diff --git a/avatar/__init__.py b/avatar/__init__.py
index 1885f7c..f02dfff 100644
--- a/avatar/__init__.py
+++ b/avatar/__init__.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ AVATAR_DEFAULT_URL = getattr(settings, 'AVATAR_DEFAULT_URL',
 AVATAR_MAX_AVATARS_PER_USER = getattr(settings, 'AVATAR_MAX_AVATARS_PER_USER', 42)
 AVATAR_MAX_SIZE = getattr(settings, 'AVATAR_MAX_SIZE', 1024 * 1024)
 AVATAR_THUMB_FORMAT = getattr(settings, 'AVATAR_THUMB_FORMAT', "JPEG")
+AVATAR_DONT_SAVE_DUPLICATES = getattr(settings, 'AVATAR_DONT_SAVE_DUPLICATES', 0)
 
 from django.db.models import signals
 from django.contrib.auth.models import User
diff --git a/avatar/views.py b/avatar/views.py
index 9bce91a..f068aad 100644
--- a/avatar/views.py
+++ b/avatar/views.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ from django.db.models import get_app
 from django.core.exceptions import ImproperlyConfigured
 from django.conf import settings
 
-from avatar import AVATAR_MAX_AVATARS_PER_USER
+from avatar import AVATAR_MAX_AVATARS_PER_USER, AVATAR_DONT_SAVE_DUPLICATES
 
 try:
     notification = get_app('notification')
@@ -79,7 +79,12 @@ def add(request, extra_context={}, next_override=None):
                 primary = True,
                 avatar = path,
             )
-            new_file = avatar.avatar.storage.save(path, request.FILES['avatar'])
+            if AVATAR_DONT_SAVE_DUPLICATES and \
+               avatar.avatar.storage.exists(path):
+                new_file = None
+            else:
+                new_file = avatar.avatar.storage.save(path, 
+                                                      request.FILES['avatar'])
             avatar.save()
             updated = True
             request.user.message_set.create(