diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 01e594f0f3..554fa6adf6 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@
     "mongodb": "^2.0.33",
     "morgan": "^1.6.1",
     "mousetrap": "^1.6.0",
+    "node-emoji": "^1.4.1",
     "node-uuid": "^1.4.3",
     "nodemailer": "^2.1.0",
     "nodemailer-ses-transport": "^1.3.0",
diff --git a/server/boot/user.js b/server/boot/user.js
index cc5ea1d664..76e4b8d465 100644
--- a/server/boot/user.js
+++ b/server/boot/user.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import dedent from 'dedent';
 import moment from 'moment-timezone';
 import { Observable } from 'rx';
 import debugFactory from 'debug';
+import emoji from 'node-emoji';
 
 import {
   frontEndChallengeId,
@@ -331,6 +332,10 @@ module.exports = function(app) {
           });
         }
 
+        if (userPortfolio.bio) {
+          userPortfolio.bio = emoji.emojify(userPortfolio.bio);
+        }
+
         return map$.map(({ entities }) => createNameIdMap(entities))
           .flatMap(entities => buildDisplayChallenges(
             entities,