diff --git a/app/user.go b/app/user.go
index 37caba1891..2a70c3c0a5 100644
--- a/app/user.go
+++ b/app/user.go
@@ -1627,6 +1627,35 @@ func (a *App) PermanentDeleteUser(c *request.Context, user *model.User) *model.A
 		}
 	}
 
+	// delete directory containing user's profile image
+	profileImageDirectory := getProfileImageDirectory(user.Id)
+	profileImagePath := getProfileImagePath(user.Id)
+	resProfileImageExists, errProfileImageExists := a.FileExists(profileImagePath)
+
+	fileHandlingErrorsFound := false
+
+	if errProfileImageExists != nil {
+		fileHandlingErrorsFound = true
+		mlog.Warn(
+			"Error checking existence of profile image.",
+			mlog.String("path", profileImagePath),
+			mlog.Err(errProfileImageExists),
+		)
+	}
+
+	if resProfileImageExists {
+		errRemoveDirectory := a.RemoveDirectory(profileImageDirectory)
+
+		if errRemoveDirectory != nil {
+			fileHandlingErrorsFound = true
+			mlog.Warn(
+				"Unable to remove profile image directory",
+				mlog.String("path", profileImageDirectory),
+				mlog.Err(errRemoveDirectory),
+			)
+		}
+	}
+
 	if _, err := a.Srv().Store.FileInfo().PermanentDeleteByUser(user.Id); err != nil {
 		return model.NewAppError("PermanentDeleteUser", "app.file_info.permanent_delete_by_user.app_error", nil, "", http.StatusInternalServerError).Wrap(err)
 	}
@@ -1643,6 +1672,12 @@ func (a *App) PermanentDeleteUser(c *request.Context, user *model.User) *model.A
 		return model.NewAppError("PermanentDeleteUser", "app.team.remove_member.app_error", nil, "", http.StatusInternalServerError).Wrap(err)
 	}
 
+	a.InvalidateCacheForUser(user.Id)
+
+	if fileHandlingErrorsFound {
+		return model.NewAppError("PermanentDeleteUser", "app.file_info.permanent_delete_by_user.app_error", nil, "Couldn't delete profile image of the user.", http.StatusAccepted)
+	}
+
 	c.Logger().Warn("Permanently deleted account", mlog.String("user_email", user.Email), mlog.String("user_id", user.Id))
 
 	return nil
@@ -2612,3 +2647,7 @@ func (a *App) GetUsersWithInvalidEmails(page int, perPage int) ([]*model.User, *
 func getProfileImagePath(userID string) string {
 	return filepath.Join("users", userID, "profile.png")
 }
+
+func getProfileImageDirectory(userID string) string {
+	return filepath.Join("users", userID)
+}
diff --git a/app/user_test.go b/app/user_test.go
index 75d5fa80f3..d485b51bd4 100644
--- a/app/user_test.go
+++ b/app/user_test.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
@@ -1036,6 +1037,12 @@ func TestPermanentDeleteUser(t *testing.T) {
 
 	require.Nil(t, err, "Unable to upload file. err=%v", err)
 
+	// upload profile image
+	user := th.BasicUser
+
+	err = th.App.SetDefaultProfileImage(th.Context, user)
+	require.Nil(t, err)
+
 	bot, err := th.App.CreateBot(th.Context, &model.Bot{
 		Username:    "botname",
 		Description: "a bot",
@@ -1076,6 +1083,11 @@ func TestPermanentDeleteUser(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Nil(t, finfo, "Unable to find finfo. err=%v", err)
 
 	require.NotNil(t, err, "GetFileInfo after DeleteUser is nil. err=%v", err)
+
+	// test deletion of profile picture
+	exists, err := th.App.FileExists(filepath.Join("users", user.Id))
+	require.Nil(t, err, "Unable to stat finfo. err=%v", err)
+	require.False(t, exists, "Profile image wasn't deleted. err=%v", err)
 }
 
 func TestPasswordRecovery(t *testing.T) {