diff --git a/src/Services/NewsletterDispatchService.php b/src/Services/NewsletterDispatchService.php
index 7c62fd7..cf6fed8 100644
--- a/src/Services/NewsletterDispatchService.php
+++ b/src/Services/NewsletterDispatchService.php
@@ -152,9 +152,20 @@ final class NewsletterDispatchService
         // The intro paragraph is attributed to the tree contact user
         // (the same person we use as Reply-To). If they're linked to an
         // Individual record we fold their avatar into the embed set so
-        // the editorial block can render with their face on the left,
-        // matching the styling of the event cards below.
-        $intro_author = $this->resolveIntroAuthor($tree, $reply_to);
+        // the editorial block can render with their face on the left.
+        // We only bother when at least one locale actually has an intro
+        // to send — otherwise loading/encoding the portrait is wasted
+        // work and the bytes would be attached to every recipient's
+        // email without ever being referenced.
+        $has_any_intro = false;
+        foreach (array_keys(Configuration::supportedSubjectLocales()) as $code) {
+            if (trim(Configuration::introForLocale($module, $tree, $code)) !== '') {
+                $has_any_intro = true;
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+
+        $intro_author = $has_any_intro ? $this->resolveIntroAuthor($tree, $reply_to) : null;
 
         if ($intro_author instanceof Individual && !isset($avatars[$this->avatarCidName($intro_author->xref())])) {
             $author_avatar = $this->resolveAvatar($intro_author);
@@ -213,19 +224,6 @@ final class NewsletterDispatchService
                         $this->avatarKeysForXrefs(array_keys($detailed_set)),
                     );
 
-                    // The intro author sits outside the detailed set —
-                    // make sure their avatar bytes still ride along so
-                    // the editorial portrait renders inline instead of
-                    // showing a broken image (which we'd otherwise hide
-                    // behind a tree-page login link).
-                    if ($intro_author instanceof Individual) {
-                        $author_cid = $this->avatarCidName($intro_author->xref());
-
-                        if (isset($avatars[$author_cid])) {
-                            $recipient_avatars[$author_cid] = $avatars[$author_cid];
-                        }
-                    }
-
                     // Decide whether to attach the intro for *this*
                     // recipient: only if it's non-empty AND this
                     // recipient hasn't yet received the current
@@ -237,6 +235,17 @@ final class NewsletterDispatchService
                         : $external_seen;
                     $show_intro = $intro !== '' && $intro_version > $recipient_seen;
 
+                    // Only attach the editorial portrait to recipients
+                    // who actually see the intro — otherwise the bytes
+                    // would ride along uselessly and bloat the message.
+                    if ($show_intro && $intro_author instanceof Individual) {
+                        $author_cid = $this->avatarCidName($intro_author->xref());
+
+                        if (isset($avatars[$author_cid])) {
+                            $recipient_avatars[$author_cid] = $avatars[$author_cid];
+                        }
+                    }
+
                     $personalised_intro = $show_intro
                         ? $this->renderIntroTemplate($intro, $recipient)
                         : '';