diff --git a/dist/converse.js b/dist/converse.js
index f7e526fb1..4ec4d9376 100644
--- a/dist/converse.js
+++ b/dist/converse.js
@@ -67307,14 +67307,14 @@ var __WEBPACK_AMD_DEFINE_FACTORY__, __WEBPACK_AMD_DEFINE_ARRAY__, __WEBPACK_AMD_
             msg_content.innerHTML = _.flow(_.partial(u.geoUriToHttp, _, _converse.geouri_replacement), _.partial(u.addMentionsMarkup, _, this.model.get('references'), this.model.collection.chatbox), u.addHyperlinks, u.renderNewLines, _.partial(u.addEmoji, _converse, _))(text);
           }
 
-          if (_converse.show_images_inline) {
-            await u.renderImageURLs(_converse, msg_content);
-          }
+          const promises = [];
+          promises.push(u.renderImageURLs(_converse, msg_content));
 
           if (this.model.get('type') !== 'headline') {
-            await this.renderAvatar(msg);
+            promises.push(this.renderAvatar(msg));
           }
 
+          await Promise.all(promises);
           this.replaceElement(msg);
           this.model.collection.trigger('rendered', this);
         },
@@ -81805,21 +81805,17 @@ var __WEBPACK_AMD_DEFINE_FACTORY__, __WEBPACK_AMD_DEFINE_ARRAY__, __WEBPACK_AMD_
     return text.replace(/\n\n+/g, '<br/><br/>').replace(/\n/g, '<br/>');
   };
 
-  u.renderImageURLs = function (_converse, obj) {
+  u.renderImageURLs = function (_converse, el) {
     /* Returns a Promise which resolves once all images have been loaded.
      */
+    if (!_converse.show_images_inline) {
+      return Promise.resolve();
+    }
+
     const __ = _converse.__;
-    const list = obj.textContent.match(URL_REGEX) || [];
+    const list = el.textContent.match(URL_REGEX) || [];
     return Promise.all(_.map(list, url => new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-      const uri = new URI(url),
-            filename = uri.filename(),
-            lower_filename = filename.toLowerCase();
-
-      if (!_.includes(["https", "http"], uri.protocol().toLowerCase())) {
-        return resolve();
-      }
-
-      if (lower_filename.endsWith('jpg') || lower_filename.endsWith('jpeg') || lower_filename.endsWith('png') || lower_filename.endsWith('gif') || lower_filename.endsWith('svg')) {
+      if (u.isImageURL(url)) {
         return isImage(url).then(img => {
           const i = new Image();
           i.src = img.src;
@@ -81829,7 +81825,7 @@ var __WEBPACK_AMD_DEFINE_FACTORY__, __WEBPACK_AMD_DEFINE_ARRAY__, __WEBPACK_AMD_
           i.addEventListener('error', resolve);
           const __ = _converse.__;
 
-          _.each(sizzle(`a[href="${url}"]`, obj), a => {
+          _.each(sizzle(`a[href="${url}"]`, el), a => {
             a.outerHTML = tpl_image({
               'url': url,
               'label_download': __('Download')
@@ -81858,10 +81854,23 @@ var __WEBPACK_AMD_DEFINE_FACTORY__, __WEBPACK_AMD_DEFINE_ARRAY__, __WEBPACK_AMD_
     });
   };
 
-  u.renderImageURL = function (_converse, url) {
-    const lurl = url.toLowerCase();
+  u.isImageURL = function (url) {
+    const uri = new URI(url),
+          filename = uri.filename().toLowerCase();
 
-    if (lurl.endsWith('jpg') || lurl.endsWith('jpeg') || lurl.endsWith('png') || lurl.endsWith('gif') || lurl.endsWith('svg')) {
+    if (!_.includes(["https", "http"], uri.protocol().toLowerCase())) {
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    return filename.endsWith('jpg') || filename.endsWith('jpeg') || filename.endsWith('png') || filename.endsWith('gif') || filename.endsWith('svg');
+  };
+
+  u.renderImageURL = function (_converse, url) {
+    if (!_converse.show_images_inline) {
+      return u.addHyperlinks(url);
+    }
+
+    if (u.isImageURL(url)) {
       const __ = _converse.__,
             uri = new URI(url);
       return tpl_image({
diff --git a/docs/source/configuration.rst b/docs/source/configuration.rst
index 8b5d0f04b..8f5924f3b 100644
--- a/docs/source/configuration.rst
+++ b/docs/source/configuration.rst
@@ -1266,6 +1266,13 @@ send_chat_state_notifications
 Determines whether chat state notifications (see `XEP-0085 <https://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0085.html>`_)
 should be sent out or not.
 
