diff --git a/library/Zend/View/Helper/Gravatar.php b/library/Zend/View/Helper/Gravatar.php
index 1de9d90837a..a6f9b8cb81b 100644
--- a/library/Zend/View/Helper/Gravatar.php
+++ b/library/Zend/View/Helper/Gravatar.php
@@ -56,6 +56,13 @@ class Gravatar extends AbstractHtmlElement
      */
     protected $email;
 
+    /**
+     * True or false if the email address passed is already an MD5 hash
+     *
+     * @var bool
+     */
+    protected $emailIsHashed;
+
     /**
      * Options
      *
@@ -66,7 +73,6 @@ class Gravatar extends AbstractHtmlElement
         'default_img'     => self::DEFAULT_MM,
         'rating'          => self::RATING_G,
         'secure'          => null,
-        'skip_email_hash' => false,
     );
 
     /**
@@ -136,7 +142,7 @@ public function setOptions(array $options)
     protected function getAvatarUrl()
     {
         $src = $this->getGravatarUrl()
-            . '/'   . ($this->getSkipEmailHash() ? $this->getEmail() : md5($this->getEmail()))
+            . '/'   . ($this->emailIsHashed ? $this->getEmail() : md5($this->getEmail()))
             . '?s=' . $this->getImgSize()
             . '&d=' . $this->getDefaultImg()
             . '&r=' . $this->getRating();
@@ -232,6 +238,7 @@ public function getDefaultImg()
      */
     public function setEmail($email)
     {
+        $this->emailIsHashed = (bool) preg_match('/^[A-Za-z0-9]{32}$/', $email);
         $this->email = $email;
         return $this;
     }
@@ -333,33 +340,6 @@ public function getSecure()
         return $this->options['secure'];
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Skip email hashing
-     *
-     * This is useful if you are using a webservice that provides you the
-     * gravatar hash (md5sum) of users' email addresses, but not the actual
-     * email addresses themselves.
-     *
-     * @param  bool $flag
-     * @return Gravatar
-     */
-    public function setSkipEmailHash($flag)
-    {
-        $this->options['skip_email_hash'] = $flag;
-        return $this;
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Returns if the helper should pass the email through md5() or not.
-     *
-     * @return boolean
-     */
-    public function getSkipEmailHash()
-    {
-        return $this->options['skip_email_hash'];
-    }
-
-
     /**
      * Set src attrib for image.
      *
diff --git a/tests/ZendTest/View/Helper/GravatarTest.php b/tests/ZendTest/View/Helper/GravatarTest.php
index 04e3a8892c9..1b39c241405 100644
--- a/tests/ZendTest/View/Helper/GravatarTest.php
+++ b/tests/ZendTest/View/Helper/GravatarTest.php
@@ -92,7 +92,6 @@ public function testGetAndSetMethods()
         $this->helper->setDefaultImg('monsterid')
                      ->setImgSize(150)
                      ->setSecure(true)
-                     ->setSkipEmailHash(true)
                      ->setEmail("example@example.com")
                      ->setAttribs($attribs)
                      ->setRating('pg');
@@ -102,7 +101,6 @@ public function testGetAndSetMethods()
         $this->assertEquals($attribs, $this->helper->getAttribs());
         $this->assertEquals(150, $this->helper->getImgSize());
         $this->assertTrue($this->helper->getSecure());
-        $this->assertTrue($this->helper->getSkipEmailHash());
     }
 
     public function tesSetDefaultImg()
@@ -190,15 +188,15 @@ public function testGravatarOptions()
         );
     }
 
-    public function testSkipEmailHashingOptionTogglesMd5Hashing()
+    public function testPassingAnMd5HashSkipsMd5Hashing()
     {
         $this->assertNotContains(
-            'b642b4217b34b1e8d3bd915fc65c4452',
-            $this->helper->__invoke('b642b4217b34b1e8d3bd915fc65c4452')->__toString()
+            'test@test.com',
+            $this->helper->__invoke('test@test.com')->__toString()
         );
         $this->assertContains(
             'b642b4217b34b1e8d3bd915fc65c4452',
-            $this->helper->__invoke('b642b4217b34b1e8d3bd915fc65c4452', array('skip_email_hash' => true))->__toString()
+            $this->helper->__invoke('b642b4217b34b1e8d3bd915fc65c4452')->__toString()
         );
     }