diff --git a/config/default.js b/config/default.js
index 9563efe..9d426a7 100644
--- a/config/default.js
+++ b/config/default.js
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@ module.exports = {
   API_CONTEXT_PATH: process.env.API_CONTEXT_PATH || '/v5/notifications',
   TC_API_BASE_URL: process.env.TC_API_BASE_URL || '',
 
+  // CloudFront CDN URL. It's used to host and resize images like user avatars.
+  TC_CDN_URL: process.env.TC_CDN_URL || '',
+
   // Configuration for generating machine to machine auth0 token.
   // The token will be used for calling another internal API.
   AUTH0_URL: process.env.AUTH0_URL,
diff --git a/connect/constants.js b/connect/constants.js
index 3768ac5..4022ef1 100644
--- a/connect/constants.js
+++ b/connect/constants.js
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 module.exports = {
+  // size for user photos in emails
+  EMAIL_USER_PHOTO_SIZE: 80,
+
   // periods of time in cron format (node-cron)
   SCHEDULED_EVENT_PERIOD: {
     every10minutes: '*/10 * * * *',
diff --git a/connect/notificationServices/email.js b/connect/notificationServices/email.js
index 3d608fc..fbc1dd2 100644
--- a/connect/notificationServices/email.js
+++ b/connect/notificationServices/email.js
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ const {
   SCHEDULED_EVENT_PERIOD,
   SETTINGS_EMAIL_SERVICE_ID,
   ACTIVE_USER_STATUSES,
+  EMAIL_USER_PHOTO_SIZE,
 } = require('../constants');
 const { EVENT_BUNDLES } = require('../events-config');
 const helpers = require('../helpers');
@@ -236,7 +237,8 @@ function handler(topicName, messageJSON, notification) {
         projectId: messageJSON.projectId,
         authorHandle: notification.contents.userHandle,
         authorFullName: notification.contents.userFullName,
-        photoURL: notification.contents.photoURL,
+        photoURL: `${config.TC_CDN_URL}/avatar/${encodeURIComponent(notification.contents.photoURL)}`
+          + `?size=${EMAIL_USER_PHOTO_SIZE}`,
         type: notificationType,
         emailToAffectedUser: notification.contents.userEmail === userEmail,
       },