diff --git a/src/Client.cs b/src/Client.cs
index abb1501..6720205 100644
--- a/src/Client.cs
+++ b/src/Client.cs
@@ -1369,32 +1369,47 @@ namespace WTelegram
 		/// <param name="peer">User, Chat or Channel</param>
 		/// <param name="outputStream">Stream to write the file content to. This method does not close/dispose the stream</param>
 		/// <param name="big">Whether to download the high-quality version of the picture</param>
+		/// <param name="miniThumb">Whether to extract the embedded very low-res thumbnail (synchronous, no actual download needed)</param>
 		/// <returns>The file type of the photo, or 0 if no photo available</returns>
-		public async Task<Storage_FileType> DownloadProfilePhotoAsync(IPeerInfo peer, Stream outputStream, bool big = false)
+		public async Task<Storage_FileType> DownloadProfilePhotoAsync(IPeerInfo peer, Stream outputStream, bool big = false, bool miniThumb = false)
 		{
 			int dc_id;
-			var fileLocation = new InputPeerPhotoFileLocation { peer = peer.ToInputPeer() };
-			if (big) fileLocation.flags = InputPeerPhotoFileLocation.Flags.big;
+			long photo_id;
+			byte[] stripped_thumb;
 			switch (peer)
 			{
 				case User user:
 					if (user.photo == null) return 0;
 					dc_id = user.photo.dc_id;
-					fileLocation.photo_id = user.photo.photo_id;
+					photo_id = user.photo.photo_id;
+					stripped_thumb = user.photo.stripped_thumb;
 					break;
-				case Chat chat:
-					if (chat.photo == null) return 0;
-					dc_id = chat.photo.dc_id;
-					fileLocation.photo_id = chat.photo.photo_id;
-					break;
-				case Channel channel:
-					if (channel.photo == null) return 0;
-					dc_id = channel.photo.dc_id;
-					fileLocation.photo_id = channel.photo.photo_id;
+				case ChatBase { Photo: var photo }:
+					if (photo == null) return 0;
+					dc_id = photo.dc_id;
+					photo_id = photo.photo_id;
+					stripped_thumb = photo.stripped_thumb;
 					break;
 				default:
 					return 0;
 			}
+			if (miniThumb && !big)
+			{
+				if (stripped_thumb == null || stripped_thumb.Length <= 3 || stripped_thumb[0] != 1)
+					return 0;
+				var header = Helpers.StrippedThumbJPG;
+				outputStream.Write(header, 0, 164);
+				outputStream.WriteByte(stripped_thumb[1]);
+				outputStream.WriteByte(0);
+				outputStream.WriteByte(stripped_thumb[2]);
+				outputStream.Write(header, 167, header.Length - 167);
+				outputStream.Write(stripped_thumb, 3, stripped_thumb.Length - 3);
+				outputStream.WriteByte(0xff);
+				outputStream.WriteByte(0xd9);
+				return Storage_FileType.jpeg;
+			}
+			var fileLocation = new InputPeerPhotoFileLocation { peer = peer.ToInputPeer(), photo_id = photo_id };
+			if (big) fileLocation.flags |= InputPeerPhotoFileLocation.Flags.big;
 			return await DownloadFileAsync(fileLocation, outputStream, dc_id);
 		}
 
diff --git a/src/Helpers.cs b/src/Helpers.cs
index 306037c..7fb65b0 100644
--- a/src/Helpers.cs
+++ b/src/Helpers.cs
@@ -196,5 +196,45 @@ namespace WTelegram
 			GoodPrimes.Add(n);
 			return true;
 		}
+
+		internal static readonly byte[] StrippedThumbJPG = // see https://core.telegram.org/api/files#stripped-thumbnails
+		{
+			0xff, 0xd8, 0xff, 0xe0, 0x00, 0x10, 0x4a, 0x46, 0x49,
+			0x46, 0x00, 0x01, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x00, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0xff, 0xdb, 0x00, 0x43, 0x00, 0x28, 0x1c,
