diff --git a/app/models/profile.rb b/app/models/profile.rb
index f0b5865e2..47d709e84 100644
--- a/app/models/profile.rb
+++ b/app/models/profile.rb
@@ -56,17 +56,29 @@ class Profile < ActiveRecord::Base
 
   def image_url= url
     return image_url if url == ''
-    super(url)
+    if url.nil? || url.match(/^https?:\/\//)
+      super(url)
+    else
+      super(absolutify_local_url(url))
+    end
   end
 
   def image_url_small= url
     return image_url if url == ''
-    super(url)
+    if url.nil? || url.match(/^https?:\/\//)
+      super(url)
+    else
+      super(absolutify_local_url(url))
+    end
   end
 
   def image_url_medium= url
     return image_url if url == ''
-    super(url)
+    if url.nil? || url.match(/^https?:\/\//)
+      super(url)
+    else
+      super(absolutify_local_url(url))
+    end
   end
 
   def date= params
@@ -86,4 +98,10 @@ class Profile < ActiveRecord::Base
     self.last_name.strip! if self.last_name
   end
 
+  private
+  def absolutify_local_url url
+    pod_url = AppConfig[:pod_url].dup
+    pod_url.chop! if AppConfig[:pod_url][-1,1] == '/'
+    "#{pod_url}#{url}"
+  end
 end