diff --git a/src/bot/instance.ts b/src/bot/instance.ts
index 8cc285e..58e74ca 100755
--- a/src/bot/instance.ts
+++ b/src/bot/instance.ts
@@ -295,7 +295,13 @@ export class BotInstance extends EventEmitter {
       const relPath = this.database.getCustomAvatarPath(this.id);
       if (relPath) {
         const buf = this.avatarStore.read(relPath);
-        if (buf) this.profileManager.setCustomAvatar(buf);
+        // loadCustomAvatar, NOT setCustomAvatar (#148): we are still in the
+        // constructor, so tsClient has not connected. setCustomAvatar would
+        // start a file transfer right here and fail. profileManager.onConnect()
+        // uploads it for real once the handshake completes.
+        // `length > 0` because avatarStore.write is delete-then-write, so a
+        // crash mid-write leaves a 0-byte file that is truthy as a Buffer.
+        if (buf && buf.length > 0) this.profileManager.loadCustomAvatar(buf);
       }
     } catch (err) {
       this.logger.warn({ err }, "Failed to load custom avatar — skipping");
diff --git a/src/bot/profile.test.ts b/src/bot/profile.test.ts
index c0dc95b..59ebf93 100644
--- a/src/bot/profile.test.ts
+++ b/src/bot/profile.test.ts
@@ -145,3 +145,60 @@ describe("BotProfileManager custom avatar precedence", () => {
     expect(ts.clearCalls).toBe(0);
   });
 });
+
+// #148: the persisted avatar is loaded in the BotInstance constructor, before
+// tsClient.connect() has run. Loading it must not touch the wire at all.
+describe("BotProfileManager loadCustomAvatar (pre-connect load, #148)", () => {
+  let ts: ReturnType<typeof makeMockTs>;
+  beforeEach(() => { ts = makeMockTs(); });
+
+  it("does not upload or clear anything when called before connect", async () => {
+    const pm = new BotProfileManager(ts as any, noopLogger, cfgOn, "Bot");
+    pm.loadCustomAvatar(Buffer.from([7, 7, 7]));
+    await flush();
+    expect(ts.uploadCalls.length).toBe(0);
+    expect(ts.clearCalls).toBe(0);
+    expect(ts.fileTransferInitUpload).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("the loaded avatar is uploaded once onConnect fires", async () => {
+    const pm = new BotProfileManager(ts as any, noopLogger, cfgOn, "Bot");
+    pm.loadCustomAvatar(Buffer.from([7, 7, 7]));
+    await flush();
+    pm.onConnect();
+    await flush();
+    expect(ts.uploadCalls.length).toBe(1);
+    expect(ts.uploadCalls[0].equals(Buffer.from([7, 7, 7]))).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("survives a reconnect: onConnect re-applies the loaded avatar every time", async () => {
+    const pm = new BotProfileManager(ts as any, noopLogger, cfgOn, "Bot");
+    pm.loadCustomAvatar(Buffer.from([8]));
+    pm.onConnect();
+    await flush();
+    pm.onConnect();
+    await flush();
+    expect(ts.uploadCalls.length).toBe(2);
+  });
+
+  it("loading null leaves the wire untouched and onConnect stays quiet", async () => {
+    const pm = new BotProfileManager(ts as any, noopLogger, cfgOn, "Bot");
+    pm.loadCustomAvatar(null);
+    pm.onConnect();
+    await flush();
+    expect(ts.uploadCalls.length).toBe(0);
+    expect(ts.clearCalls).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  it("setCustomAvatar still uploads immediately after connect (post-connect edit unchanged)", async () => {
+    const pm = new BotProfileManager(ts as any, noopLogger, cfgOn, "Bot");
+    pm.loadCustomAvatar(Buffer.from([1]));
+    pm.onConnect();
+    await flush();
+    ts.uploadCalls.length = 0;
+    pm.setCustomAvatar(Buffer.from([2, 2]));
+    await flush();
+    expect(ts.uploadCalls.length).toBe(1);
+    expect(ts.uploadCalls[0].equals(Buffer.from([2, 2]))).toBe(true);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/bot/profile.ts b/src/bot/profile.ts
index 332638b..3c04ef7 100644
--- a/src/bot/profile.ts
+++ b/src/bot/profile.ts
@@ -65,6 +65,20 @@ export class BotProfileManager {
 
   // --- Public API ---
 
+  /**
+   * Store a persisted custom avatar WITHOUT touching TeamSpeak (#148).
+   *
+   * Used during BotInstance construction, when the TS connection does not
+   * exist yet: setCustomAvatar would immediately fire the three-step file
+   * transfer (fileTransferInitUpload → uploadFileData → clientupdate) against
+   * a client that has not connected, so the upload always failed and the
+   * saved avatar never appeared. onConnect() re-applies this.customAvatar
+   * once the handshake completes, so loading it silently here loses nothing.
+   */
+  loadCustomAvatar(buffer: Buffer | null): void {
+    this.customAvatar = buffer;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Set/clear the persistent idle avatar. Pass null to remove.
    *