diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/controllers/navigation.js.coffee b/app/assets/javascripts/app/controllers/navigation.js.coffee
index b47360553..5d77290a2 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/controllers/navigation.js.coffee
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/controllers/navigation.js.coffee
@@ -86,11 +86,13 @@ class App.Navigation extends App.Controller
       active_tab: active_tab
     )
 
-    new App.WidgetAvatar(
-      el:       @$('.js-avatar')
-      user_id:  App.Session.get('id')
-      noPopups: true
-    )
+    # only start avatar widget on existing session
+    if App.Session.get('id')
+      new App.WidgetAvatar(
+        el:       @$('.js-avatar')
+        user_id:  App.Session.get('id')
+        noPopups: true
+      )
 
   renderResult: (result = []) =>
     el = @$('#global-search-result')