diff --git a/src/com/android/contacts/common/ContactPhotoManager.java b/src/com/android/contacts/common/ContactPhotoManager.java
index dce6a77..7a8f138 100644
--- a/src/com/android/contacts/common/ContactPhotoManager.java
+++ b/src/com/android/contacts/common/ContactPhotoManager.java
@@ -598,6 +598,17 @@
     private static final String[] COLUMNS = new String[] { Photo._ID, Photo.PHOTO };
 
     /**
+     * Dummy object used to indicate that a bitmap for a given key could not be stored in the
+     * cache.
+     */
+    private static final BitmapHolder BITMAP_UNAVAILABLE;
+
+    static {
+        BITMAP_UNAVAILABLE = new BitmapHolder(new byte[0], 0);
+        BITMAP_UNAVAILABLE.bitmapRef = new SoftReference<Bitmap>(null);
+    }
+
+    /**
      * Maintains the state of a particular photo.
      */
     private static class BitmapHolder {
@@ -903,7 +914,9 @@
         if (DEBUG) Log.d(TAG, "refreshCache");
         mBitmapHolderCacheAllUnfresh = true;
         for (BitmapHolder holder : mBitmapHolderCache.snapshot().values()) {
-            holder.fresh = false;
+            if (holder != BITMAP_UNAVAILABLE) {
+                holder.fresh = false;
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -1186,7 +1199,16 @@
             inflateBitmap(holder, requestedExtent);
         }
 
-        mBitmapHolderCache.put(key, holder);
+        if (bytes != null) {
+            mBitmapHolderCache.put(key, holder);
+            if (mBitmapHolderCache.get(key) != holder) {
+                Log.w(TAG, "Bitmap too big to fit in cache.");
+                mBitmapHolderCache.put(key, BITMAP_UNAVAILABLE);
+            }
+        } else {
+            mBitmapHolderCache.put(key, BITMAP_UNAVAILABLE);
+        }
+
         mBitmapHolderCacheAllUnfresh = false;
     }