diff --git a/api/src/config/index.ts b/api/src/config/index.ts
index 688983964..d668727a4 100644
--- a/api/src/config/index.ts
+++ b/api/src/config/index.ts
@@ -103,10 +103,12 @@ export const config: Config = {
     from: process.env.EMAIL_SMTP_FROM || 'noreply@example.com',
   },
   parameters: {
-    uploadDir:
-      (process.env.UPLOAD_DIR && join(process.cwd(), process.env.UPLOAD_DIR)) ??
-      join(process.cwd(), 'uploads'),
-    avatarDir: process.env.AVATAR_DIR ?? join(process.cwd(), 'avatars'),
+    uploadDir: process.env.UPLOAD_DIR
+      ? join(process.cwd(), process.env.UPLOAD_DIR)
+      : join(process.cwd(), 'uploads'),
+    avatarDir: process.env.AVATAR_DIR
+      ? join(process.cwd(), process.env.AVATAR_DIR)
+      : join(process.cwd(), 'avatars'),
     storageMode: 'disk',
     maxUploadSize: process.env.UPLOAD_MAX_SIZE_IN_BYTES
       ? Number(process.env.UPLOAD_MAX_SIZE_IN_BYTES)
diff --git a/docker/.env.example b/docker/.env.example
index 72f1faf18..834b3e174 100644
--- a/docker/.env.example
+++ b/docker/.env.example
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ HTTPS_ENABLED=false
 SESSION_SECRET=f661ff500fff6b0c8f91310b6fff6b0c
 SESSION_NAME=s.id
 UPLOAD_DIR=/uploads
+AVATAR_DIR=/avatars
 UPLOAD_MAX_SIZE_IN_BYTES=2000000
 INVITATION_JWT_SECRET=dev_only
 INVITATION_EXPIRES_IN=24h
@@ -71,4 +72,3 @@ APP_REDIS_PORT=9001
 REDIS_ENABLED=false
 REDIS_HOST=redis
 REDIS_PORT=6379
-
diff --git a/docker/docker-compose.yml b/docker/docker-compose.yml
index 36ebce9ea..bd0f2d39e 100644
--- a/docker/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker/docker-compose.yml
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ services:
       - app-network
     volumes:
       - api-data:/app/uploads
+      - api-avatars-data:/app/avatars
     depends_on:
       mongo:
         condition: service_healthy
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ services:
 volumes:
   mongo-data:
   api-data:
+  api-avatars-data:
 
 networks:
   db-network: