diff --git a/lib/routes/avatars.js b/lib/routes/avatars.js
index e5a6cf6..f9f683d 100644
--- a/lib/routes/avatars.js
+++ b/lib/routes/avatars.js
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ function handle_default(img_status, userId, size, def, req, err, callback) {
 module.exports = function(req, callback) {
   var userId = (req.url.path_list[1] || "").split(".")[0];
   var size = parseInt(req.url.query.size) || config.avatars.default_size;
-  var def = req.url.query.default;
+  var def = req.url.query.default && req.url.query.default.toLowerCase();
   var helm = req.url.query.hasOwnProperty("helm");
 
   // check for extra paths
diff --git a/lib/routes/capes.js b/lib/routes/capes.js
index 8cb302b..0f8ad90 100644
--- a/lib/routes/capes.js
+++ b/lib/routes/capes.js
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
-var logging = require("../logging");
 var helpers = require("../helpers");
 var cache = require("../cache");
 
 // GET cape request
 module.exports = function(req, callback) {
   var userId = (req.url.path_list[1] || "").split(".")[0];
-  var def = req.url.query.default;
+  var def = req.url.query.default && req.url.query.default.toLowerCase();
   var rid = req.id;
 
   // check for extra paths
diff --git a/lib/routes/renders.js b/lib/routes/renders.js
index 9f26d6e..f8d6732 100644
--- a/lib/routes/renders.js
+++ b/lib/routes/renders.js
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ module.exports = function(req, callback) {
   var rid = req.id;
   var body = raw_type === "body";
   var userId = (req.url.path_list[2] || "").split(".")[0];
-  var def = req.url.query.default;
+  var def = req.url.query.default && req.url.query.default.toLowerCase();
   var scale = parseInt(req.url.query.scale) || config.renders.default_scale;
   var helm = req.url.query.hasOwnProperty("helm");
 
diff --git a/lib/routes/skins.js b/lib/routes/skins.js
index 8cb1a77..bde53d1 100644
--- a/lib/routes/skins.js
+++ b/lib/routes/skins.js
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ function handle_default(img_status, userId, def, req, err, callback) {
 // GET skin request
 module.exports = function(req, callback) {
   var userId = (req.url.path_list[1] || "").split(".")[0];
-  var def = req.url.query.default;
+  var def = req.url.query.default && req.url.query.default.toLowerCase();
   var rid = req.id;
 
   // check for extra paths
diff --git a/lib/views/index.jade b/lib/views/index.jade
index 49cadd3..487feb6 100644
--- a/lib/views/index.jade
+++ b/lib/views/index.jade
@@ -147,6 +147,19 @@ block content
                   td null
                   td
                   td Apply the "second" layer (hat) to the avatar.
+                tr
+                  td default
+                  td string
+                  td
+                    | The standard value is calculated based on the UUID (even = MHF_Alex, odd = MHF_Steve).<br>
+                    | Usernames always default to MHF_Steve.
+                  td
+                    | The image to be served when the userid has no skin.<br>
+                    | Valid options are any userid, including
+                    a(href="/renders/body/0?default=MHF_Steve")  MHF_Steve
+                    |  and
+                    a(href="/renders/body/0?default=MHF_Alex")  MHF_Alex
+                    | , or a custom URL.
 
           section
             a(id="render-examples", class="anchor")