diff --git a/api/src/Contacts.php b/api/src/Contacts.php
index 20269b7816..e00889ee5d 100755
--- a/api/src/Contacts.php
+++ b/api/src/Contacts.php
@@ -864,6 +864,10 @@ class Contacts extends Contacts\Storage
 	*/
 	function save(&$contact, $ignore_acl=false, $touch_modified=true)
 	{
+		// Make sure photo remains unchanged unless its purposely set to be false
+		// which means photo has changed.
+		if (!array_key_exists('photo_unchanged',$contact)) $contact['photo_unchanged'] = true;
+
 		// remember if we add or update a entry
 		if (($isUpdate = $contact['id']))
 		{