diff --git a/changelogs/unreleased/dm-simple-project-avatar-url.yml b/changelogs/unreleased/dm-simple-project-avatar-url.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e517345f5d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/unreleased/dm-simple-project-avatar-url.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+title: Expose avatar_url when requesting list of projects from API with simple=true
+merge_request:
+author:
+type: added
diff --git a/lib/api/entities.rb b/lib/api/entities.rb
index 085d1edc0fc..7f4736a08cb 100644
--- a/lib/api/entities.rb
+++ b/lib/api/entities.rb
@@ -89,6 +89,9 @@ module API
       expose :ssh_url_to_repo, :http_url_to_repo, :web_url
       expose :name, :name_with_namespace
       expose :path, :path_with_namespace
+      expose :avatar_url do |project, options|
+        project.avatar_url(only_path: false)
+      end
       expose :star_count, :forks_count
       expose :created_at, :last_activity_at
     end
@@ -146,9 +149,7 @@ module API
       expose :forked_from_project, using: Entities::BasicProjectDetails, if: lambda { |project, options| project.forked? }
       expose :import_status
       expose :import_error, if: lambda { |_project, options| options[:user_can_admin_project] }
-      expose :avatar_url do |user, options|
-        user.avatar_url(only_path: false)
-      end
+
       expose :open_issues_count, if: lambda { |project, options| project.feature_available?(:issues, options[:current_user]) }
       expose :runners_token, if: lambda { |_project, options| options[:user_can_admin_project] }
       expose :public_builds, as: :public_jobs
@@ -193,8 +194,8 @@ module API
     class Group < Grape::Entity
       expose :id, :name, :path, :description, :visibility
       expose :lfs_enabled?, as: :lfs_enabled
-      expose :avatar_url do |user, options|
-        user.avatar_url(only_path: false)
+      expose :avatar_url do |group, options|
+        group.avatar_url(only_path: false)
       end
       expose :web_url
       expose :request_access_enabled
diff --git a/spec/requests/api/environments_spec.rb b/spec/requests/api/environments_spec.rb
index 2361809e0e1..f8cd529a06c 100644
--- a/spec/requests/api/environments_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/api/environments_spec.rb
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ describe API::Environments do
           path path_with_namespace
           star_count forks_count
           created_at last_activity_at
+          avatar_url
         )
 
         get api("/projects/#{project.id}/environments", user)
diff --git a/spec/requests/api/projects_spec.rb b/spec/requests/api/projects_spec.rb
index 508df990952..18f6f7df1fa 100644
--- a/spec/requests/api/projects_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/api/projects_spec.rb
@@ -193,6 +193,7 @@ describe API::Projects do
             path path_with_namespace
             star_count forks_count
             created_at last_activity_at
+            avatar_url
           )
 
           get api('/projects?simple=true', user)
diff --git a/spec/requests/api/v3/projects_spec.rb b/spec/requests/api/v3/projects_spec.rb
index cae2c3118da..e5282c3311f 100644
--- a/spec/requests/api/v3/projects_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/api/v3/projects_spec.rb
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ describe API::V3::Projects do
             path path_with_namespace
             star_count forks_count
             created_at last_activity_at
+            avatar_url
           )
 
           get v3_api('/projects?simple=true', user)