+show_images_inline
+------------------
+
+* Default:  ``true``
+
+If set to false, images won't be rendered in chats, instead only their links will be shown.
+
 show_only_online_users
 ----------------------
 
diff --git a/src/converse-message-view.js b/src/converse-message-view.js
index 0c904d3c9..87b42de7a 100644
--- a/src/converse-message-view.js
+++ b/src/converse-message-view.js
@@ -157,12 +157,12 @@
                             _.partial(u.addEmoji, _converse, _)
                         )(text);
                     }
-                    if (_converse.show_images_inline) {
-                        await u.renderImageURLs(_converse, msg_content);
-                    }
+                    const promises = [];
+                    promises.push(u.renderImageURLs(_converse, msg_content));
                     if (this.model.get('type') !== 'headline') {
-                        await this.renderAvatar(msg);
+                        promises.push(this.renderAvatar(msg));
                     }
+                    await Promise.all(promises);
                     this.replaceElement(msg);
                     this.model.collection.trigger('rendered', this);
                 },
diff --git a/src/utils/core.js b/src/utils/core.js
index 2791baa29..1e6597120 100644
--- a/src/utils/core.js
+++ b/src/utils/core.js
@@ -281,24 +281,18 @@
         return text.replace(/\n\n+/g, '<br/><br/>').replace(/\n/g, '<br/>');
     };
 
-    u.renderImageURLs = function (_converse, obj) {
+    u.renderImageURLs = function (_converse, el) {
         /* Returns a Promise which resolves once all images have been loaded.
          */
+        if (!_converse.show_images_inline) {
+            return Promise.resolve();
+        }
         const { __ } = _converse;
-        const list = obj.textContent.match(URL_REGEX) || [];
+        const list = el.textContent.match(URL_REGEX) || [];
         return Promise.all(
-            _.map(list, (url) =>
+            _.map(list, url =>
                 new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-                    const uri = new URI(url),
-                        filename = uri.filename(),
-                        lower_filename = filename.toLowerCase();
-                    if (!_.includes(["https", "http"], uri.protocol().toLowerCase())) {
-                        return resolve();
-                    }
-                    if (lower_filename.endsWith('jpg') || lower_filename.endsWith('jpeg') ||
-                            lower_filename.endsWith('png') || lower_filename.endsWith('gif') ||
-                            lower_filename.endsWith('svg')) {
-
+                    if (u.isImageURL(url)) {
                         return isImage(url).then(img => {
                             const i = new Image();
                             i.src = img.src;
@@ -308,7 +302,7 @@
                             i.addEventListener('error', resolve);
 
                             const { __ } = _converse;
-                            _.each(sizzle(`a[href="${url}"]`, obj), (a) => {
+                            _.each(sizzle(`a[href="${url}"]`, el), (a) => {
                                 a.outerHTML= tpl_image({
                                     'url': url,
                                     'label_download': __('Download')
@@ -343,11 +337,22 @@
         })
     };
 
-    u.renderImageURL = function (_converse, url) {
-        const lurl = url.toLowerCase();
-        if (lurl.endsWith('jpg') || lurl.endsWith('jpeg') || lurl.endsWith('png') ||
-            lurl.endsWith('gif') || lurl.endsWith('svg')) {
+    u.isImageURL = function (url) {
+        const uri = new URI(url),
+              filename = uri.filename().toLowerCase();
+        if (!_.includes(["https", "http"], uri.protocol().toLowerCase())) {
+            return false;
+        }
+        return filename.endsWith('jpg') || filename.endsWith('jpeg') ||
+               filename.endsWith('png') || filename.endsWith('gif') ||
+               filename.endsWith('svg');
+    };
 
+    u.renderImageURL = function (_converse, url) {
+        if (!_converse.show_images_inline) {
+            return u.addHyperlinks(url);
+        }
+        if (u.isImageURL(url)) {
             const { __ } = _converse,
                   uri = new URI(url);
             return tpl_image({