diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -59,7 +59,6 @@
 add_definitions(-DQT_NO_FOREACH)
 add_definitions(-DQT_DISABLE_DEPRECATED_BEFORE=0x050d00)
 add_subdirectory (src)
-add_subdirectory (pixmaps)
 if (ENABLE_EXAMPLES)
   add_subdirectory(examples)
 endif()
diff --git a/pixmaps/CMakeLists.txt b/pixmaps/CMakeLists.txt
deleted file mode 100644
--- a/pixmaps/CMakeLists.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-INSTALL (FILES dummy_avatar.png DESTINATION ${KDE_INSTALL_DATADIR_KF5}/kpeople/)
diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
     personpluginmanager.cpp
     personmanager.cpp
     personssortfilterproxymodel.cpp
+    resources.qrc
 )
 
 add_library(KF5::People ALIAS KF5People)
diff --git a/src/global.h b/src/global.h
--- a/src/global.h
+++ b/src/global.h
@@ -63,4 +63,6 @@
 
 }
 
+void initResources();
+
 #endif // GLOBAL_H
diff --git a/src/global.cpp b/src/global.cpp
--- a/src/global.cpp
+++ b/src/global.cpp
@@ -92,3 +92,8 @@
 
     return 7;
 }
+
+void initResources()
+{
+    Q_INIT_RESOURCE(resources);
+}
diff --git a/src/persondata.cpp b/src/persondata.cpp
--- a/src/persondata.cpp
+++ b/src/persondata.cpp
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@
     }
 
     if (avatar.isNull()) {
-        static QString defaultAvatar = QStandardPaths::locate(QStandardPaths::GenericDataLocation, QStringLiteral("kf5/kpeople/dummy_avatar.png"));
+        static QString defaultAvatar = QStringLiteral(":/org.kde.kpeople/pixmaps/dummy_avatar.png");
         avatar = QPixmap(defaultAvatar);
     }
     return avatar;
diff --git a/src/personsmodel.cpp b/src/personsmodel.cpp
--- a/src/personsmodel.cpp
+++ b/src/personsmodel.cpp
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@
 public:
     PersonsModelPrivate(PersonsModel *q)
         : q(q)
-        , genericAvatarImagePath(QStandardPaths::locate(QStandardPaths::QStandardPaths::GenericDataLocation, QStringLiteral("kf5/kpeople/dummy_avatar.png")))
         , initialFetchesDoneCount(0)
         , isInitialized(false)
         , hasError(false)
@@ -57,7 +56,6 @@
     //a list so we have an order in the model
     QVector<MetaContact> metacontacts;
 
-    QString genericAvatarImagePath;
     QVector<AllContactsMonitorPtr> m_sourceMonitors;
 
     int initialFetchesDoneCount;
@@ -110,6 +108,8 @@
 
     connect(PersonManager::instance(), &PersonManager::contactAddedToPerson, d, &PersonsModelPrivate::onAddContactToPerson);
     connect(PersonManager::instance(), &PersonManager::contactRemovedFromPerson, d, &PersonsModelPrivate::onRemoveContactsFromPerson);
+
+    initResources();
 }
 
 PersonsModel::~PersonsModel()
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@
 
         // If none of the above were valid images,
         // return the generic one
-        return QPixmap(genericAvatarImagePath);
+        return QPixmap(QStringLiteral(":/org.kde.kpeople/pixmaps/dummy_avatar.png"));
     }
     case PersonsModel::PersonUriRole:
         return personUri;
diff --git a/pixmaps/dummy_avatar.png b/src/pixmaps/dummy_avatar.png
rename from pixmaps/dummy_avatar.png
rename to src/pixmaps/dummy_avatar.png
diff --git a/src/resources.qrc b/src/resources.qrc
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/resources.qrc
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+<RCC>
+    <qresource prefix="/org.kde.kpeople">
+        <file>pixmaps/dummy_avatar.png</file>
+    </qresource>
+</RCC>
+