diff --git a/app/org/maproulette/framework/graphql/schemas/TeamSchema.scala b/app/org/maproulette/framework/graphql/schemas/TeamSchema.scala
index 93475b3d..b44fc399 100644
--- a/app/org/maproulette/framework/graphql/schemas/TeamSchema.scala
+++ b/app/org/maproulette/framework/graphql/schemas/TeamSchema.scala
@@ -102,7 +102,10 @@ class TeamSchema @Inject() (override val service: TeamService)
               case Some(description) => Some(description)
               case None              => team.description
             },
-            avatarURL = context.arg(TeamSchema.avatarUrlArg)
+            avatarURL = context.arg(TeamSchema.avatarUrlArg) match {
+              case Some(avatarURL) => Some(avatarURL)
+              case None            => team.avatarURL
+            }
           ),
           user
         )
@@ -205,10 +208,10 @@ object TeamSchema extends DefaultWrites {
       OptionInputType(StringType),
       "The description of the object"
     )
-  val avatarUrlArg: Argument[String] =
+  val avatarUrlArg: Argument[Option[String]] =
     Argument(
       "avatarURL",
-      StringType,
+      OptionInputType(StringType),
       "An avatar URL representing the object"
     )
 }
diff --git a/app/org/maproulette/framework/model/Group.scala b/app/org/maproulette/framework/model/Group.scala
index 980e5dbb..85ae0cd9 100644
--- a/app/org/maproulette/framework/model/Group.scala
+++ b/app/org/maproulette/framework/model/Group.scala
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ case class Group(
     id: Long,
     name: String,
     description: Option[String] = None,
-    avatarURL: String,
+    avatarURL: Option[String] = None,
     groupType: Int = Group.GROUP_TYPE_STANDARD,
     created: DateTime = DateTime.now(),
     modified: DateTime = DateTime.now()
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ object Group extends CommonField {
     (JsPath \ "id").read[Long] and
       (JsPath \ "name").read[String] and
       (JsPath \ "description").readNullable[String] and
-      (JsPath \ "avatarURL").read[String] and
+      (JsPath \ "avatarURL").readNullable[String] and
       (JsPath \ "groupType").read[Int] and
       ((JsPath \ "created").read[DateTime] or Reads.pure(DateTime.now())) and
       ((JsPath \ "modified").read[DateTime] or Reads.pure(DateTime.now()))
diff --git a/app/org/maproulette/framework/repository/UserRepository.scala b/app/org/maproulette/framework/repository/UserRepository.scala
index 2ba69c1b..ade689ba 100644
--- a/app/org/maproulette/framework/repository/UserRepository.scala
+++ b/app/org/maproulette/framework/repository/UserRepository.scala
@@ -170,13 +170,7 @@ class UserRepository @Inject() (
       case None =>
         val group = this.serviceManager.group
           .create(
-            Group(
-              -1,
-              s"User ${follower.id} Following",
-              Some(""),
-              "",
-              groupType = Group.GROUP_TYPE_FOLLOWING
-            )
+            Group(-1, s"User ${follower.id} Following", groupType = Group.GROUP_TYPE_FOLLOWING)
           )
           .get
         this.setupGroup("following_group", group.id, follower.id)
@@ -189,13 +183,7 @@ class UserRepository @Inject() (
       case None =>
         val group = this.serviceManager.group
           .create(
-            Group(
-              -1,
-              s"User ${followed.id} Followers",
-              Some(""),
-              "",
-              groupType = Group.GROUP_TYPE_FOLLOWERS
-            )
+            Group(-1, s"User ${followed.id} Followers", groupType = Group.GROUP_TYPE_FOLLOWERS)
           )
           .get
         this.setupGroup("followers_group", group.id, followed.id)
diff --git a/test/org/maproulette/framework/repository/GroupMemberRepositorySpec.scala b/test/org/maproulette/framework/repository/GroupMemberRepositorySpec.scala
index 4f01a927..39b1c55b 100644
--- a/test/org/maproulette/framework/repository/GroupMemberRepositorySpec.scala
+++ b/test/org/maproulette/framework/repository/GroupMemberRepositorySpec.scala
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ class GroupMemberRepositorySpec(implicit val application: Application) extends F
       -1,
       name,
       Some("A test group"),
-      "http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/?d=identicon",
+      Some("http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/?d=identicon"),
       groupType
     )
   }
diff --git a/test/org/maproulette/framework/repository/GroupRepositorySpec.scala b/test/org/maproulette/framework/repository/GroupRepositorySpec.scala
index 6ab06d1e..36ec5c86 100644
--- a/test/org/maproulette/framework/repository/GroupRepositorySpec.scala
+++ b/test/org/maproulette/framework/repository/GroupRepositorySpec.scala
@@ -33,24 +33,24 @@ class GroupRepositorySpec(implicit val application: Application) extends Framewo
     }
 
