diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/milestone.js.coffee b/app/assets/javascripts/milestone.js.coffee
index 5cbddd3a207..ea01c318d4f 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/milestone.js.coffee
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/milestone.js.coffee
@@ -6,6 +6,13 @@ class Milestone
       data: data
       success: (data) ->
         if data.saved == true
+          if data.assignee_avatar_url
+            img_tag = $('<img/>')
+            img_tag.attr('src', data.assignee_avatar_url)
+            img_tag.addClass('avatar s16')
+            $(li).find('.assignee-icon').html(img_tag)
+          else
+            $(li).find('.assignee-icon').html('')
           $(li).effect 'highlight'
         else
           new Flash("Issue update failed", 'alert')
diff --git a/app/controllers/projects/issues_controller.rb b/app/controllers/projects/issues_controller.rb
index 6c6fc7e0779..ddea8901f9b 100644
--- a/app/controllers/projects/issues_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/projects/issues_controller.rb
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ class Projects::IssuesController < Projects::ApplicationController
       format.json do
         render json: {
           saved: @issue.valid?,
+          assignee_avatar_url: @issue.assignee.try(:avatar_url)
         }
       end
     end
diff --git a/app/views/projects/milestones/_issue.html.haml b/app/views/projects/milestones/_issue.html.haml
index 7c993e01c23..08ccd0cdc8a 100644
--- a/app/views/projects/milestones/_issue.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/projects/milestones/_issue.html.haml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
     = link_to [@project, issue] do
       %span.cgray ##{issue.iid}
     = link_to_gfm issue.title, [@project, issue]
-  - if issue.assignee
-    .pull-right
+  .pull-right.assignee-icon
+    - if issue.assignee
       = image_tag avatar_icon(issue.assignee.email, 16), class: "avatar s16"