+			0x1e, 0x23, 0x1e, 0x19, 0x28, 0x23, 0x21, 0x23, 0x2d, 0x2b, 0x28, 0x30, 0x3c, 0x64, 0x41, 0x3c, 0x37, 0x37,
+			0x3c, 0x7b, 0x58, 0x5d, 0x49, 0x64, 0x91, 0x80, 0x99, 0x96, 0x8f, 0x80, 0x8c, 0x8a, 0xa0, 0xb4, 0xe6, 0xc3,
+			0xa0, 0xaa, 0xda, 0xad, 0x8a, 0x8c, 0xc8, 0xff, 0xcb, 0xda, 0xee, 0xf5, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0x9b, 0xc1, 0xff,
+			0xff, 0xff, 0xfa, 0xff, 0xe6, 0xfd, 0xff, 0xf8, 0xff, 0xdb, 0x00, 0x43, 0x01, 0x2b, 0x2d, 0x2d, 0x3c, 0x35,
+			0x3c, 0x76, 0x41, 0x41, 0x76, 0xf8, 0xa5, 0x8c, 0xa5, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8,
+			0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8,
+			0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8,
+			0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xf8, 0xff, 0xc0, 0x00, 0x11, 0x08, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x03, 0x01, 0x22, 0x00,
+			0x02, 0x11, 0x01, 0x03, 0x11, 0x01, 0xff, 0xc4, 0x00, 0x1f, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x05, 0x01, 0x01, 0x01, 0x01,
+			0x01, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x02, 0x03, 0x04, 0x05, 0x06, 0x07, 0x08,
+			0x09, 0x0a, 0x0b, 0xff, 0xc4, 0x00, 0xb5, 0x10, 0x00, 0x02, 0x01, 0x03, 0x03, 0x02, 0x04, 0x03, 0x05, 0x05,
+			0x04, 0x04, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x7d, 0x01, 0x02, 0x03, 0x00, 0x04, 0x11, 0x05, 0x12, 0x21, 0x31, 0x41, 0x06,
+			0x13, 0x51, 0x61, 0x07, 0x22, 0x71, 0x14, 0x32, 0x81, 0x91, 0xa1, 0x08, 0x23, 0x42, 0xb1, 0xc1, 0x15, 0x52,
+			0xd1, 0xf0, 0x24, 0x33, 0x62, 0x72, 0x82, 0x09, 0x0a, 0x16, 0x17, 0x18, 0x19, 0x1a, 0x25, 0x26, 0x27, 0x28,
+			0x29, 0x2a, 0x34, 0x35, 0x36, 0x37, 0x38, 0x39, 0x3a, 0x43, 0x44, 0x45, 0x46, 0x47, 0x48, 0x49, 0x4a, 0x53,
+			0x54, 0x55, 0x56, 0x57, 0x58, 0x59, 0x5a, 0x63, 0x64, 0x65, 0x66, 0x67, 0x68, 0x69, 0x6a, 0x73, 0x74, 0x75,
+			0x76, 0x77, 0x78, 0x79, 0x7a, 0x83, 0x84, 0x85, 0x86, 0x87, 0x88, 0x89, 0x8a, 0x92, 0x93, 0x94, 0x95, 0x96,
+			0x97, 0x98, 0x99, 0x9a, 0xa2, 0xa3, 0xa4, 0xa5, 0xa6, 0xa7, 0xa8, 0xa9, 0xaa, 0xb2, 0xb3, 0xb4, 0xb5, 0xb6,
+			0xb7, 0xb8, 0xb9, 0xba, 0xc2, 0xc3, 0xc4, 0xc5, 0xc6, 0xc7, 0xc8, 0xc9, 0xca, 0xd2, 0xd3, 0xd4, 0xd5, 0xd6,
+			0xd7, 0xd8, 0xd9, 0xda, 0xe1, 0xe2, 0xe3, 0xe4, 0xe5, 0xe6, 0xe7, 0xe8, 0xe9, 0xea, 0xf1, 0xf2, 0xf3, 0xf4,
+			0xf5, 0xf6, 0xf7, 0xf8, 0xf9, 0xfa, 0xff, 0xc4, 0x00, 0x1f, 0x01, 0x00, 0x03, 0x01, 0x01, 0x01, 0x01, 0x01,
+			0x01, 0x01, 0x01, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x02, 0x03, 0x04, 0x05, 0x06, 0x07, 0x08,
+			0x09, 0x0a, 0x0b, 0xff, 0xc4, 0x00, 0xb5, 0x11, 0x00, 0x02, 0x01, 0x02, 0x04, 0x04, 0x03, 0x04, 0x07, 0x05,
+			0x04, 0x04, 0x00, 0x01, 0x02, 0x77, 0x00, 0x01, 0x02, 0x03, 0x11, 0x04, 0x05, 0x21, 0x31, 0x06, 0x12, 0x41,
+			0x51, 0x07, 0x61, 0x71, 0x13, 0x22, 0x32, 0x81, 0x08, 0x14, 0x42, 0x91, 0xa1, 0xb1, 0xc1, 0x09, 0x23, 0x33,
+			0x52, 0xf0, 0x15, 0x62, 0x72, 0xd1, 0x0a, 0x16, 0x24, 0x34, 0xe1, 0x25, 0xf1, 0x17, 0x18, 0x19, 0x1a, 0x26,
+			0x27, 0x28, 0x29, 0x2a, 0x35, 0x36, 0x37, 0x38, 0x39, 0x3a, 0x43, 0x44, 0x45, 0x46, 0x47, 0x48, 0x49, 0x4a,
+			0x53, 0x54, 0x55, 0x56, 0x57, 0x58, 0x59, 0x5a, 0x63, 0x64, 0x65, 0x66, 0x67, 0x68, 0x69, 0x6a, 0x73, 0x74,
+			0x75, 0x76, 0x77, 0x78, 0x79, 0x7a, 0x82, 0x83, 0x84, 0x85, 0x86, 0x87, 0x88, 0x89, 0x8a, 0x92, 0x93, 0x94,
