diff --git a/applets/kickoff/package/contents/ui/Header.qml b/applets/kickoff/package/contents/ui/Header.qml
--- a/applets/kickoff/package/contents/ui/Header.qml
+++ b/applets/kickoff/package/contents/ui/Header.qml
@@ -16,12 +16,13 @@
  *    51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
  */
 
-import QtQuick 2.0
+import QtQuick 2.4
 import org.kde.plasma.core 2.0 as PlasmaCore
 import org.kde.plasma.components 2.0 as PlasmaComponents
 import org.kde.plasma.extras 2.0 as PlasmaExtras
 import org.kde.kcoreaddons 1.0 as KCoreAddons
 import org.kde.kquickcontrolsaddons 2.0
+import QtGraphicalEffects 1.0
 
 Item {
     id: header
@@ -52,11 +53,10 @@
     }
 
     Image {
-        id: faceIcon
+        id: squareFace
         source: kuser.faceIconUrl
         cache: false
-        visible: source !== ""
-
+        visible: false;
         width: units.gridUnit * 3
         height: width
 
@@ -73,21 +73,46 @@
         }
     }
 
+        
+             
+    OpacityMask {
+        anchors.fill: squareFace
+        source: squareFace
+        // this Rectangle is a circle due to radius size
+        maskSource: Rectangle {
+            width: squareFace.width
+            height: squareFace.height
+            radius: height / 2
+            visible: false 
+        }
+    } 
+            
+    // another round Rectangle to draw a circle around the icon
+    Rectangle {
+         width: squareFace.width
+         height: squareFace.height
+         anchors.fill: squareFace
+         color: "#00000000"
+         border.color: PlasmaCore.ColorScope.textColor
+         border.width: units.smallSpacing / 2
+         radius: width / 2
+    }        
+
+           
     PlasmaCore.IconItem {
-        source: "user-identity"
-        visible: faceIcon.status !== Image.Ready
+        source: squareFace
         width: units.gridUnit * 3
         height: width
         anchors {
-            top: faceIcon.top
-            right: faceIcon.right
+            top: squareFace.top
+            right: squareFace.right
             rightMargin: -units.gridUnit/2
         }
         usesPlasmaTheme: false
     }
 
     MouseArea {
-        anchors.fill: faceIcon
+        anchors.fill: squareFace
         acceptedButtons: Qt.LeftButton
         cursorShape: Qt.PointingHandCursor
         onClicked: {
@@ -107,8 +132,8 @@
         height: paintedHeight
 
         anchors {
-            left: faceIcon.right
-            top: faceIcon.top
+            left: squareFace.right
+            top: squareFace.top
             right: parent.right
             leftMargin: units.gridUnit
             rightMargin: units.gridUnit