diff --git a/HANDOFF.md b/HANDOFF.md
index 247cd53..22da774 100644
--- a/HANDOFF.md
+++ b/HANDOFF.md
@@ -64,7 +64,8 @@ kick kills sync+video, no relay memory growth.
 
 - `packages/core/lib/src/`: constants.dart (tuning: seek 300 ms,
   drift 5 s, slow 1.5 s @0.95, min_buffer 4 s, heartbeat 1 s, ping 5 s,
-  avatar 64 KiB, name 32, chat 500; dropAfter lives as RoomEngine ctor
+  avatar 128 KiB (base64 chars; any 128x128 PNG fits — raised 09-12
+  from 64 KiB, which rejected normal PNGs), name 32, chat 500; dropAfter lives as RoomEngine ctor
   default, now 30 s), errors.dart, logging.dart, config.dart,
   protocol.dart (v4 schemas), media_source.dart, sync_engine.dart
   (RoomEngine + quorum in evaluate's HELD branch; PLAYING branch
@@ -149,10 +150,9 @@ Client: 5 s room-silence ⇒ dead (clear room, warn, reconnect loop
    asks-leave, global focus-proof keys (Space/Tab/arrows/ESC/F,
    350 ms throttle, ignored while typing; Tab traversal disabled on
    the session screen 09-12 — game-style, Tab toggles the sheet), single media field
-   (parseMediaInput + tests), avatar pipeline (128 px PNG as of
-   09-12 uncommitted change, was JPEG — NOTE: server still
-   enforces 64 KiB in session.dart vs pipeline's 512 KiB check,
-   mismatch open, see commit), tap to
+   (parseMediaInput + tests), avatar pipeline (128 px PNG, keeps
+   transparency — JPEG did not; self-check measures encoded base64
+   against RelayConstants, single source of truth), tap to
    pick, no path fields), Discord-like corner profile (connect only;
   welcome is title+Host/Join; edits apply next join — no rename
   intent on the wire), dialogs for terminal states.
diff --git a/apps/desktop/lib/src/widgets/avatar_pipeline.dart b/apps/desktop/lib/src/widgets/avatar_pipeline.dart
index f3697e1..1d23d86 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/lib/src/widgets/avatar_pipeline.dart
+++ b/apps/desktop/lib/src/widgets/avatar_pipeline.dart
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import 'dart:io';
 import 'dart:typed_data';
 
 import 'package:image/image.dart' as img;
+import 'package:sync_relay_core/core.dart';
 
 Future<String> encodeAvatar(String path) async {
   final trimmed = path.trim();
@@ -24,22 +25,18 @@ Future<String> encodeAvatar(String path) async {
   if (decoded == null) {
     throw const FormatException('could not read that image — pick a PNG, JPG or WebP photo');
   }
-  // final side = decoded.width < decoded.height ? decoded.width : decoded.height;
-  // final x = (decoded.width - side) ~/ 2;
-  // final y = (decoded.height - side) ~/ 2;
-  // final cropped = img.copyCrop(decoded, x: x, y: y, width: side, height: side);
   final resized = img.copyResize(
     decoded,
     width: 128,
     height: 128,
     maintainAspect: true,
-    // backgroundColor: img.ColorFloat16.rgba(0, 0, 0, 0),
     backgroundColor: img.PixelUndefined(),
     interpolation: img.Interpolation.cubic,
   );
   final png = img.encodePng(resized);
-  if (resized.length > 512 * 1024) {
+  final b64 = base64Encode(png);
+  if (b64.length > RelayConstants.maxAvatarBytes) {
     throw const FormatException('that photo is still too large after shrinking — pick a smaller one');
   }
-  return base64Encode(png);
+  return b64;
 }
diff --git a/docs/ROADMAP.md b/docs/ROADMAP.md
index 913ca46..2c972be 100644
--- a/docs/ROADMAP.md
+++ b/docs/ROADMAP.md
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ silence-timeout + reconnect loop. Never run: shaper chaos suite
 
 ## Phase 6 — Identity & social (PARTIAL)
 
-Shipped: names (32 cap), avatars (64 KiB, picker + crop), kick nudge
+Shipped: names (32 cap), avatars (128 KiB cap, 128 px PNG picker, transparency kept), kick nudge
 + reason, feed attribution. Open: real chat pane/history (schema
 only), sounds swap-in (wiring + NoopSfxService ready; pick
 flutter_soloud or equivalent, Kenney/ObsydianX/akx sources in
diff --git a/packages/core/lib/src/constants.dart b/packages/core/lib/src/constants.dart
index 383e4ae..c67ac62 100644
--- a/packages/core/lib/src/constants.dart
+++ b/packages/core/lib/src/constants.dart
@@ -15,7 +15,13 @@ abstract class RelayConstants {
   static const int stateHeartbeatSecs = 1;
   static const int pingIntervalSecs = 5;
 
-  static const int maxAvatarBytes = 64 * 1024;
+  // Base64-char count of the avatar string, enforced at hello. Sized so
+  // ANY 128x128 pipeline PNG always fits (raw bitmap <= 64 KiB, worst-case
+  // PNG ~70 KiB raw ~= 95 KiB base64). PNG keeps transparency; JPEG did not.
+  // Trade: avatars ride in the 1 Hz room broadcast, so worst-case host
+  // uplink scales with this cap. Follow-up (not now): send avatar bytes
+  // once, reference by hash afterwards.
+  static const int maxAvatarBytes = 128 * 1024;
   static const int maxNameLength = 32;
   static const int maxChatLength = 500;
 }
diff --git a/packages/server/test/session_test.dart b/packages/server/test/session_test.dart
index c9ca0cb..9c746b3 100644
--- a/packages/server/test/session_test.dart
+++ b/packages/server/test/session_test.dart
@@ -43,6 +43,13 @@ void main() {
       expect(() => s.issueToken('alice', big), throwsA(isA<AuthException>()));
     });
 
+    test('64 KiB avatar accepted under raised cap', () {
+      final s = Session(id: 'default', secret: 'shh');
+      final png = 'x' * (64 * 1024);
+      expect(s.issueToken('alice', png), isNotEmpty);
+      expect(s.tokens.values.single.avatar, hasLength(64 * 1024));
+    });
+
     test('names truncated to cap, blank becomes ?', () {
       final s = Session(id: 'default', secret: 'shh');
       final long = s.issueToken('a' * 100, '');