diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/controllers/_ui_element/textarea.coffee b/app/assets/javascripts/app/controllers/_ui_element/textarea.coffee
index 83b2b9aef..385b45d71 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/controllers/_ui_element/textarea.coffee
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/controllers/_ui_element/textarea.coffee
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ class App.UiElement.textarea
               params:
                 form_id: @form_id
             text:
-              uploadButton: '<svg class="icon icon-paperclip"><use xlink:href="#icon-paperclip"></use></svg>'
+              uploadButton: App.Utils.icon('paperclip')
             template: '<div class="qq-uploader">' +
                         '<pre class="btn qq-upload-icon qq-upload-drop-area"><span>{dragZoneText}</span></pre>' +
                         '<div class="btn btn-default qq-upload-icon2 qq-upload-button pull-right" style="">{uploadButtonText}</div>' +
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/controllers/users.coffee b/app/assets/javascripts/app/controllers/users.coffee
index 4cec8dd03..fc059be15 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/controllers/users.coffee
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/controllers/users.coffee
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ class Index extends App.Controller
     callbackAttributes = (value, object, attribute, header, refObject) ->
       text                  = App.i18n.translateInline('View from user\'s perspective')
       value                 = ' '
-      attribute.raw         = ' <span class="btn btn--primary btn--table switchView" title="' + text + '"><svg class="icon icon-switchView"><use xlink:href="#icon-switchView" /></svg> ' + text + '</span>'
+      attribute.raw         = ' <span class="btn btn--primary btn--table switchView" title="' + text + '">' + App.Utils.icon('switchView') + text + '</span>'
       attribute.class       = ''
       attribute.parentClass = 'actionCell no-padding'
       attribute.link        = ''
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/index.coffee b/app/assets/javascripts/app/index.coffee
index 39e35c252..c7fc2ab65 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/index.coffee
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/index.coffee
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ class App extends Spine.Controller
 
       # define icon helper
       params.Icon = (name, className = '') ->
-        "<svg class=\"icon icon-#{name} #{className}\"><use xlink:href=\"#icon-#{name}\" /></svg>"
+        App.Utils.icon(name, className)
 
       # define richtext helper
       params.RichText = ( string ) ->
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/lib/app_post/utils.coffee b/app/assets/javascripts/app/lib/app_post/utils.coffee
index 9ef076beb..f2925bf6e 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/lib/app_post/utils.coffee
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/lib/app_post/utils.coffee
@@ -592,3 +592,6 @@ class App.Utils
     while num.length < digits
       num = '0' + num
     num
+
+  @icon: (name, className = '') ->
+    "<svg class=\"icon icon-#{name} #{className}\"><use xlink:href=\"#icon-#{name}\" /></svg>"
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/models/user.coffee b/app/assets/javascripts/app/models/user.coffee
index db84ee9ee..61d90a8e1 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/models/user.coffee
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/models/user.coffee
@@ -51,6 +51,10 @@ class App.User extends App.Model
     if placement
       placement = "data-placement=\"#{placement}\""
 
+    # use system avatar for system actions
+    if @id is 1
+      return "<span class='avatar' style='background: white'>#{App.Utils.icon('logo')}</span>"
+
     # use generated avatar
     if !@image || @image is 'none' || unique
       return @uniqueAvatar(size, placement, cssClass, avatar, type)
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/views/widget/online_notification_content.jst.eco b/app/assets/javascripts/app/views/widget/online_notification_content.jst.eco
index 915b64f26..be97dc26a 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/views/widget/online_notification_content.jst.eco
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/views/widget/online_notification_content.jst.eco
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <% if @items.length: %>
   <% for item in @items: %>
   <div class="activity-entry activity-entry--removeable<% if item.seen: %> is-inactive<% end %>" data-id="<%- item.id %>">
-    <a class="activity-avatar user-popover" data-id="<%= item.created_by_id %>" href="<%- item.created_by.uiUrl() %>">
+    <a class="activity-avatar user-popover" data-id="<%= item.created_by_id %>" <% if item.created_by_id isnt 1: %>href="<%- item.created_by.uiUrl() %>"<% end %>>
       <%- item.created_by.avatar() %>
     </a>
     <div class="activity-body">