diff --git a/app/build.gradle b/app/build.gradle
index e91f74d450..58cc5e064f 100644
--- a/app/build.gradle
+++ b/app/build.gradle
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ dependencies {
 
     def epoxy_version = "3.0.0"
     def arrow_version = "0.8.2"
+    def coroutines_version = "1.0.1"
     def markwon_version = '3.0.0-SNAPSHOT'
 
     implementation project(":matrix-sdk-android")
@@ -67,6 +68,8 @@ dependencies {
     implementation 'com.android.support:multidex:1.0.3'
 
     implementation "org.jetbrains.kotlin:kotlin-stdlib-jdk7:$kotlin_version"
+    implementation "org.jetbrains.kotlinx:kotlinx-coroutines-core:$coroutines_version"
+    implementation "org.jetbrains.kotlinx:kotlinx-coroutines-android:$coroutines_version"
 
     implementation 'androidx.appcompat:appcompat:1.1.0-alpha01'
     implementation 'androidx.constraintlayout:constraintlayout:1.1.3'
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/im/vector/riotredesign/features/home/AvatarRenderer.kt b/app/src/main/java/im/vector/riotredesign/features/home/AvatarRenderer.kt
index c2e4e6a509..3227dc6502 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/im/vector/riotredesign/features/home/AvatarRenderer.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/im/vector/riotredesign/features/home/AvatarRenderer.kt
@@ -22,8 +22,6 @@ import android.widget.ImageView
 import androidx.core.content.ContextCompat
 import com.amulyakhare.textdrawable.TextDrawable
 import com.bumptech.glide.request.RequestOptions
-import com.bumptech.glide.request.target.SimpleTarget
-import com.bumptech.glide.request.transition.Transition
 import im.vector.matrix.android.api.Matrix
 import im.vector.matrix.android.api.MatrixPatterns
 import im.vector.matrix.android.api.session.room.model.RoomMember
@@ -31,6 +29,8 @@ import im.vector.matrix.android.api.session.room.model.RoomSummary
 import im.vector.riotredesign.R
 import im.vector.riotredesign.core.glide.GlideApp
 import im.vector.riotredesign.core.glide.GlideRequest
+import kotlinx.coroutines.GlobalScope
+import kotlinx.coroutines.launch
 
 object AvatarRenderer {
 
@@ -46,53 +46,47 @@ object AvatarRenderer {
         if (name.isNullOrEmpty()) {
             return
         }
-        buildGlideRequest(imageView.context, name, avatarUrl).into(imageView)
+        val placeholder = buildPlaceholderDrawable(imageView.context, name)
+        buildGlideRequest(imageView.context, avatarUrl)
+                .placeholder(placeholder)
+                .into(imageView)
     }
 
-    fun load(context: Context, avatarUrl: String?, name: String?, callback: Callback) {
+    fun load(context: Context, avatarUrl: String?, name: String?, size: Int, callback: Callback) {
         if (name.isNullOrEmpty()) {
             return
         }
-        buildGlideRequest(context, name, avatarUrl).into(CallbackTarget(callback))
+        val request = buildGlideRequest(context, avatarUrl)
+        GlobalScope.launch {
+            val placeholder = buildPlaceholderDrawable(context, name)
+            callback.onDrawableUpdated(placeholder)
+            try {
+                val drawable = request.submit(size, size).get()
+                callback.onDrawableUpdated(drawable)
+            } catch (exception: Exception) {
+                callback.onDrawableUpdated(placeholder)
+            }
+        }
     }
 
