--- a/avatar.js
+++ b/avatar.js
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ if (config.useGravatar)
 			method: 'GET'
 		};
 
-		util.log('No XMPP avatar, falling back to Gravatar for ' + to + '.');
+		util.log('No XMPP avatar or timeout, falling back to Gravatar for ' + to + '.');
 
 		var r = http.request(options, function(r) {
 			if (r.statusCode != 200)
@@ -245,6 +245,7 @@ var getVCard = function(jid, res) {
 	.up();
 
 	conn.send(toSend);
+	setTimeout(noAvatar, config.timeout, res, jid, 'Error: XMPP timeout.');
 
 	sent[id] = res;
 }

--- a/configuration.js.example
+++ b/configuration.js.example
@@ -38,14 +38,14 @@ config.webPort = 8032;
 // Directory for the cache of the images.
 config.directory = 'data';
 
-// When true, assume that the TYPE of the avatar is image/png if not
-// specified.  Warning: it doesn’t follow the spec and is only a
-// workaround for buggy clients.
-config.guessType = false;
-
 // Time after which the avatar will be retrieved again, in seconds.
 config.expire = 24*60*60;
 
+// Time to wait for a response to a stanza, in milliseconds. This is
+// needed for inexistent domain because with some XMPP servers, the
+// default is to wait one minute.
+config.timeout = 1000;
+
 // Allowed extensions, associated with their MIME type.
 config.extensions = {
 	png: 'image/png',
@@ -58,8 +58,13 @@ config.extensions = {
 // a SVG image will be displayed.
 //config.defaultImage = 'http://example.org/default.svg';
 
+// When true, assume that the TYPE of the avatar is image/png if not
+// specified.  Warning: it doesn’t follow the spec and is only a
+// workaround for buggy clients.
+config.guessType = false;
+
 // Try Gravatar if there is a problem during XMPP avatar retrieving.
-//config.useGravatar = false;
+config.useGravatar = false;
 
 // Prints XMPP stanzas
 config.debug = false;