+			0x95, 0x96, 0x97, 0x98, 0x99, 0x9a, 0xa2, 0xa3, 0xa4, 0xa5, 0xa6, 0xa7, 0xa8, 0xa9, 0xaa, 0xb2, 0xb3, 0xb4,
+			0xb5, 0xb6, 0xb7, 0xb8, 0xb9, 0xba, 0xc2, 0xc3, 0xc4, 0xc5, 0xc6, 0xc7, 0xc8, 0xc9, 0xca, 0xd2, 0xd3, 0xd4,
+			0xd5, 0xd6, 0xd7, 0xd8, 0xd9, 0xda, 0xe2, 0xe3, 0xe4, 0xe5, 0xe6, 0xe7, 0xe8, 0xe9, 0xea, 0xf2, 0xf3, 0xf4,
+			0xf5, 0xf6, 0xf7, 0xf8, 0xf9, 0xfa, 0xff, 0xda, 0x00, 0x0c, 0x03, 0x01, 0x00, 0x02, 0x11, 0x03, 0x11, 0x00,
+			0x3f, 0x00
+		};
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/TL.Helpers.cs b/src/TL.Helpers.cs
index 7384682..0d40938 100644
--- a/src/TL.Helpers.cs
+++ b/src/TL.Helpers.cs
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ namespace TL
 	partial class ChatBase : IPeerInfo
 	{
 		public abstract bool IsActive { get; }
+		public abstract ChatPhoto Photo { get; }
 		/// <summary>returns true if you're banned of any of these rights</summary>
 		public abstract bool IsBanned(ChatBannedRights.Flags flags = 0);
 		public abstract InputPeer ToInputPeer();
@@ -112,6 +113,7 @@ namespace TL
 	partial class ChatEmpty
 	{
 		public override bool IsActive => false;
+		public override ChatPhoto Photo => null;
 		public override bool IsBanned(ChatBannedRights.Flags flags = 0) => true;
 		public override InputPeer ToInputPeer() => null;
 		public override string ToString() => $"ChatEmpty {id}";
@@ -119,6 +121,7 @@ namespace TL
 	partial class Chat
 	{
 		public override bool IsActive => (flags & (Flags.kicked | Flags.left | Flags.deactivated)) == 0;
+		public override ChatPhoto Photo => photo;
 		public override bool IsBanned(ChatBannedRights.Flags flags = 0) => ((default_banned_rights?.flags ?? 0) & flags) != 0;
 		public override InputPeer ToInputPeer() => new InputPeerChat { chat_id = id };
 		public override string ToString() => $"Chat \"{title}\"" + (flags.HasFlag(Flags.deactivated) ? " [deactivated]" : null);
@@ -126,6 +129,7 @@ namespace TL
 	partial class ChatForbidden
 	{
 		public override bool IsActive => false;
+		public override ChatPhoto Photo => null;
 		public override bool IsBanned(ChatBannedRights.Flags flags = 0) => true;
 		public override InputPeer ToInputPeer() => new InputPeerChat { chat_id = id };
 		public override string ToString() => $"ChatForbidden {id} \"{title}\"";
@@ -133,6 +137,7 @@ namespace TL
 	partial class Channel
 	{
 		public override bool IsActive => (flags & Flags.left) == 0;
+		public override ChatPhoto Photo => photo;
 		public override bool IsBanned(ChatBannedRights.Flags flags = 0) => ((banned_rights?.flags ?? 0) & flags) != 0 || ((default_banned_rights?.flags ?? 0) & flags) != 0;
 		public override InputPeer ToInputPeer() => new InputPeerChannel { channel_id = id, access_hash = access_hash };
 		public static implicit operator InputChannel(Channel channel) => new() { channel_id = channel.id, access_hash = channel.access_hash };
@@ -144,6 +149,7 @@ namespace TL
 	partial class ChannelForbidden
 	{
 		public override bool IsActive => false;
+		public override ChatPhoto Photo => null;
 		public override bool IsBanned(ChatBannedRights.Flags flags = 0) => true;
 		public override InputPeer ToInputPeer() => new InputPeerChannel { channel_id = id, access_hash = access_hash };
 		public override string ToString() => $"ChannelForbidden {id} \"{title}\"";