-    private fun buildGlideRequest(context: Context, name: String, avatarUrl: String?): GlideRequest<Drawable> {
+    private fun buildGlideRequest(context: Context, avatarUrl: String?): GlideRequest<Drawable> {
         val resolvedUrl = Matrix.getInstance().currentSession.contentUrlResolver().resolveFullSize(avatarUrl)
+        return GlideApp
+                .with(context)
+                .load(resolvedUrl)
+                .apply(RequestOptions.circleCropTransform())
+    }
+
+    private fun buildPlaceholderDrawable(context: Context, name: String): Drawable {
         val avatarColor = ContextCompat.getColor(context, R.color.pale_teal)
         val isNameUserId = MatrixPatterns.isUserId(name)
         val firstLetterIndex = if (isNameUserId) 1 else 0
         val firstLetter = name[firstLetterIndex].toString().toUpperCase()
-        val fallbackDrawable = TextDrawable.builder().buildRound(firstLetter, avatarColor)
-        return GlideApp
-                .with(context)
-                .load(resolvedUrl)
-                .placeholder(fallbackDrawable)
-                .apply(RequestOptions.circleCropTransform())
+        return TextDrawable.builder().buildRound(firstLetter, avatarColor)
     }
 
     interface Callback {
         fun onDrawableUpdated(drawable: Drawable?)
-        fun onDestroy()
     }
 
-    private class CallbackTarget(private val callback: Callback) : SimpleTarget<Drawable>() {
-
-        override fun onDestroy() {
-            callback.onDestroy()
-        }
-
-        override fun onResourceReady(resource: Drawable, transition: Transition<in Drawable>?) {
-            callback.onDrawableUpdated(resource)
-        }
-
-        override fun onLoadStarted(placeholder: Drawable?) {
-            callback.onDrawableUpdated(placeholder)
-        }
-
-        override fun onLoadFailed(errorDrawable: Drawable?) {
-            callback.onDrawableUpdated(errorDrawable)
-        }
-    }
-
-
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/im/vector/riotredesign/features/html/PillDrawableFactory.kt b/app/src/main/java/im/vector/riotredesign/features/html/PillDrawableFactory.kt
index 05885491f1..9b87c67135 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/im/vector/riotredesign/features/html/PillDrawableFactory.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/im/vector/riotredesign/features/html/PillDrawableFactory.kt
@@ -27,15 +27,18 @@ import java.lang.ref.WeakReference
 object PillDrawableFactory {
 
     fun create(context: Context, userId: String, user: User?): Drawable {
+        val textPadding = context.resources.getDimension(R.dimen.pill_text_padding)
+
         val chipDrawable = ChipDrawable.createFromResource(context, R.xml.pill_view).apply {
             setText(user?.displayName ?: userId)
-            textEndPadding = 8f
-            textStartPadding = 8f
-            setBounds(0, 0, intrinsicWidth, (intrinsicHeight / 1.5f).toInt())
+            textEndPadding = textPadding
+            textStartPadding = textPadding
+            setChipMinHeightResource(R.dimen.pill_min_height)
+            setChipIconSizeResource(R.dimen.pill_avatar_size)
+            setBounds(0, 0, intrinsicWidth, intrinsicHeight)
         }
         val avatarRendererCallback = AvatarRendererChipCallback(chipDrawable)
-        // TODO: need to work on getting drawable async
-        //AvatarRenderer.load(context, user?.avatarUrl, user?.displayName, avatarRendererCallback)
+        AvatarRenderer.load(context, user?.avatarUrl, user?.displayName, 80, avatarRendererCallback)
         return chipDrawable
     }
 
@@ -43,19 +46,14 @@ object PillDrawableFactory {
 
         private val weakChipDrawable = WeakReference<ChipDrawable>(chipDrawable)
 
-        override fun onDestroy() {
-            weakChipDrawable.clear()
-        }
-
         override fun onDrawableUpdated(drawable: Drawable?) {
             weakChipDrawable.get()?.apply {
                 chipIcon = drawable
-                setBounds(0, 0, intrinsicWidth, (intrinsicHeight / 1.5f).toInt())
+                setBounds(0, 0, intrinsicWidth, intrinsicHeight)
             }
         }
 
     }
 
-
 }
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/dimens.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/dimens.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3d9cae027d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/dimens.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+
+<resources>
+    <dimen name="pill_avatar_size">16dp</dimen>
+    <dimen name="pill_min_height">20dp</dimen>
+    <dimen name="pill_text_padding">4dp</dimen>
+</resources>
\ No newline at end of file