diff --git a/Refresh.Common/Extensions/StringExtensions.cs b/Refresh.Common/Extensions/StringExtensions.cs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0e93ed44
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Refresh.Common/Extensions/StringExtensions.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+namespace Refresh.Common.Extensions;
+
+public static class StringExtensions
+{
+    public static bool IsBlankHash(this string? hash)
+    {
+        return string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(hash) || hash == "0";
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Refresh.Database/GameDatabaseContext.Assets.cs b/Refresh.Database/GameDatabaseContext.Assets.cs
index 2e548c3c..a208e34b 100644
--- a/Refresh.Database/GameDatabaseContext.Assets.cs
+++ b/Refresh.Database/GameDatabaseContext.Assets.cs
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ public partial class GameDatabaseContext // Assets
     
     public GameAsset? GetAssetFromHash(string hash)
     {
-        if (hash == "0" || hash.StartsWith('g')) return null;
+        if (hash.IsBlankHash() || hash.StartsWith('g')) return null;
         
         return this.GameAssetsIncluded
             .FirstOrDefault(a => a.AssetHash == hash);
diff --git a/Refresh.Interfaces.APIv3/Endpoints/UserApiEndpoints.cs b/Refresh.Interfaces.APIv3/Endpoints/UserApiEndpoints.cs
index f13fe7a2..fd930258 100644
--- a/Refresh.Interfaces.APIv3/Endpoints/UserApiEndpoints.cs
+++ b/Refresh.Interfaces.APIv3/Endpoints/UserApiEndpoints.cs
@@ -62,14 +62,43 @@ public ApiResponse<ApiExtendedGameUserResponse> UpdateUser(RequestContext contex
         GameUser user, ApiUpdateUserRequest body, IDataStore dataStore, DataContext dataContext, IntegrationConfig integrationConfig,
         SmtpService smtpService)
     {
-        if (body.IconHash != null && database.GetAssetFromHash(body.IconHash) == null)
-            return ApiNotFoundError.Instance;
-        
-        if (body.VitaIconHash != null && database.GetAssetFromHash(body.VitaIconHash) == null)
-            return ApiNotFoundError.Instance;
-        
-        if (body.BetaIconHash != null && database.GetAssetFromHash(body.BetaIconHash) == null)
-            return ApiNotFoundError.Instance;
+        // If any icon is requested to be reset, force its hash to be a specific value, 
+        // to not allow uncontrolled values which would still count as blank/empty hash (e.g. unlimited whitespaces)
+        if (body.IconHash != null)
+        {
+            if (body.IconHash.IsBlankHash())
+            {
+                body.IconHash = "0";
+            }
+            else if (database.GetAssetFromHash(body.IconHash) == null)
+            {
+                return ApiNotFoundError.Instance;
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (body.VitaIconHash != null)
+        {
+            if (body.VitaIconHash.IsBlankHash())
+            {
+                body.VitaIconHash = "0";
+            }
+            else if (database.GetAssetFromHash(body.VitaIconHash) == null)
+            {
+                return ApiNotFoundError.Instance;
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (body.BetaIconHash != null)
+        {
+            if (body.BetaIconHash.IsBlankHash())
+            {
+                body.BetaIconHash = "0";
+            }
+            else if (database.GetAssetFromHash(body.BetaIconHash) == null)
+            {
+                return ApiNotFoundError.Instance;
+            }
+        }
 
         if (body.EmailAddress != null && !smtpService.CheckEmailDomainValidity(body.EmailAddress))
             return ApiValidationError.EmailDoesNotActuallyExistError;
diff --git a/Refresh.Interfaces.Game/Endpoints/UserEndpoints.cs b/Refresh.Interfaces.Game/Endpoints/UserEndpoints.cs
index a679dd19..89af490f 100644
--- a/Refresh.Interfaces.Game/Endpoints/UserEndpoints.cs
+++ b/Refresh.Interfaces.Game/Endpoints/UserEndpoints.cs
@@ -115,14 +115,17 @@ public SerializedFriendsList GetFriends(RequestContext context, GameDatabaseCont
                     return null; 
                 }
             }
-            else
+            else if (data.IconHash.IsBlankHash())
+            {
+                // Force hash to be a specific value if the icon is supposed to be reset/default to a PSN avatar, 
+                // to not allow uncontrolled values which would still count as blank/empty hash (e.g. unlimited whitespaces)
+                data.IconHash = "0";
+            }
+            else if (!dataContext.DataStore.ExistsInStore(data.IconHash))
             {
                 //If the asset does not exist on the server, block the request
-                if (!dataContext.DataStore.ExistsInStore(data.IconHash))
-                {
-                    dataContext.Database.AddErrorNotification("Profile update failed", "Your avatar failed to update because the asset was missing on the server.", user);
-                    return null;
-                } 
+                dataContext.Database.AddErrorNotification("Profile update failed", "Your avatar failed to update because the asset was missing on the server.", user);
+                return null;
             }
         }