diff --git a/api/src/main/java/com/faforever/commons/api/dto/AvatarAssignment.java b/api/src/main/java/com/faforever/commons/api/dto/AvatarAssignment.java
index 68ed29e9..a6b7f934 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/com/faforever/commons/api/dto/AvatarAssignment.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/com/faforever/commons/api/dto/AvatarAssignment.java
@@ -14,6 +14,12 @@
 @EqualsAndHashCode(onlyExplicitlyIncluded = true, callSuper = true)
 @Type("avatarAssignment")
 public class AvatarAssignment extends AbstractEntity<AvatarAssignment> {
+  /**
+   * @deprecated The selected avatar is now tracked via {@link Player#getCurrentAvatar()}
+   *     (the {@code login.avatar_id} column). Read/update that relationship instead; this flag is
+   *     kept only for backwards compatibility with older clients and will be removed.
+   */
+  @Deprecated(forRemoval = true)
   @ToString.Include
   private Boolean selected;
   private OffsetDateTime expiresAt;
diff --git a/api/src/main/java/com/faforever/commons/api/dto/Player.java b/api/src/main/java/com/faforever/commons/api/dto/Player.java
index ae47c6e5..7847652b 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/com/faforever/commons/api/dto/Player.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/com/faforever/commons/api/dto/Player.java
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ public class Player extends AbstractEntity<Player> {
   @JsonIgnore
   private List<AvatarAssignment> avatarAssignments;
 
+  @Relationship("currentAvatar")
+  private Avatar currentAvatar;
+
   @JsonBackReference
   @Relationship("reporterOnModerationReports")
   private Set<ModerationReport> reporterOnModerationReports;