diff --git a/src/components/InstructorChatPanel.tsx b/src/components/InstructorChatPanel.tsx
index 485ee0e..b7b02bf 100644
--- a/src/components/InstructorChatPanel.tsx
+++ b/src/components/InstructorChatPanel.tsx
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ export function InstructorChatPanel({ session, open, initialThreadId = null, ini
             ) : threads.length > 0 ? (
               <div className="space-y-2.5">
                 {threads.map((thread) => (
-                  <ThreadCard key={thread.id} accessToken={session.accessToken} thread={thread} onOpen={() => handleOpenThread(thread.id)} />
+                  <ThreadCard key={thread.id} thread={thread} onOpen={() => handleOpenThread(thread.id)} />
                 ))}
               </div>
             ) : (
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ export function InstructorChatPanel({ session, open, initialThreadId = null, ini
   );
 }
 
-function ThreadCard({ accessToken, thread, onOpen }: { accessToken: string; thread: InstructorChatThread; onOpen: () => void }) {
+function ThreadCard({ thread, onOpen }: { thread: InstructorChatThread; onOpen: () => void }) {
   return (
     <button
       type="button"
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ function ThreadCard({ accessToken, thread, onOpen }: { accessToken: string; thre
       onClick={onOpen}
     >
       <div className="flex items-start gap-3">
-        <StudentAvatar accessToken={accessToken} thread={thread} />
+        <StudentAvatar thread={thread} />
         <div className="min-w-0 flex-1">
           <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
             <p className="truncate text-[14px] font-black text-[#111827]">{thread.studentName}</p>
@@ -222,43 +222,17 @@ function ThreadCard({ accessToken, thread, onOpen }: { accessToken: string; thre
   );
 }
 
-function StudentAvatar({ accessToken, thread }: { accessToken: string; thread: InstructorChatThread }) {
-  const [avatarSource, setAvatarSource] = useState<string | null>(null);
+function StudentAvatar({ thread }: { thread: InstructorChatThread }) {
+  const [avatarFailed, setAvatarFailed] = useState(false);
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (!thread.studentAvatarUrl) {
-      setAvatarSource(null);
-      return;
-    }
-
-    let revoked = false;
-    let objectUrl: string | null = null;
-
-    fetch(thread.studentAvatarUrl, {
-      headers: {
-        Authorization: `Bearer ${accessToken}`,
-      },
-    })
-      .then((response) => (response.ok ? response.blob() : null))
-      .then((blob) => {
-        if (!blob || revoked) return;
-        objectUrl = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
-        setAvatarSource(objectUrl);
-      })
-      .catch(() => {
-        if (!revoked) setAvatarSource(null);
-      });
-
-    return () => {
-      revoked = true;
-      if (objectUrl) URL.revokeObjectURL(objectUrl);
-    };
-  }, [accessToken, thread.studentAvatarUrl]);
+    setAvatarFailed(false);
+  }, [thread.studentAvatarUrl]);
 
   return (
     <span className="grid h-10 w-10 shrink-0 place-items-center overflow-hidden rounded-full bg-[#eef2ff] text-[#4f46e5] transition group-hover:bg-[#4f46e5] group-hover:text-white">
-      {avatarSource ? (
-        <img className="h-full w-full object-cover" src={avatarSource} alt="" />
+      {thread.studentAvatarUrl && !avatarFailed ? (
+        <img className="h-full w-full object-cover" src={thread.studentAvatarUrl} alt="" onError={() => setAvatarFailed(true)} />
       ) : (
         <UserRound size={18} aria-hidden="true" />
       )}