ui/avatar';
+import { UserAvatar } from '@/components/ui/user-avatar';
 import { DropdownMenu, DropdownMenuContent, DropdownMenuItem, DropdownMenuLabel, DropdownMenuSeparator, DropdownMenuTrigger } from '@/components/ui/dropdown-menu';
 import { User, Settings, LogOut } from 'lucide-react';
 import { useAuth } from '@/hooks/useAuth';
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ export function AuthButtons() {
   return <DropdownMenu>
       <DropdownMenuTrigger asChild>
         <Button variant="ghost" className="relative h-8 w-8 rounded-full">
+<<<<<<< HEAD
           <Avatar className="h-8 w-8" key={profile?.avatar_url || 'fallback'}>
             <AvatarImage 
               src={profile?.avatar_url || undefined}
@@ -83,6 +84,14 @@ export function AuthButtons() {
               {(profile?.display_name || profile?.username || user.email || 'U').charAt(0).toUpperCase()}
             </AvatarFallback>
           </Avatar>
+=======
+          <UserAvatar 
+            key={profile?.avatar_url || 'no-avatar'}
+            avatarUrl={profile?.avatar_url}
+            fallbackText={profile?.display_name || profile?.username || user.email || 'U'}
+            size="sm"
+          />
+>>>>>>> b91d798 (Improve user avatar display to ensure consistency and reliability)
         </Button>
       </DropdownMenuTrigger>
       <DropdownMenuContent className="w-56" align="end" forceMount>
diff --git a/src/components/ui/user-avatar.tsx b/src/components/ui/user-avatar.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2db6ec2e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/ui/user-avatar.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+import { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
+import { Avatar, AvatarFallback, AvatarImage } from '@/components/ui/avatar';
+import { cn } from '@/lib/utils';
+
+interface UserAvatarProps {
+  avatarUrl?: string | null;
+  fallbackText: string;
+  className?: string;
+  size?: 'sm' | 'md' | 'lg';
+}
+
+const sizeClasses = {
+  sm: 'h-8 w-8 text-xs',
+  md: 'h-10 w-10 text-sm',
+  lg: 'h-16 w-16 text-lg'
+};
+
+export function UserAvatar({ 
+  avatarUrl, 
+  fallbackText, 
+  className,
+  size = 'md'
+}: UserAvatarProps) {
+  const [imageUrl, setImageUrl] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  const [retryCount, setRetryCount] = useState(0);
+  const [isLoading, setIsLoading] = useState(false);
+  const [hasError, setHasError] = useState(false);
+
+  const MAX_RETRIES = 2;
+
+  // Reset state when avatarUrl changes
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (avatarUrl) {
+      setImageUrl(avatarUrl);
+      setRetryCount(0);
+      setIsLoading(true);
+      setHasError(false);
+    } else {
+      setImageUrl(null);
+      setIsLoading(false);
+      setHasError(false);
+    }
+  }, [avatarUrl]);
+
+  const handleImageError = () => {
+    console.warn('[UserAvatar] Image load failed:', imageUrl, 'Retry count:', retryCount);
+    
+    if (retryCount < MAX_RETRIES && avatarUrl) {
+      // Add cache-busting parameter and retry
+      const cacheBuster = `?retry=${retryCount + 1}&t=${Date.now()}`;
+      const urlWithCacheBuster = avatarUrl.includes('?') 
+        ? `${avatarUrl}&retry=${retryCount + 1}&t=${Date.now()}`
+        : `${avatarUrl}${cacheBuster}`;
+      
+      console.log('[UserAvatar] Retrying with cache buster:', urlWithCacheBuster);
+      setRetryCount(prev => prev + 1);
+      setImageUrl(urlWithCacheBuster);
+    } else {
+      // All retries exhausted, show fallback
+      console.warn('[UserAvatar] All retries exhausted, showing fallback');
+      setHasError(true);
+      setIsLoading(false);
+    }
+  };
+
+  const handleImageLoad = () => {
+    console.log('[UserAvatar] Image loaded successfully:', imageUrl);
+    setIsLoading(false);
+    setHasError(false);
+  };
+
+  const fallbackInitial = fallbackText.charAt(0).toUpperCase();
+
+  return (
+    <Avatar className={cn(sizeClasses[size], className)}>
+      {imageUrl && !hasError && (
+        <AvatarImage 
+          src={imageUrl}
+          alt={fallbackText}
+          onError={handleImageError}
+          onLoad={handleImageLoad}
+          className={isLoading ? 'opacity-0' : 'opacity-100 transition-opacity duration-200'}
+        />
+      )}
+      <AvatarFallback className="bg-primary/10 text-primary font-medium">
+        {isLoading ? (
+          <div className="animate-pulse">
+            {fallbackInitial}
+          </div>
+        ) : (
+          fallbackInitial
+        )}
+      </AvatarFallback>
+    </Avatar>
+  );
+}