diff --git a/avatar/models.py b/avatar/models.py
index 2bc94ef..5298c51 100644
--- a/avatar/models.py
+++ b/avatar/models.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ from django.db import models
 from django.contrib.auth.models import User
 from django.core.files.base import ContentFile
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext as _
-import hashlib
+from django.utils.hashcompat import md5_constructor
 
 try:
     from cStringIO import StringIO
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ from avatar import AVATAR_STORAGE_DIR, AVATAR_RESIZE_METHOD, \
 def avatar_file_path(instance=None, filename=None, size=None, ext=None):
     tmppath = [AVATAR_STORAGE_DIR]
     if AVATAR_HASH_USERDIRNAMES:
-        tmp = hashlib.md5(instance.user.username).hexdigest()
+        tmp = md5_constructor(instance.user.username).hexdigest()
         tmppath.extend([tmp[0], tmp[1], instance.user.username])
     else:
         tmppath.append(instance.user.username)
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ def avatar_file_path(instance=None, filename=None, size=None, ext=None):
         # File doesn't exist yet
         if AVATAR_HASH_FILENAMES:
             (root, ext) = os.path.splitext(filename)
-            filename = hashlib.md5(filename).hexdigest()
+            filename = md5_constructor(filename).hexdigest()
             filename = filename + ext
     if size:
         tmppath.extend(['resized', str(size)])