diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/avatar.html b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/avatar.html
index ca49075cf..6d27cd856 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/avatar.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/avatar.html
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 {% load bookwyrm_tags %}
-<img class="avatar image {% if large %}is-96x96{% else %}is-32x32{% endif %}" src="{% if user.avatar %}/images/{{ user.avatar }}{% else %}/static/images/default_avi.jpg{% endif %}" alt="{{ user.alt_text }}">
+<img class="avatar image {% if large %}is-96x96{% else %}is-32x32{% endif %}" src="{% if user.avatar %}/images/{{ user.avatar }}{% else %}/static/images/default_avi.jpg{% endif %}" {% if ariaHide %}aria-hidden="true"{% endif %} alt="{{ user.alt_text }}">
 
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/status/status_header.html b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/status/status_header.html
index 2b9418200..a9a8d72c5 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/status/status_header.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/status/status_header.html
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {% load bookwyrm_tags %}
 {% load i18n %}
-{% include 'snippets/avatar.html' with user=status.user %}
+{% include 'snippets/avatar.html' with user=status.user ariaHide="true" %}
 {% include 'snippets/username.html' with user=status.user %}
 
 {% if status.status_type == 'GeneratedNote' %}