diff --git src/bp-core/bp-core-attachments.php src/bp-core/bp-core-attachments.php
index d454d88..e059c43 100644
--- src/bp-core/bp-core-attachments.php
+++ src/bp-core/bp-core-attachments.php
@@ -98,7 +98,8 @@ function bp_attachments_get_plupload_l10n() {
 			'dismiss'                   => __( 'Dismiss', 'buddypress' ),
 			'crunching'                 => __( 'Crunching…', 'buddypress' ),
 			'unique_file_warning'       => __( 'Make sure to upload a unique file', 'buddypress' ),
-			'error_uploading'           => __( '“%s” has failed to upload.', 'buddypress' )
+			'error_uploading'           => __( '“%s” has failed to upload.', 'buddypress' ),
+			'has_avatar_warning'        => __( 'If you'd like to delete your current profile photo but not upload a new one, please use the delete tab.', 'buddypress' )
 	) );
 }
 
diff --git src/bp-core/bp-core-avatars.php src/bp-core/bp-core-avatars.php
index 8457c03..94e42bf 100644
--- src/bp-core/bp-core-avatars.php
+++ src/bp-core/bp-core-avatars.php
@@ -947,26 +947,33 @@ function bp_avatar_ajax_upload() {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// Init the feedback message
+	$feedback_message = false;
+
+	if ( ! empty( $bp->template_message ) ) {
+		$feedback_message = $bp->template_message;
+
+		// Remove template message.
+		$bp->template_message      = false;
+		$bp->template_message_type = false;
+		@setcookie( 'bp-message', false, time() - 1000, COOKIEPATH );
+		@setcookie( 'bp-message-type', false, time() - 1000, COOKIEPATH );
+	}
+
 	if ( empty( $avatar ) ) {
 		// Default upload error
-		$message = array();
-
-		// Intercept the template message and remove it
-		if ( ! empty( $bp->template_message ) ) {
-			// Set the feedback message
-			$message = array(
-				'type'    => 'upload_error',
-				'message' => $bp->template_message,
-			);
+		$message = __( 'Upload failed.', 'buddypress' );
 
-			// Remove template message.
-			$bp->template_message      = false;
-			$bp->template_message_type = false;
-			@setcookie( 'bp-message', false, time() - 1000, COOKIEPATH );
-			@setcookie( 'bp-message-type', false, time() - 1000, COOKIEPATH );
+		// Use the template message if set
+		if ( ! empty( $feedback_message ) ) {
+			$message = $feedback_message;
 		}
 
-		bp_attachments_json_response( false, $is_html4, $message );
+		// Upload error reply
+		bp_attachments_json_response( false, $is_html4, array(
+			'type'    => 'upload_error',
+			'message' => $message,
+		) );
 	}
 
 	if ( empty( $bp->avatar_admin->image->file ) ) {
@@ -990,6 +997,7 @@ function bp_avatar_ajax_upload() {
 		'url'       => $bp->avatar_admin->image->url,
 		'width'     => $uploaded_image[0],
 		'height'    => $uploaded_image[1],
+		'feedback'  => $feedback_message,
 	) );
 }
 add_action( 'wp_ajax_bp_avatar_upload', 'bp_avatar_ajax_upload' );
diff --git src/bp-core/css/avatar.css src/bp-core/css/avatar.css
index d11d853..d3434e4 100644
--- src/bp-core/css/avatar.css
+++ src/bp-core/css/avatar.css
@@ -50,8 +50,8 @@ div.bp-avatar-status .bp-bar {
 }
 
 #bp-uploader-warning, #bp-webcam-message p.warning {
-	background-color: #ffec8b;
-	border: 1px solid #fc0;
+	background-color: #ffd;
+	border: 1px solid #cb2;
 	color: #440;
 	display: block;
 	font-size: 90%;
@@ -281,6 +281,10 @@ div.bp-avatar-nav {
 	width: auto;
 }
 
+.bp-avatar .item {
+	overflow:hidden;
+}
+
 .bp-avatar .avatar-crop-management.adjust {
 	float: left;
 	clear: none;
diff --git src/bp-core/js/avatar.js src/bp-core/js/avatar.js
index aad00be..bb032c1 100644
--- src/bp-core/js/avatar.js
+++ src/bp-core/js/avatar.js
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ window.bp = window.bp || {};
 			// Init some vars
 			this.views    = new Backbone.Collection();
 			this.jcropapi = {};
+			this.warning = null;
 
 			// Set up nav
 			this.setupNav();
@@ -349,6 +350,22 @@ window.bp = window.bp || {};
 
 				avatarStatus.inject( '.bp-avatar-status' );
 			} );
+		},
+
+		removeWarning: function() {
+			if ( ! _.isNull( this.warning ) ) {
+				this.warning.remove();
+			}
+		},
+
+		displayWarning: function( message ) {
+			this.removeWarning();
+
+			this.warning = new bp.Views.uploaderWarning( {
+				value: message
+			} );
+
+			this.warning.inject( '.bp-avatar-status' );
 		}
 	};
 
@@ -362,6 +379,13 @@ window.bp = window.bp || {};
 		},
 
 		initialize: function() {
+			var hasAvatar = _.findWhere( this.collection.models, { id: 'delete' } );
+
+			// Display a message to inform about the delete tab
+			if ( 1 !== hasAvatar.get( 'hide' ) ) {
+				bp.Avatar.displayWarning( BP_Uploader.strings.has_avatar_warning );
+			}
+
 			_.each( this.collection.models, this.addNavItem, this );
 			this.collection.on( 'change:hide', this.showHideNavItem, this );
 		},
@@ -405,6 +429,9 @@ window.bp = window.bp || {};
 		toggleView: function( event ) {
 			event.preventDefault();
 
+			// First make sure to remove all warnings
+			bp.Avatar.removeWarning();
+
 			var active = $( event.target ).data( 'nav' );
 
 			_.each( this.collection.models, function( model ) {
@@ -488,6 +515,11 @@ window.bp = window.bp || {};
 				aspectRatio : 1
 			} );
 
+			// Display a warning if the image is smaller than minimum advised
+			if ( false !== this.model.get( 'feedback' ) ) {
+				bp.Avatar.displayWarning( this.model.get( 'feedback' ) );
+			}
+
 			this.on( 'ready', this.initCropper );
 		},