diff --git a/spec/support/common_actions/comments.rb b/spec/support/common_actions/comments.rb
index 370e16fd9..1f600470b 100644
--- a/spec/support/common_actions/comments.rb
+++ b/spec/support/common_actions/comments.rb
@@ -18,8 +18,4 @@ module Comments
     end
     expect(page).to have_content "It will be done next week."
   end
-
-  def avatar(name)
-    "img.initialjs-avatar[data-name='#{name}']"
-  end
 end
diff --git a/spec/support/matchers/have_avatar.rb b/spec/support/matchers/have_avatar.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d68757ceb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/support/matchers/have_avatar.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+RSpec::Matchers.define :have_avatar do |name, **options|
+  match do
+    has_css?("img.initialjs-avatar[data-name='#{name}'][src^='data:image/svg']", **options)
+  end
+
+  failure_message do
+    "expected to find avatar with name #{name} but there were no matches."
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/system/account_spec.rb b/spec/system/account_spec.rb
index 6d23e854b..d98d2f7ff 100644
--- a/spec/system/account_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/system/account_spec.rb
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ describe "Account" do
     expect(page).to have_current_path(account_path, ignore_query: true)
 
     expect(page).to have_css "input[value='Manuela Colau']"
-    expect(page).to have_css avatar("Manuela Colau"), count: 1
+    expect(page).to have_avatar "Manuela Colau", count: 1
   end
 
   scenario "Show organization" do
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ describe "Account" do
     expect(page).to have_css "input[value='Manuela Corp']"
     expect(page).not_to have_css "input[value='Manuela Colau']"
 
-    expect(page).to have_css avatar("Manuela Corp"), count: 1
+    expect(page).to have_avatar "Manuela Corp", count: 1
   end
 
   scenario "Edit" do
diff --git a/spec/system/debates_spec.rb b/spec/system/debates_spec.rb
index fa70d949f..ba83f2a1f 100644
--- a/spec/system/debates_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/system/debates_spec.rb
@@ -72,15 +72,15 @@ describe "Debates" do
   end
 
   scenario "Show" do
-    debate = create(:debate)
+    debate = create(:debate, author: create(:user, username: "Charles Dickens"))
 
     visit debate_path(debate)
 
     expect(page).to have_content debate.title
     expect(page).to have_content "Debate description"
-    expect(page).to have_content debate.author.name
+    expect(page).to have_content "Charles Dickens"
     expect(page).to have_content I18n.l(debate.created_at.to_date)
-    expect(page).to have_css avatar(debate.author.name)
+    expect(page).to have_avatar "Charles Dickens"
     expect(page.html).to include "<title>#{debate.title}</title>"
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/system/proposals_spec.rb b/spec/system/proposals_spec.rb
index 6df959d81..13d1d8fd3 100644
--- a/spec/system/proposals_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/system/proposals_spec.rb
@@ -114,16 +114,16 @@ describe "Proposals" do
   end
 
   scenario "Show" do
-    proposal = create(:proposal)
+    proposal = create(:proposal, author: create(:user, username: "Mark Twain"))
 
     visit proposal_path(proposal)
 
     expect(page).to have_content proposal.title
     expect(page).to have_content proposal.code
     expect(page).to have_content "Proposal description"
-    expect(page).to have_content proposal.author.name
+    expect(page).to have_content "Mark Twain"
     expect(page).to have_content I18n.l(proposal.created_at.to_date)
-    expect(page).to have_css avatar(proposal.author.name)
+    expect(page).to have_avatar "Mark Twain"
     expect(page.html).to include "<title>#{proposal.title}</title>"
     expect(page).not_to have_css ".js-flag-actions"
     expect(page).not_to have_css ".js-follow"
diff --git a/spec/system/users_spec.rb b/spec/system/users_spec.rb
index bae98741f..2f1ca0bf4 100644
--- a/spec/system/users_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/system/users_spec.rb
@@ -488,14 +488,14 @@ describe "Users" do
 
   describe "Initials" do
     scenario "display SVG avatars when loaded into the DOM" do
-      login_as(create(:user))
+      login_as(create(:user, username: "Commentator"))
       visit debate_path(create(:debate))
 
       fill_in "Leave your comment", with: "I'm awesome"
       click_button "Publish comment"
 
       within ".comment", text: "I'm awesome" do
-        expect(page).to have_css "img.initialjs-avatar[src^='data:image/svg']"
+        expect(page).to have_avatar "Commentator"
       end
     end
   end