diff --git a/changelogs/unreleased/sh-fix-gon-helper-avatar.yml b/changelogs/unreleased/sh-fix-gon-helper-avatar.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c83273608ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/unreleased/sh-fix-gon-helper-avatar.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+title: Fix no avatar not showing in user selection box
+merge_request: 24346
+author:
+type: fixed
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/gon_helper.rb b/lib/gitlab/gon_helper.rb
index 15137140639..9b1794eec91 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/gon_helper.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/gon_helper.rb
@@ -8,10 +8,7 @@ module Gitlab
 
     def add_gon_variables
       gon.api_version            = 'v4'
-      gon.default_avatar_url     =
-        Gitlab::Utils.append_path(
-          Gitlab.config.gitlab.url,
-          ActionController::Base.helpers.image_path('no_avatar.png'))
+      gon.default_avatar_url     = default_avatar_url
       gon.max_file_size          = Gitlab::CurrentSettings.max_attachment_size
       gon.asset_host             = ActionController::Base.asset_host
       gon.webpack_public_path    = webpack_public_path
@@ -50,5 +47,15 @@ module Gitlab
       # use this method to push multiple feature flags.
       gon.push({ features: { var_name => enabled } }, true)
     end
+
+    def default_avatar_url
+      # We can't use ActionController::Base.helpers.image_url because it
+      # doesn't return an actual URL because request is nil for some reason.
+      #
+      # We also can't use Gitlab::Utils.append_path because the image path
+      # may be an absolute URL.
+      URI.join(Gitlab.config.gitlab.url,
+               ActionController::Base.helpers.image_path('no_avatar.png')).to_s
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/gon_helper_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/gon_helper_spec.rb
index c6f09ca2112..1ff2334bacf 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/gon_helper_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/gon_helper_spec.rb
@@ -29,4 +29,13 @@ describe Gitlab::GonHelper do
       helper.push_frontend_feature_flag(:my_feature_flag, 10)
     end
   end
+
+  describe '#default_avatar_url' do
+    it 'returns an absolute URL' do
+      url = helper.default_avatar_url
+
+      expect(url).to match(/^http/)
+      expect(url).to match(/no_avatar.*png$/)
+    end
+  end
 end