diff --git a/phpBB/includes/avatar/manager.php b/phpBB/includes/avatar/manager.php
index f126d69300..58d994c3c0 100644
--- a/phpBB/includes/avatar/manager.php
+++ b/phpBB/includes/avatar/manager.php
@@ -45,6 +45,17 @@ class phpbb_avatar_manager
 	*/
 	protected $container;
 
+	/**
+	* Default avatar data row
+	* @var array
+	*/
+	static protected $default_row = array(
+		'avatar'		=> '',
+		'avatar_type'	=> '',
+		'avatar_width'	=> '',
+		'avatar_height'	=> '',
+	);
+
 	/**
 	* Construct an avatar manager object
 	*
@@ -174,20 +185,15 @@ class phpbb_avatar_manager
 	*/
 	static public function clean_row($row)
 	{
+		// Upon creation of a user/group $row might be empty
+		if (empty($row))
+		{
+			return self::$default_row;
+		}
+
 		$keys = array_keys($row);
 		$values = array_values($row);
 
-		// Upon creation of a user/group $row might be empty
-		if (empty($keys))
-		{
-			return array(
-				'avatar'		=> '',
-				'avatar_type'	=> '',
-				'avatar_width'	=> '',
-				'avatar_height'	=> '',
-			);
-		}
-
 		$keys = array_map(array('phpbb_avatar_manager', 'strip_prefix'), $keys);
 
 		return array_combine($keys, $values);