         x: x
         y: y
         initials: @initials()
-    else
-      return App.view('avatar')
-        data: data
-        cssClass: cssClass
-        placement: placement
-        vip: vip
-        url: @imageUrl()
+
+    # generate image based avatar
+    return App.view('avatar')
+      data: data
+      cssClass: cssClass
+      placement: placement
+      vip: vip
+      url: @imageUrl()
 
   imageUrl: ->
     return if !@image

  avatar: (size = 40, placement = '', cssClass = '', unique = false, avatar, type = undefined) ->
    size   = parseInt(size, 10)

    cssClass += " " if cssClass
    cssClass += "size-#{ size }"

    if placement

      vip = false
      data = " data-avatar-id=\"#{avatar.id}\""

    # set vip flag, ignore if personal avatar is request
    vip = @vip
    if type is 'personal'
      vip = false
