diff --git a/apps/comments/js/commentstabview.js b/apps/comments/js/commentstabview.js
index 2c5e9414751..8faf98b35ab 100644
--- a/apps/comments/js/commentstabview.js
+++ b/apps/comments/js/commentstabview.js
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
 		'<li class="comment{{#if isUnread}} unread{{/if}}" data-id="{{id}}">' +
 		'    <div class="authorRow">' +
 		'        {{#if avatarEnabled}}' +
-		'        <div class="avatar" data-username="{{actorId}}"> </div>' +
+		'        <div class="avatar" {{#if actorId}}data-username="{{actorId}}"{{/if}}> </div>' +
 		'        {{/if}}' +
 		'        <div class="author">{{actorDisplayName}}</div>' +
 		'{{#if isUserAuthor}}' +
@@ -115,11 +115,20 @@
 			if (!this._commentTemplate) {
 				this._commentTemplate = Handlebars.compile(COMMENT_TEMPLATE);
 			}
-			return this._commentTemplate(_.extend({
+
+			params = _.extend({
 				avatarEnabled: this._avatarsEnabled,
 				editTooltip: t('comments', 'Edit comment'),
 				isUserAuthor: OC.getCurrentUser().uid === params.actorId
-			}, params));
+			}, params);
+
+			if (params.actorType === 'deleted_users') {
+				// makes the avatar a X
+				params.actorId = null;
+				params.actorDisplayName = t('comments', '[Deleted user]');
+			}
+
+			return this._commentTemplate(params);
 		},
 
 		getLabel: function() {
@@ -149,7 +158,9 @@
 			this.$el.find('.comments').before(this.editCommentTemplate({}));
 			this.$el.find('.has-tooltip').tooltip();
 			this.$container = this.$el.find('ul.comments');
-			this.$el.find('.avatar').avatar(OC.getCurrentUser().uid, 28);
+			if (this._avatarsEnabled) {
+				this.$el.find('.avatar').avatar(OC.getCurrentUser().uid, 28);
+			}
 			this.delegateEvents();
 		},
 
diff --git a/apps/comments/tests/js/commentstabviewSpec.js b/apps/comments/tests/js/commentstabviewSpec.js
index 4c3d38290ba..9e986899f7d 100644
--- a/apps/comments/tests/js/commentstabviewSpec.js
+++ b/apps/comments/tests/js/commentstabviewSpec.js
@@ -84,7 +84,6 @@ describe('OCA.Comments.CommentsTabView tests', function() {
 		});
 
 		it('renders comments', function() {
-
 			view.setFileInfo(fileInfoModel);
 			view.collection.set(testComments);
 
@@ -100,6 +99,15 @@ describe('OCA.Comments.CommentsTabView tests', function() {
 			expect($item.find('.date').text()).toEqual('5 minutes ago');
 			expect($item.find('.message').html()).toEqual('Second<br>Newline');
 		});
+
+		it('renders comments from deleted user differently', function() {
+			testComments[0].set('actorType', 'deleted_users', {silent: true});
+			view.collection.set(testComments);
+
+			var $item = view.$el.find('.comment[data-id=1]');
+			expect($item.find('.author').text()).toEqual('[Deleted user]');
+			expect($item.find('.avatar').attr('data-username')).not.toBeDefined();
+		});
 	});
 	describe('more comments', function() {
 		var hasMoreResultsStub;