diff --git a/admin.go b/admin.go
index dba315b..17f5598 100644
--- a/admin.go
+++ b/admin.go
@@ -36,6 +36,9 @@ func adminscreen() {
 	smcup := esc + "[?1049h"
 	rmcup := esc + "[?1049l"
 
+	var avatarColors string
+	getconfig("avatarcolors", &avatarColors)
+
 	messages := []*struct {
 		name  string
 		label string
@@ -56,6 +59,11 @@ func adminscreen() {
 			label: "login",
 			text:  string(loginMsg),
 		},
+		{
+			name:  "avatarcolors",
+			label: "avatar colors (4 RGBA hex numbers)",
+			text:  string(avatarColors),
+		},
 	}
 	cursel := 0
 
@@ -239,7 +247,7 @@ func adminscreen() {
 			stdout.Flush()
 		}
 		editing = false
-		updateconfig(m.name, m.text)
+		setconfig(m.name, m.text)
 		hidecursor()
 		drawscreen()
 	}
diff --git a/avatar.go b/avatar.go
index 6233014..46bcdcd 100644
--- a/avatar.go
+++ b/avatar.go
@@ -16,13 +16,52 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"bufio"
 	"bytes"
 	"crypto/sha512"
 	"image"
 	"image/png"
+	"log"
+	"strconv"
+	"strings"
 )
 
-func avatar(name string) []byte {
+var avatarcolors = [4][4]byte{
+	{16, 0, 48, 255},
+	{48, 0, 96, 255},
+	{72, 0, 144, 255},
+	{96, 0, 192, 255},
+}
+
+func loadAvatarColors() {
+	var colors string
+	getconfig("avatarcolors", &colors)
+	if colors == "" {
+		return
+	}
+	r := bufio.NewReader(strings.NewReader(colors))
+	for i := 0; i < 4; i++ {
+		l, _ := r.ReadString(' ')
+		for l == " " {
+			l, _ = r.ReadString(' ')
+		}
+		l = strings.Trim(l, "# \n")
+		if len(l) == 6 {
+			l = l + "ff"
+		}
+		c, err := strconv.ParseUint(l, 16, 32)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Printf("error reading avatar color %d: %s", i, err)
+			continue
+		}
+		avatarcolors[i][0] = byte(c >> 24 & 0xff)
+		avatarcolors[i][1] = byte(c >> 16 & 0xff)
+		avatarcolors[i][2] = byte(c >> 8 & 0xff)
+		avatarcolors[i][3] = byte(c >> 0 & 0xff)
+	}
+}
+
+func genAvatar(name string) []byte {
 	h := sha512.New()
 	h.Write([]byte(name))
 	s := h.Sum(nil)
@@ -33,25 +72,25 @@ func avatar(name string) []byte {
 			xx := i/16*16 + j/16
 			x := s[xx]
 			if x < 64 {
-				img.Pix[p+0] = 16
-				img.Pix[p+1] = 0
-				img.Pix[p+2] = 48
-				img.Pix[p+3] = 255
+				img.Pix[p+0] = avatarcolors[0][0]
+				img.Pix[p+1] = avatarcolors[0][1]
+				img.Pix[p+2] = avatarcolors[0][2]
+				img.Pix[p+3] = avatarcolors[0][3]
 			} else if x < 128 {
-				img.Pix[p+0] = 48
-				img.Pix[p+1] = 0
-				img.Pix[p+2] = 96
-				img.Pix[p+3] = 255
+				img.Pix[p+0] = avatarcolors[1][0]
+				img.Pix[p+1] = avatarcolors[1][1]
+				img.Pix[p+2] = avatarcolors[1][2]
+				img.Pix[p+3] = avatarcolors[1][3]
 			} else if x < 192 {
-				img.Pix[p+0] = 72
-				img.Pix[p+1] = 0
-				img.Pix[p+2] = 144
-				img.Pix[p+3] = 255
+				img.Pix[p+0] = avatarcolors[2][0]
+				img.Pix[p+1] = avatarcolors[2][1]
+				img.Pix[p+2] = avatarcolors[2][2]
+				img.Pix[p+3] = avatarcolors[2][3]
 			} else {
-				img.Pix[p+0] = 96
-				img.Pix[p+1] = 0
-				img.Pix[p+2] = 192
-				img.Pix[p+3] = 255
+				img.Pix[p+0] = avatarcolors[3][0]
+				img.Pix[p+1] = avatarcolors[3][1]
+				img.Pix[p+2] = avatarcolors[3][2]
+				img.Pix[p+3] = avatarcolors[3][3]
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/docs/changelog.txt b/docs/changelog.txt
index e750cc2..5618105 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.txt
+++ b/docs/changelog.txt
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ changelog
 
 -- next
 
++ Configurable avatar colors.
+
 + Optional pleroma color scheme for the home sick...
 
 + Rebalance colors slightly. Looks a little fresher now?
diff --git a/docs/honk.8 b/docs/honk.8
index c9ebc0c..c08ac98 100644
--- a/docs/honk.8
+++ b/docs/honk.8
@@ -100,6 +100,8 @@ Displayed on the home page.
 Displayed on the about page.
 .It login
 Displayed about the login form.
+.It avatar colors
+Four 32-bit hex colors (RGBA).
 .El
 .Pp
 .Ss User Admin
diff --git a/honk.go b/honk.go
index 0577f67..be30298 100644
--- a/honk.go
+++ b/honk.go
@@ -262,9 +262,9 @@ func main() {
 		}
 		switch args[1] {
 		case "on":
-			updateconfig("debug", 1)
+			setconfig("debug", 1)
 		case "off":
-			updateconfig("debug", 0)
+			setconfig("debug", 0)
 		default:
 			log.Fatal("argument must be on or off")
 		}
diff --git a/util.go b/util.go
index 26eed8f..493efa3 100644
--- a/util.go
+++ b/util.go
@@ -391,16 +391,11 @@ func getconfig(key string, value interface{}) error {
 
 func setconfig(key string, val interface{}) error {
 	db := opendatabase()
+	db.Exec("delete from config where key = ?", key)
 	_, err := db.Exec("insert into config (key, value) values (?, ?)", key, val)
 	return err
 }
 
-func updateconfig(key string, val interface{}) error {
-	db := opendatabase()
-	_, err := db.Exec("update config set value = ? where key = ?", val, key)
-	return err
-}
-
 func openListener() (net.Listener, error) {
 	var listenAddr string
 	err := getconfig("listenaddr", &listenAddr)
diff --git a/web.go b/web.go
index d1d245d..6ee8dc5 100644
--- a/web.go
+++ b/web.go
@@ -1988,8 +1988,11 @@ func somedays() string {
 }
 
 func avatate(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	if debugMode {
+		loadAvatarColors()
+	}
 	n := r.FormValue("a")
-	a := avatar(n)
+	a := genAvatar(n)
 	w.Header().Set("Cache-Control", "max-age="+somedays())
 	w.Write(a)
 }
@@ -2261,6 +2264,7 @@ func serve() {
 		for _, s := range assets {
 			savedassetparams[s] = getassetparam(s)
 		}
+		loadAvatarColors()
 	}
 
 	for _, h := range preservehooks {