diff --git a/pkg/models/user.go b/pkg/models/user.go
index 8eed924..16c66b8 100644
--- a/pkg/models/user.go
+++ b/pkg/models/user.go
@@ -559,6 +559,10 @@ func (u *User) VisibleAvatarURL(currentUser *User) string {
 //
 // If the user has no profile photo, returns (false, PhotoPublic) which should manifest as the blue shy.png placeholder image.
 func (u *User) CanSeeProfilePicture(currentUser *User) (bool, PhotoVisibility) {
+	if !u.UserRelationship.Computed {
+		SetUserRelationships(currentUser, []*User{u})
+	}
+
 	visibility := u.ProfilePhoto.Visibility
 	if visibility == PhotoPrivate && !u.UserRelationship.IsPrivateGranted {
 		// Private photo
diff --git a/pkg/models/user_relationship.go b/pkg/models/user_relationship.go
index d9d6dcf..ebaf141 100644
--- a/pkg/models/user_relationship.go
+++ b/pkg/models/user_relationship.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ package models
 // The zero-values should fail safely: in case the UserRelationship isn't populated correctly,
 // private profile pics show as private by default.
 type UserRelationship struct {
+	Computed          bool // check whether the SetUserRelationships function has been run
 	IsFriend          bool // if true, a friends-only profile pic can show
 	IsPrivateGranted  bool // if true, a private profile pic can show
 	IsInnerCirclePeer bool // if true, the current user is in the inner circle so may see circle-only profile picture