     "create a group" taggedAs GroupTag in {
-      val createdGroup   = this.repository.create(Group(-1, "RandomCreateGroup", Some(""), "")).get
+      val createdGroup   = this.repository.create(Group(-1, "RandomCreateGroup")).get
       val retrievedGroup = this.repository.retrieve(createdGroup.id)
       retrievedGroup.get mustEqual createdGroup
     }
 
     "update a group" taggedAs GroupTag in {
-      val randomGroup = this.repository.create(Group(-1, "RandomGroup", Some(""), "")).get
+      val randomGroup = this.repository.create(Group(-1, "RandomGroup")).get
       this.repository.update(
-        Group(randomGroup.id, "UpdatedName", Some("Updated description"), "new_avatar_url")
+        Group(randomGroup.id, "UpdatedName", Some("Updated description"), Some("new_avatar_url"))
       )
       val group = this.service.retrieve(randomGroup.id)
       group.get.name mustEqual "UpdatedName"
       group.get.description.get mustEqual "Updated description"
-      group.get.avatarURL mustEqual "new_avatar_url"
+      group.get.avatarURL.get mustEqual "new_avatar_url"
     }
 
     "delete a group" taggedAs GroupTag in {
-      val group = this.repository.create(Group(-1, "RandomDeleteGroup", Some(""), "")).get
+      val group = this.repository.create(Group(-1, "RandomDeleteGroup")).get
       this.repository.delete(group)
       this.service.retrieve(group.id) mustEqual None
     }
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ class GroupRepositorySpec(implicit val application: Application) extends Framewo
       -1,
       name,
       Some("A test group"),
-      "http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/?d=identicon"
+      Some("http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/?d=identicon")
     )
   }
 }
diff --git a/test/org/maproulette/framework/service/GroupServiceSpec.scala b/test/org/maproulette/framework/service/GroupServiceSpec.scala
index c660f0e0..f7d66a00 100644
--- a/test/org/maproulette/framework/service/GroupServiceSpec.scala
+++ b/test/org/maproulette/framework/service/GroupServiceSpec.scala
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ class GroupServiceSpec(implicit val application: Application) extends FrameworkH
       -1,
       name,
       Some("A test group"),
-      "http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/?d=identicon"
+      Some("http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/?d=identicon")
     )
   }
 }
diff --git a/test/org/maproulette/framework/util/FrameworkHelper.scala b/test/org/maproulette/framework/util/FrameworkHelper.scala
index 2a53baf6..09744fca 100644
--- a/test/org/maproulette/framework/util/FrameworkHelper.scala
+++ b/test/org/maproulette/framework/util/FrameworkHelper.scala
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ trait FrameworkHelper extends PlaySpec with BeforeAndAfterAll with MockitoSugar
       -1,
       name,
       Some("A test team"),
-      "http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/?d=identicon"
+      Some("http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/?d=identicon")
     )
   }