diff -u b/core/modules/user/user.install b/core/modules/user/user.install
--- b/core/modules/user/user.install
+++ b/core/modules/user/user.install
@@ -395,7 +395,21 @@
  * Create user picture field.
  */
 function user_update_8002() {
-  _user_install_picture_field();
+  _user_install_picture_field(array(
+    'user_pictures' => variable_get('user_pictures', 0),
+    'user_picture_path' => variable_get('user_picture_path', 'pictures'),
+    'user_picture_default' => variable_get('user_picture_default', ''),
+    'user_picture_style' => variable_get('user_picture_style', ''),
+    'user_picture_dimensions' => variable_get('user_picture_dimensions', '85x85'),
+    'user_picture_file_size' => variable_get('user_picture_file_size', '30') .' KB',
+    'user_picture_guidelines' => variable_get('user_picture_guidelines', ''),
+  ));
+  variable_del('user_picture_path');
+  variable_del('user_picture_default');
+  variable_del('user_picture_style');
+  variable_del('user_picture_dimensions');
+  variable_del('user_picture_file_size');
+  variable_del('user_picture_guidelines');
 }
 
 /**
@@ -438,7 +452,17 @@
 /**
  * Creates a "User picture" image field for the User entity.
  */
-function _user_install_picture_field() {
+function _user_install_picture_field($config = array()) {
+  $config += array(
+    'user_pictures' => 0,
+    'user_picture_path' => 'pictures',
+    'user_picture_default' => '',
+    'user_picture_style' => 'thumbnail',
+    'user_picture_dimensions' => '85x85',
+    'user_picture_file_size' => '30 KB',
+    'user_picture_guidelines' => '',
+  );
+
   $field = array(
     'field_name' => 'field_user_picture',
     'module' => 'image',
@@ -466,13 +490,13 @@
     'required' => FALSE,
     'settings' => array(
       'file_extensions' => 'png gif jpg jpeg',
-      'file_directory' => 'pictures',
-      'max_filesize' => '',
+      'file_directory' => $config['user_picture_path'],
+      'max_filesize' => $config['user_picture_file_size'],
       'alt_field' => 0,
       'title_field' => 0,
-      'max_resolution' => '',
+      'max_resolution' => $config['user_picture_dimensions'],
       'min_resolution' => '',
-      'default_image' => 0,
+      'default_image' => $config['user_picture_default'],
     ),
     'widget' => array(
       'module' => 'image',
@@ -486,13 +510,13 @@
     'display' => array(
       'default' => array(
         'label' => 'hidden',
-        'type' => 'image',
+        'type' => $config['user_pictures'] ? 'image' : 'hidden',
         'settings' => array('image_style' => 'medium', 'image_link' => 'content'),
       ),
       'compact' => array(
         'label' => 'hidden',
-        'type' => 'image',
-        'settings' => array('image_style' => 'thumbnail', 'image_link' => 'content'),
+        'type' => $config['user_pictures'] ? 'image' : 'hidden',
+        'settings' => array('image_style' => $config['user_picture_style'], 'image_link' => 'content'),
       ),
     ),
   );