diff --git a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/band.rb b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/band.rb
index f542e30e1..63d764cd9 100644
--- a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/band.rb
+++ b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/band.rb
@@ -197,21 +197,27 @@ module JamRuby
       return band
     end
 
+    def escape_filename(path)
+      dir = File.dirname(path)
+      file = File.basename(path)
+      "#{dir}/#{ERB::Util.url_encode(file)}"
+    end
+
     def update_photo(original_fpfile, cropped_fpfile, cropped_large_fpfile, crop_selection, aws_bucket)
       self.updating_photo = true
 
       cropped_s3_path = cropped_fpfile["key"]
       cropped_large_s3_path = cropped_large_fpfile["key"]
 
-      return self.update_attributes(
+      self.update_attributes(
                                     :original_fpfile_photo => original_fpfile,
                                     :cropped_fpfile_photo => cropped_fpfile,
                                     :cropped_large_fpfile_photo => cropped_large_fpfile,
                                     :cropped_s3_path_photo => cropped_s3_path,
                                     :cropped_large_s3_path_photo => cropped_large_s3_path,
                                     :crop_selection_photo => crop_selection,
-                                    :photo_url => S3Util.url(aws_bucket, cropped_s3_path, :secure => false),
-                                    :large_photo_url => S3Util.url(aws_bucket, cropped_large_s3_path, :secure => false))
+                                    :photo_url => S3Util.url(aws_bucket, escape_filename(cropped_s3_path), :secure => false),
+                                    :large_photo_url => S3Util.url(aws_bucket, escape_filename(cropped_large_s3_path), :secure => false))
     end
 
     def delete_photo(aws_bucket)
diff --git a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/user.rb b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/user.rb
index 3de0663c8..15af1ec0f 100644
--- a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/user.rb
+++ b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/user.rb
@@ -328,8 +328,7 @@ module JamRuby
     # using the generic avatar if no user photo available
     def resolved_photo_url
       if self.photo_url == nil || self.photo_url == ''
-        # lame that this isn't environment, but boy this is hard to pass all the way down from jam-web!
-        "http://www.jamkazam.com/assets/shared/avatar_generic.png"
+        "#{APP_CONFIG.external_root_url}/assets/shared/avatar_generic.png"
       else
         return self.photo_url
       end
@@ -899,21 +898,27 @@ module JamRuby
       self.save
     end
 
+    def escape_filename(path)
+      dir = File.dirname(path)
+      file = File.basename(path)
+      "#{dir}/#{ERB::Util.url_encode(file)}"
+    end
+
     def update_avatar(original_fpfile, cropped_fpfile, cropped_large_fpfile, crop_selection, aws_bucket)
       self.updating_avatar = true
 
       cropped_s3_path = cropped_fpfile["key"]
       cropped_large_s3_path = cropped_large_fpfile["key"]
 
-      return self.update_attributes(
+      self.update_attributes(
             :original_fpfile => original_fpfile,
             :cropped_fpfile => cropped_fpfile,
             :cropped_large_fpfile => cropped_large_fpfile,
             :cropped_s3_path => cropped_s3_path,
             :cropped_large_s3_path => cropped_large_s3_path,
             :crop_selection => crop_selection,
-            :photo_url => S3Util.url(aws_bucket, cropped_s3_path, :secure => false),
-            :large_photo_url => S3Util.url(aws_bucket, cropped_large_s3_path, :secure => false)
+            :photo_url => S3Util.url(aws_bucket, escape_filename(cropped_s3_path), :secure => false),
+            :large_photo_url => S3Util.url(aws_bucket, escape_filename(cropped_large_s3_path), :secure => false)
         )
     end